____________________
PHIL __ __ __
Student (name, ID, or other tag)
_______________, 20_____
Course
4 = Exemplary; 3 = Proficient 2 = Developing; 1 = Elementary; 0 = Unsatisfactory
I. ARGUMENTATION
An exemplary paper:
Semester
TOTAL AVERAGE ________
AVERAGE SCORE:
4
3
2
1
0
An unsatisfactory paper:
Presents strong and well-developed arguments in
support of its central claims
Fails to adequately defend its central claims
Acknowledges and supports other controversial claims
asserted and/or relied upon in the paper
Treats controversial claims as needing no support
Presents any relevant objections and counterarguments
to its central claims and arguments
Fails to present objections or counterarguments to
its central claims and arguments
Offers strong arguments to defuse objections and
counterarguments to central claims and arguments
Does not respond adequately to objections and
counterarguments to central claims and arguments
Is subtle, original, and/or insightful
Is trite, trivial, or unoriginal
II. EXPOSITION
An exemplary paper:
AVERAGE SCORE:
4
3
2
1
0
An unsatisfactory paper:
Gives a clear statement of its central issue or question.
Lacks a clear statement of its core issue or question.
States the paper’s central claim(s) clearly.
Lacks a clear statement of the central claim(s).
Gives an accurate and charitable statement of
alternative positions on the central issue.
Alternative positions or responses are described
inaccurately or uncharitably, if at all.
Gives an accurate and charitable exposition and
interpretation of the pertinent philosophical texts and
views, providing textual support where appropriate
Provides an incomplete, inaccurate, and/or
uncharitable exposition and interpretation of the
pertinent philosophical texts and views
Fully explains key philosophical terms, concepts, and
distinctions in an illuminating way, using the author’s
own words, examples, and descriptions
Fails to provide adequate explanations for key
philosophical terms, concepts, or distinctions
III. ORGANIZATION
An exemplary paper:
AVERAGE SCORE:
4
3
2
1
0
An unsatisfactory paper:
Has a logical organization of elements building toward
the paper’s central aim(s)
Has an illogical or indiscernible organizational
plan—the paper is a hodgepodge of ideas
Clearly indicates relationships between various ideas
and components of the paper, and their role in
advancing the paper’s central aim(s)
Fails to indicate how ideas or components of the
paper are related to one another and/or how they
contribute to the paper’s central aim(s)
IV. WRITING
AVERAGE SCORE:
An exemplary paper:
4
3
2
1
0
An unsatisfactory paper:
Presents its ideas clearly and precisely, and is rarely
open to misinterpretation
Uses simplistic or convoluted sentence structures,
unnecessarily inflated language, or imprecise or
improper wording.
Is free of unnecessary words, purposeless repetition,
and irrelevant content
Is unnecessarily wordy or repetitive, or contains
irrelevant content
Contains virtually no grammatical, spelling, or
punctuation errors
Contains many grammatical, spelling, or
punctuation errors
Clearly distinguishes expression of the student’s own
ideas from expression of the ideas of others
Leaves the reader unclear as to whose ideas are
being expressed
Uses appropriate sources
Uses no sources or uses inappropriate sources
Provides complete proper citations for sources
Fails to cite and properly document sources
Adopted May 4, 2011
Relative weights of sections in total average: