Student’s Name: ___________________________________
Essay Project #: __________
Essay Project Grading Rubric
Reminder: Keep this rubric, along with the graded draft of this essay, for use later this semester.
_____ C
	If your essay meets all of these first standards, you will earn a grade of C (70-79).
	(     ) Addresses all requirements and conditions described in the assignment prompt.
	(     ) Contains a thesis statement and mostly maintains focus on it throughout the essay.
	(     ) Supports the thesis statement with specific details.
	(     ) Clearly explains the connection between the thesis statement and its supporting details somewhere in the essay.
	(     ) Contains no major logical inconsistencies.
 	(     ) Keeps general commentary for “padding” the length of the essay or avoiding complicated issues to a minimum.
	(     ) Meets the minimum assignment requirements described in the assignment prompt.
	(     ) May include stylistic issues or mechanical errors, but not to the point that the essay is difficult to understand.
 	(     ) Follows any MLA guidelines for in-line citation and works cited format discussed in class.
	(     ) Is reasonably close to the minimum length of words required by the assignment.
_____ B
If you meet all of the standards above for a C and, in addition, achieve these standards, you will earn a grade of B (80-89).
(     ) Addresses assignment and requirement conditions thoughtfully and/or originally.
(     ) Focuses conscientiously on explaining connections between individual supporting details and the opinions they support.
(     ) Contains thoughtful transitions from paragraph to paragraph.
(     ) Limits general commentary to the introduction or conclusion of the essay.
(     ) Addresses a readership that is appropriate to the purpose of the essay.
(     ) Contains few (if any) confusing pronoun-antecedent shifts.
(     ) Incidents of comma splice and sentence structure issues are isolated (if at all).
_____ A
If you meet all of the standards above for a C and for a B and, in addition, demonstrate mastery of one of the following attributes of superior writing, you will earn a grade of A (90-100):
Final Grade

 (     ) especially complex or original in thought, (     ) especially sophisticated in expression, (     ) excellent paragraph-to-paragraph transitions, (     ) especially compelling in purpose or recognizable in voice, (     ) especially thorough,       (     ) seamlessly coherent, (     ) excellent MLA formatting, and (     ) relatively flawless mechanics.
Essay Grade: ________ +/- Points for special assignment requirements ________ =
_____ D or F
If your essay does not meet the requirements for a C, you will earn a grade of D (60-69) or F (<60), depending on the severity of problems you have with one or more of the first standards, and you should schedule a conference with your teacher.
Note: See the assignment sheet for this essay for detailed information about all general assignment requirements and conditions, any special assignment requirements, and all minimum assignment requirements. Points deducted for special and minimum assignment requirements are detailed there, and any problems you have with these requirements have been noted with corresponding numbers on your graded essay.