Essay Marking Standards

Although each essay is considered individually, and individual professors may emphasize one feature of a good essay over another, the following are some criteria to let you know what is normally expected in each grade range for papers submitted in humanities courses. Expectations may also vary depending on the level of the course.

A: The "A" mark is generally awarded to assignments that are superior in all areas. An "A" paper will have a well-researched, well-substantiated argument that is presented logically. It will make comprehensive use of the sources required for the assignment and engage in rigorous analysis. It will be stylistically pleasing to read (i.e, it will use clear, concise, and vigorous sentences, and will vary sentence length and structure to prevent stilted prose). Grammatical and spelling errors will be minimal. A paper may be mechanically sound, however, and not achieve a letter grade of "A."

B: Essays in the "B" range will also contain a coherent, well-organized argument, although they might have some minor problems, such as weak topic sentences or a repetitive concluding paragraph. They will have very few grammatical errors. Such papers might suffer from some stylistic problems (wordiness or overuse of the passive voice). Although "B" essays will have a clear and precise thesis, they might not display the originality of thought that characterizes an "A" paper. It should be noted that one of these problems could be enough to move a paper into the "B" range, and a number of them will reduce the grade further.

C: Essays in the "C" range will have a clear thesis, but this thesis might not be precise enough, or it might not be adequately supported. Likewise, the discussion may demonstrate inadequate research. "C" papers may suffer from problems in organization, such as not having clear transitions between paragraphs, or not having topic sentences. A failure to stick to the topic might also move a paper into the "C" range. A "C" paper might have more grammatical errors than a "B" paper, and its style might be awkward, unclear, wordy, and overuse the passive voice. Such essays might also rely too heavily on summary or description, and not engage in substantial analysis of the text or topic.

D: Essays in the "D" range might not have a clear thesis. They usually suffer from many of the problems of the "C" paper, but to a greater extent. For example, the argument might simply be unconvincing. The prose might be so awkward that the meaning of the sentences is obscured. "D" papers might consist exclusively of summary with no analysis, or might make general assertions without backing them up with direct reference to sources. They usually have serious grammatical problems. Such papers might also lack an introduction or a conclusion, or might have no clear paragraphing whatsoever. They might also reproduce the ideas of a single secondary source, without contributing any original analysis.

F: A failing paper might not answer the question asked. If it does answer the question, it usually suffers from major grammatical problems, or lacks any sense of organization. It might not have a thesis at all, or its analysis might be weak or unconvincing. Failing papers are usually poorly written, sometimes in prose so convoluted that the meaning is lost. Failing papers often contain factual errors, which suggest that the author has not researched the topic thoroughly, or perhaps not read the texts carefully or comprehended them.

A NOTE ON PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of the words or the ideas of another person, and the representation of such words and ideas as your own. Plagiarism of any kind is, quite literally, theft, and is a serious crime in the academic community. A plagiarized paper will receive a mark of zero, and the author(s) might be subject to more severe academic penalties.