Essay Evaluation Rubric

A

Excellent

B

Very Good

C

Average

D

Below Average

F

Poor

Thesis

 Thesis is explicit and clear

 Thesis is clear

 Thesis is apparent, but somewhat unclear

 Thesis is vague or illogical

 No thesis

Historical Content

 Accurate Information; no flaws;

 exceptional use of historical material;

 excellent use of documents and historical knowledge.

 Mostly historically accurate; some minor flaws;

 good use of historical material;

 satisfactory use of documents and/or historical knowledge.

 Fairly accurate, but some historical inaccuracies;

 some use of historical materials and knowledge.

 Some major historical inaccuracies;

 little use of historical materials and knowledge.

 Serious historical errors;

 little supporting evidence

Analysis

 Analysis is substantive and extensive

 Analysis is solid

 Generalized with some attempt at analysis.

 Over-generalized; almost no analysis.

 No attempt at analysis.

Essay Format

 Introduction provides explicit direction

 thoroughly developed and organized;

 excellent conclusion that ties together evidence.

 Introduction provides direction

 well-developed and organized;

 solid conclusion.

 Introduction provides some direction

 competent development and organization;

 acceptable conclusion.

 Introduction provides little direction

 some development and organization;

 unsatisfactory, inapplicable, or nonexistent conclusion.

 Introduction provides no direction

 no distinguishable development and organization

.

Grammar and Style

 Coherent and unified; virtually error free

 Mostly coherent and unified; some errors

 Some incoherence and lack of unity; some major or consistent errors

 Incoherent and void of unity; extremely flawed

 Might as well be writing in Swahili

Citations

 All sources cited;

 correct citation style used throughout

 Most sources cited;

 citation style usually correct.

 Not all sources cited;

 citation style incorrectly used.

 Few sources cited;

 citation style incorrectly used.

 No sources cited.