FYS Paper Evaluation Criteria
Student:
Assignment:
Score:/100
Grade:
General Comments:
Points
Score
Descriptive Criteria
CONTENT
36-40
_____
32-35
_____
28-31
24-27
Excellent: excellent response to requirements of assignment; consistent and logical focus on
topic; in-depth development of thesis with convincing evidence and explanation; skillful use
of rhetorical strategies; fair and appropriate use of quotations and paraphrasing
Good: good response to requirements; mostly consistent and logical focus on topic; good
development of thesis with valid evidence and clear explanation; good use of rhetorical
strategies; very few errors in use of quotations and paraphrasing
_____
Average: average response to requirements; inconsistent focus on topic;some problems with
logic; average development of thesis with evidence and explanation; average use of
rhetorical strategies; some errors in use of quotations and paraphrasing
_____
Weak: inadequate response to requirements; little critical analysis; many problems with
logic, mostly summary or unsupported generalizations; inadequate development of thesis;
inconsistent use of rhetorical strategies; many errors in use of quotations and paraphrasing;
short of required length
Very weak: not pertinent to requirements of assignment; no apparent critical analysis;
inappropriate use of personal or expressive writing; illogical statements; inappropriate use of
quotations and paraphrasing;insufficient composition to evaluate
0-23
_____
ORGANIZATION
18-20
16-17
14-15
_____
_____
_____
Excellent: complex thesis that guides the essay; clear statement and support of ideas in
introduction, body, and conclusion; effective topic sentences that guidefully developed,
unified, and coherent paragraphs in support of thesis; effective use of transitions
Good: clear thesis;good progression of ideas from introduction to body to conclusion; topic
sentences that support thesis and unify paragraphs; consistent focus on thesis; good
paragraph development and coherence; mostly effective use of transitions
Average: average thesis;basic paragraph structure; some unfocused progression of ideas
within and among paragraphs; lacking some appropriate topic sentences; some effective
transitions
Weak: lack or loss of focus; choppy; poor paragraphing; incomplete
12-13
_____
_____
0-11
Very weak: non-fluent or incoherent ideas; lack of logical sequencing and development of
paragraphs; not enough to evaluate
Points
Score
Descriptive Criteria
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Excellent: effective variety of sentence patterns; mastery of simple, compound, and complex
sentences; effective use of conjunctions; no grammatical or mechanical errors
18-20
_____
16-17
_____
Good: some variety of sentence patterns; few problems with compound and complex
constructions; adequate use of conjunctions; few grammatical or mechanical errors
_____
Average: limited variety of sentence patterns; some problems with compound and complex
constructions;some comma splices, mixed constructions, fragments, and run-ons; some
grammatical or mechanical errors.
14-15
12-13
_____
0-11
_____
Weak: lack of sentence variety; many problems in simple, compound and complex
constructions; comma splices, fragments, mixed constructions, and run-ons that disrupt flow
of ideas; several grammatical and mechanical errors
Very weak: little to no mastery of sentence construction; lack of communication of ideas;
incoherent or obscured meaning; phrases and sentences dominated by grammatical and
mechanical errors; not enough to evaluate
STYLE AND EXPRESSION
9-10
_____
Excellent: sophisticated diction; effective word and idiom choice and usage; mastery of word
forms; concise, appropriate academic prose
8-8
_____
Good: appropriate diction for the topic; suitable word and idiom choice and usage; few errors
with standard usage
7-7
_____
Average: adequate diction; some errors of word and idiom choice and usage; some problems
with communication of ideas
6-6
_____
Weak: limited diction; trite, colloquial phrasing; frequent errors of word and idiom choice and
usage; awkward phrasing; many problems with communication of ideas
0-5
_____
Very weak: very limited vocabulary; apparent interference from first language (translation
patterns); not enough to evaluate
CONVENTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION
9-10
_____
Excellent: excellent use of conventions; very few mistakes in spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, indentation, spacing; very few errors with MLA-style manuscript format,
documentation and citation
8-8
_____
Good: few errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, indentation, spacing;few or no
patterned errors; clear meaning; few errors with MLA-style manuscript format,
documentation, and citation
7-7
_____
Average: some errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, indentation, spacing;some
patterned errors; clear meaning; some errors with MLA-style manuscript format,
documentation and citation
6-6
_____
Weak: frequent errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
indentation and spacing; significant patterned errors; unclear meaning; many errors with
MLA-style manuscript format, documentation and citation
0-5
_____
Very weak: poor use of conventions; many errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization;
indentation and spacing; many errors with MLA-style manuscript format, documentation and
citation