Writing Ethnicity, Spring 2007
Class-generated rubric

These are the elements of good college writing we listed in class on Jan. 22 (in no particular order):

• Good style (for instance, variety in sentence structure)
• Good grammar and vocabulary
• Contains no unwarranted generalizations, but deals with specifics
• Focused; everything is on topic
• Gives appropriate examples
• Answers the assignment
• Keeps an audience of general readers in mind
• Makes an argument and commits to it
• Doesn't use rhetorical questions as a substitute for making an argument
• Uses sources well
• Uses summary in service of an argument, not instead of an argument
• Knows the subject matter
• Shapes paragraphs of appropriate length, neither too short nor too long
• Avoids cheesy formatting (such as oversized margins or fancy fonts, usually intended to disguise the fact that the writer has run out of things to say)
• Employs signposts to organize the essay and guide the reader

Also on Jan. 22 we agreed on the characteristics of papers receiving each letter grade:

• An F paper: Totally off topic, possibly because the student didn't read or understand the relevant texts; the author is unable to discuss the required material. Or, a plagiarized paper.
• A D paper: Better informed than the F paper, but doesn't really answer the question. Mechanics of the paper (organization, grammar, citations) are poorly handled.
• A C paper: Makes a basic attempt to answer the assignment, but is not strong or original.
• A B paper: Covers the most important points of the assignment; is well-structured and persuasive.
• An A paper: Cohesive, committed, and passionate, the A paper "pulls it all together" in an original response to the assignment.

Let's keep these standards in mind over the course of the semester -- use them as guides for writing, revising, responding to classmates' work, and interpreting feedback.