WRITE Criteria

A - Excellent

B - Good

C - Adequate

D - Needs Improvement

F - Does Not Meet Criterion

Statement of Purpose: Students are able to distill a primary purpose into a single, compelling statement.

15 points

The essay includes a clear, compelling statement of its thesis, which is clearly historiographic in nature.

13 points

The essay's statement of its thesis is clear but could be strengthened somewhat, and clearly historiographic in nature.

12 points

The essay includes a satisfactory statement of its thesis, and is reasonably historiographic in nature.

10 points

The essay's statement of its thesis needs to be clarified or strengthened significantly, and has historiographic elements.

8 points

The essay does not include a satisfactory statement of its thesis, or it has one that is not historiographic in any sense.

Organization: Students are able to order major points in a reasonable and convincing manner.

15 points

The essay is organized effectively into an appropriate number of thoughtfully ordered paragraphs, generally including a strong introduction and conclusion.

13 points

The essay is well organized for the most part. The effectiveness of its organization could be enhanced by more focused paragraphs and/or a stronger introduction or conclusion.

12 points

The organization of the essay is clear, but its paragraph structure may require some revision. One or more paragraphs may be too long or too short, their main points may be unclear, or an effective introduction or conclusion may be missing.

10 points

The basic structure of the essay is apparent, but its organization does not emphasize its main points or address its overall purpose sufficiently. Important elements of the paper, including an introduction or a conclusion, may be missing.

8 points

The organization of the essay is not adequate for its purpose. It may be excessively brief, or essential structural elements may be missing.

Analysis and Argument: Students are able to develop their ideas using appropriate rhetorical patterns (e.g., narration, example, comparison/contrast, classification, cause/effect, and definition) in response to their specific rhetorical situation.

40 points

Insightful analysis that easily blends sources together, illuminates the relationship between them, and identifies the primary ideas and salient features of each work; discernment of scholarly worth of sources based on clear criteria, such as cogency, support of thesis, use of sources, etc.; identification of biases, weaknesses, and limitations of sources as well as strengths; essay demonstrates that student has grasped the basic concept of what historiographic analysis is

36 points

Analysis blends sources together somewhat awkwardly, shows some relationship between them but in a limited fashion, and identifies the primary ideas and salient features of each work; limited discussion of scholarly worth of sources based on vague criteria; essay demonstrates that student has grasped the basic concept of what historiographic analysis is.

32  points

Good faith effort to compare and contrast sources but with little analytical depth; describes works with limited identification of major themes and salient features; minimal discussion of scholarly worth; essay demonstrates that student has a modest understanding of the basic concept of what historiographic analysis is.

28 points

Weak effort to compare and contrast sources but with no analytical depth; describes works without clear identification of major themes and salient features; little or no discussion of scholarly worth; essay demonstrates that student has a modest understanding of the basic concept of what historiographic analysis is.

20 points

Failure to provide any historiographic analysis; book report style summaries of sources with little or no comparison, or effort to find common themes, or analysis of scholarly worth; essay demonstrates student has little or no understanding of the basic concept of what historiographic analysis is; Essay written as standard term paper and not as an historiographic paper

Grammar and Mechanics: Students are able to employ standard diction, syntax, usage, grammar, and mechanics.

20 points

Grammar: The essay demonstrates a mastery of diction, syntax, usage, and grammar, appropriate to college writing at the junior level.

Mechanics: Paper neatly typed and formatted by standard term-paper guidelines (defined below)

17 points

The essay demonstrates competence in appropriate diction, syntax, grammar, but may require some editing with attention to these areas.

Mechanics: Minor formatting errors, but otherwise neatly typed and formatted by standard term-paper guidelines (defined below)  

15 points

The essay meets expectations with respect to diction, syntax, grammar, and mechanics but may require significant further editing.

Mechanics: Moderate formatting problems, title page incomplete, bibliography and footnotes of endnotes present but with moderate formatting errors

13 points

The essay requires significant proofreading and editing.

Mechanics: Multiple formatting problems, title page missing bibliography and footnotes present but multiple formatting errors.

10 points

The essay does not meet expectations of academic writing at the junior level with respect to diction, syntax, and grammar.

Mechanics: Paper not typed, or typed with significant and numerous errors; title page missing or incomplete; bibliography and/or citations formatted so poorly as to render them useless for research and fact checking

Use of Sources: Students are able to manage and coordinate basic information gathered from multiple sources.

10 points

The essay appropriately and judiciously uses quotations and appropriate paraphrasing from sources. All evidence is appropriately cited.

Minimum of eight peer-reviewed sources, any unusual sources approved by instructor; all sources clearly relevant to topic; all sources adequately addressed in paper

8 points

With minor errors, the essay appropriately and judiciously uses quotations and appropriate paraphrasing from sources. All evidence is appropriately cited.

Minimum of eight peer-reviewed sources ; any unusual sources approved by instructor; one or two sources not clearly relevant to topic or not adequately addressed in paper

6 points

The essay uses quotations and paraphrasing awkwardly. Citation is used, but all evidence is not clearly linked to citation.

Minimum of six peer-reviewed sources; one or two sources not clearly relevant to topic or not adequately addressed in paper

4 points

The essay over uses quotations and paraphrasing, in ways that do not relate well to the essay’s arguments. Citation is present but haphazard citation.

Less than six peer-reviewed sources; multiple sources not clearly relevant to topic; multiple sources not adequately addressed in paper

2 points

The text of the paper is primarily quotation and heavy paraphrasing, with highly inadequate citation.

Lack of peer-reviewed sources, no sources clearly relevant to topic or adequately addressed in paper

Overall Score

A - Excellent
90 or more

B - Good
80 or more

C - Adequate
70 or more

D - Needs Improvement
60 or more

F - Does Not Meet Criterion
0 or more