Assessment Sheet for the Academic Essay

ENGL-101

5
Content/ Ideas 30%
Thesis is clear and on topic; focus is maintained throughout essay. Ideas are clear, knowledgeable, and insightful. Content is very well developed and supported with relevant, concrete details.

4
Thesis is clear and on topic, and focus is generally well maintained. Ideas are clear and knowledgeable. Content is generally well developed and supported with relevant, concrete details.

3
Thesis is on topic, but may lack clarity, and/or essay may lack focus in some parts. Ideas are generally clear and sometimes knowledgeable. Content is fairly well developed but some supporting details are too general, irrelevant, and/or repetitive.

2
Thesis is on topic but unclear and/or essay loses focus.

1
Thesis is off topic and/or essay is much unfocused throughout. Ideas are often unclear and/or reveal lack of knowledge. Content development is very limited as supporting details are consistently too general, irrelevant and/or repetitive.

Ideas are sometimes unclear and/or reveal lack of knowledge. Content development is limited as supporting details are often too general, irrelevant, and/or repetitive.

27- 30% Organization 20%

Strong overall organization with compelling introduction, coherent body paragraphs, and focused conclusion.

22-26%
Very good overall organization with appropriate introduction, coherent body paragraphs, and focused conclusion.

17-21%
Adequate overall organization, but introduction, body paragraphs, and/or conclusion may be somewhat inadequate and/or too brief. Incomplete sequencing, with limited or formulaic use of transitions and other connective devices within and across paragraphs.

13-16%
Some attempt at overall organization, but introduction, body paragraphs, and/or conclusion are inadequate or missing. Inadequate sequencing, with very limited or formulaic use of transitions and other connective devices within and across paragraphs

5-12%
Poor overall organization without clear division between introduction, body paragraphs and/or conclusion.

Logical sequencing with mastery of transitions and other connective devices within and across paragraphs.

Logical sequencing with generally appropriate use of transitions and other connective devices within and across paragraphs.

Poor sequencing and/or continual shifts in focus, with formulaic or no use of transitions and other connective devices.

18-20%
Vocabulary range is very wide and varied.

15-17%
Vocabulary range is wide and varied. Word choice is generally precise and appropriate for the task, with occasional awkwardness.

10-14%
Vocabulary range is adequate but somewhat lacking in variety. Word choice is sometimes awkward due to lack of precision or appropriateness, but meaning is not obscured.

7-9%
Vocabulary range is limited and lacks variety. Word choice is often awkward due to lack of precision or appropriateness, and meaning is sometimes obscured.

3-6%
Vocabulary range is very limited and lacks variety. Word choice is often imprecise and inappropriate, and meaning is often obscured.

Vocabulary 20%

Word choice is very precise and appropriate for the task.

Prepared by: Hala AbdElMoneim

Material for Teachers use only

English Language and Rhetoric Program

Fall 2013

Assessment Sheet for the Academic Essay

ENGL-101
Mastery of word forms is evident throughout. Mastery of word forms is evident, with very few errors. Occasional word form errors are present. A number of word form errors are present. Lack of mastery of word forms is evident throughout.

18-20%
Mastery of sentence structure and boundaries.

15-17 %
Very good control of sentence structure and boundaries with very few errors of sentence boundary punctuation. Generally effective and varied use of simple, compound, complex, and compound/complex sentences with very few errors. Very few errors of agreement, verb tenses and forms, number, word order, articles, prepositions, etc. Meaning is not obscured by grammar errors.

10-14%
Good control of sentence structure and boundaries with occasional fragments and/or comma splices and run-ons. Simple, compound, complex and compound/complex sentences generally used correctly with few errors. Occasional grammar errors such as tenses and forms, agreement, number, articles, prepositions, etc. Grammar errors are distracting, but meaning is generally not obscured.

7-9%
Incomplete control of sentence structure and boundaries, with some sentence fragments, comma splices, and run-ons. Simple sentences usually used correctly but exclusively; or a variety of other types of sentences is attempted but with some errors. Some grammar errors, such as verb tenses and forms, number, agreement, articles, and prepositions. Grammar errors are distracting, and meaning is sometimes obscured.

3-6%
Poor control of sentence structure and boundaries, with a number of fragments, comma splices and run-ons. Simple sentences are sometimes used correctly and exclusively; attempts to use other types of sentences are limited and often unsuccessful. Consistent errors of verb tenses and forms, number, agreement, articles, and prepositions. Meaning is often obscured by grammar errors.

Language Use 25%

Effective and varied use of simple, compound, complex, and compound/complex sentences.

Almost no errors of agreement; verb tense, voice, and form; number; word order; articles; prepositions, etc. Syntax is clear and supports meaning very effectively throughout.

23-25% Mechanics 5% Total Grade:

Prepared by: Hala AbdElMoneim
Material for Teachers use only Clear mastery of conventions, with very few spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors.

18-22%
General mastery of conventions, with few spelling, capitalization, or punctuation errors.

13-17%
Adequate mastery of conventions, with occasional spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and/or indentation errors.

8-12%
Inadequate mastery of conventions with frequent spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and/or indentation errors.

3-7%
No mastery of conventions; consistent spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and/or indentation errors.

5%

4%

3%

2-1%

0%

English Language and Rhetoric Program

Fall 2013