Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor F

Overall Author directly addresses main
Impression question or issue, and adds new
insight to the subject not
provided in lectures, readings,
or class discussions. The
author has retained nearly all of
the knowledge presented in
class. He/She is able to
synthesize this knowledge in
new ways and relate to material
not covered in the course.
Argument Essay contains a clear
argument—i.e., lets the reader
know exactly what the author is
trying to communicate.
Evidence Provides compelling and
accurate evidence that
convinces reader to accept
main argument. The
importance/relevance of all
pieces of evidence is clearly
stated. There are no gaps in
reasoning—i.e., the reader does
not need to assume anything or
do additional research to accept
main argument.
Author competently addresses
main question or issue, but
does not add much new
insight into the subject. That
said, it is clear that the author
has learned a great deal in
class and is able to
communicate this knowledge
to others.
An argument is present, but
reader must reconstruct it
from the text.
Provides necessary evidence
to convince reader of most
aspects of the main argument
but not all. The importance/
relevance of some evidence
presented may not be totally
clear. Reader must make a
few mental leaps or do some
additional research to fully
accept all aspects of main
argument.
Author attempts to address
main question or issue, but
fails. The author has
retained some information
from the course, but does
not fully understand its
meaning or context and
cannot clearly convey it to
others.
Author attempts, but fails,
to make an argument (e.g.,
starts with a rhetorical
question/statement or
anecdote that is never put
into context).
Not enough evidence is
provided to support
author’s argument, or
evidence is incomplete,
incorrect, or
oversimplified.
Information from lectures
and readings is not
effectively used.
Essay does NOT address P
main question or issue, and L
it is obvious that author has A
not retained any information G
from the course. I
A
R
I
S
M
No attempt is made to
articulate an argument.
Either no evidence is
provided, or there are
numerous factual mistakes,
omissions or
oversimplifications. There
is little or no mention of
information from lectures
and readings.

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 1

 Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor F
Counter- The author considers the Author acknowledges that Author acknowledges No acknowledgement of
Evidence evidence, or alternate counter-evidence or some of the most obvious counter-evidence or
interpretations of evidence, that alternative interpretations counter-evidence and alternative interpretations.
could be used to refute or exists, and lists them fully, alternative explanations,
weaken his/her argument, and but does not effectively but is not comprehensive
thoughtfully responds to it. explain to reader why his/her in this task. There is little
argument still stands. or no attempt made to
respond to them.
Sources Evidence is used from a wide Evidence is used from many Uses only a few of the Does not use sources, only
range of sources, including sources, but author relies sources provided in class, minimally uses sources
Note: You lectures and course readings. heavily on a more limited set or does not go beyond provided by instructor, or
should always When required, author also of sources. Some effort is what has been provided by relies exclusively on non-
consult the consults scholarly books, made to go beyond material professor when required to scholarly outside sources.
assignment websites, journal articles, etc. presented in class when do additional research.
description to not explicitly discussed in required, but not much. If
find out what class. outside sources are used, they
kinds of are primarily non-scholarly
sources are (i.e., intended for a general
required. audience) and/or web-based.
Citations All evidence is properly cited All evidence is cited in Some pieces are No attempt is made to cite
in footnotes or endnotes. footnotes or endnotes, but unreferenced or evidence.
there are some minor inaccurately referenced,
problems with completeness and there are problems
or format of some citations. with completeness and
format of citations.

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 2

 Excellent Good Needs Improvement Poor F
Organization Essay contains an intro, main Essay contains an intro, main
Essay contains an intro, Essay has no clear
body, and conclusion. body, and conclusion. The
main body, and organizational pattern.
Introduction lays out main introduction lays out the main
conclusion. The
argument and gives an outline argument but gives the reader
introduction gives the
of what the reader can expect in little idea of what to expect in
reader an idea of what to
the essay. The conclusion the essay. The conclusion
expect in the paper, but
brings everything together, nicely summarizes the main
does not effectively lay out
acknowledges potential argument and evidence, but
the main argument. It may
shortcomings of the paper, and does not move beyond what
begin with a set of
gives the reader a sense of what has already been presented in
rhetorical questions, or an
further work might be done to the paper. anecdote that is never fully
advance the subject matter explained. The conclusion
described in the paper. does little more than
restate the problematic
introduction. Intro and/or
conclusion may be too
wordy or short.
Clarity and All sentences are All sentences are A few sentences are Paper is full of grammatical
Style grammatically correct and grammatically correct and grammatically incorrect or errors and bad writing.
clearly written. No words are clearly written. An not clearly written. Several words are misused.
misused or unnecessarily fancy. occasional word is misused or Several words are Technical terms, words from
Technical terms, words from unnecessarily fancy. misused. Technical terms, other languages, and words
other languages, and words Technical terms, words from words from other from other historical periods
from other historical periods other languages, and words languages, and words from are rarely explained. Not all
are always explained. All from other historical periods other historical periods are information is accurate and
information is accurate and up- are usually, but not always, rarely explained. Not all up-to-date. Paper has not
to-date. Paper has been spell- explained. All information is information is accurate and been spell-checked or
checked AND proofread accurate and up-to-date. up-to-date. Paper has been proofread, and contains
(ideally by you and somebody Paper has been spell-checked spell-checked AND numerous errors. Reader
else), and contains no errors. AND proofread, and contains proofread, but still has a difficult time
no more than a few minor contains several errors. understanding essay because
errors, which do not Reader’s ability to of errors.
adversely affect the reader’s understand essay may be
ability to understand the compromised by these
Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 3
 essay. errors.

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence, Carnegie Mellon University 4