SUMMER 2021 ONLINE ENG 111 SYLLABUS

1. COASTALCAROLINACOMMUNITYCOLLEGE
ENG-111-08R1WAND ENG-111-18R1W
17 MAY—04 AUG SUMMER 2021
Class Meeting: Online
Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 3
Prerequisite: Must meet one of the following:
ENG-002 (grade of P2)
BSP-4002(grade of P2)
DRE-098
*ENG-011 (for students who placed/tested into ENG 011)
Corequisite: *ENG-011-R1
Instructor: Breanna Lowe
Email: loweb@coastalcarolina.edu
Important note on communication: I am not always able to respond to
emails sent after 5:00p, on weekends, or during holiday breaks; however, I
will respond as soon as possible the next working day.
Phone: (910) 938-6173
Office: CA 119
Student Hours: Monday—Tuesday 10:30a—4:00p
Wednesday 10:30a—3:00p
Thursday 10:00—2:00
Division Chair: Ashley Ess
Email: essa@coastalcarolina.edu
Phone: (910) 938-6176
Office: CA 119
Student Hours: contact by appointment, email, or regularly scheduled office hours

2. 1.COURSE OVERVIEW
1.1—COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to develop the ability to produce clear writing in a variety of genres and
formats using a recursive process. Emphasis includes inquiry, analysis, effective use of rhetorical
strategies, thesis development, audience awareness, and revision. Upon completion, students
should be able to produce unified, coherent, well-developed essays using standard written
English. This course has been approved for transfer under the CAA and ICAA as a general
education course in English Composition. This is a Universal General Education Transfer
Component (UGETC) course.
1.2—COURSE COMPETENCIES AND OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
✓ Demonstrate writing as a recursive process.
✓ Demonstrate writing and inquiry in context using different rhetorical strategies to reflect,
analyze, explain, and persuade in a variety of genres and formats.
✓ Students will reflect upon and explain their writing strategies.
✓ Demonstrate the critical use and examination of printed, digital, and visual materials.
✓ Locate, evaluate, and incorporate relevant sources with proper documentation.
✓ Compose texts incorporating rhetorically effective and conventional use of language.
✓ Collaborate actively in a writing community.
1.3—REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Bullock, Richard, Michael Brody, and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook, 3rd ed.
W/ InQuizitive. Norton, 2017.
o ISBN: 978-0-393-64639-9
o eBook version: 978-0-393-64358 https://digital.wwnorton.com/littleseagull3
1.4—MyCCCC PORTAL
MyCCCC is your portal to campus email, Blackboard, Office 365, Library databases, the
Writer’s Center, and WebAdvisor. You should check your portal, school email and Blackboard
courses daily to keep up with announcements, assignments, attendance, grades, and/or schedule
changes. Office365 gives you FREE access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Personal Cloud
storage, OneDrive! Access MyCCCC by going to CCCC’s main website and clicking the
“MyCCCC” link near the top right.
1.5—TO BE SUCCESSFUL STUDENT, DO THE FOLLOWING:
− Have access to a computer with reliable internet. Here are some options if you are
struggling with internet:
o Come to campus if you have any difficulty accessing your internet at home; there
are also many computer labs on campus for student use. If you are not in
Jacksonville, any local library will have public computers with internet access.
You will need a student ID to enter any of the school’s computer labs.
− Have knowledge of the Internet, email, and basic word processing skills.
− Be self-motivated and self-directed!

3. − If you have computer-related problems, contact the Help Desk at 910-938-6123 or email
at helpdesk@coastalcarolina.edu
− Always have a back-up plan since unexpected problems can occur whenever technology
is involved.
− For this reason, you should also plan to work on coursework wisely: do not begin your
readings and assignments the day of the deadline. You will not succeed! You are
responsible for submitting your work by the assigned due date and time.
− You should check your email and the Blackboard site at least once a day, even if no
assignments are due that day.
2.GRADING AND ASSIGNMENTS
2.1—ENG 111 MODULES OF STUDY
− Module 1: Writing & Inquiry through Review
o High Stakes Assignment, Essay 1: Writing a Review
− Module 2: Writing & Inquiry through Rhetorical Analysis
o High Stakes Assignment, Essay 2: Visual Rhetorical Analysis
− Module 3: Writing & Inquiry through Research
o High Stakes Assignment, Essay 3: Research Project
2.2—ENG 111 GRADE BREAKDOWN
High Stakes: (60%) Percentage of Final Grade
Essay 1: Writing a Review 20%
Essay 2: Visual Rhetorical Analysis 20%
Essay 3: Research Project 20%
Low Stakes: (40%)
Writing Assignments, Tests, Quizzes,
Discussion Posts
15%
Rough Draft Uploads and Peer Review
o These are two separate assignments with
two separate grades. However, in order to
participate in Peer Review, the student
must complete and submit a Rough Draft.
See section 2.2.1 below for details.
15%
Weekly Journal Reflections 5%
Final Exam (timed-essay) 5%
Total: 100%

4. 2.2.1—LOW STAKES ASSIGNMENTS—40%
The goal of low stakes assignments is to encourage students to think, learn, and understand more of the
course material. While low stakes assignments are still graded and important, they are worth less (in
weighted average) than the high stakes assignments.
Writing Assignments, Tests, Quizzes, Discussion Posts (15%)
− Writing Assignments highlight the Writing Process: brainstorming, outlines, and
drafts will be uploaded for check ins and feedback through links within the
respective Module/Week folder. Tests and quizzes will be given periodically to
examine students’ knowledge of Module learning materials. Discussion Posts will
occur frequently to engage students in the writing community and allow them to
share thoughts, ideas, and concerns.
Rough Draft Uploads and Peer Review (15%)
− We will do Peer Review for Essay 1 and 2. Peer Review must happen in two
parts: 1) the student must complete and submit a rough draft of their essay on
time, and 2) the student must then complete Peer Review
▫ You are required to submit a completed Rough Draft of your essay,
on time, in order to participate in Peer Review.
▫ This means, if you do not submit a Rough Draft, on time, you will
earn a zero (0) for the Rough Draft AND a zero (0) for Peer Review.
▫ LATE DRAFTS: A rough draft can be submitted late, for a grade, but will
not receive feedback from a peer or instructor. If a student submits a rough
draft late and wishes to receive feedback, they should take their essay to
the Writer’s Center.
▫ CAN I CHANGE THE ZERO(0) for Peer Review: The only way to get rid
of a zero (0) on Peer Review is to submit your Rough Draft NO LATER
THAN 48 HOURS OF THE ORIGINAL DUE DATE to the Writer’s
Center for feedback from a tutor. The appointment is recorded and
documented, and your instructor will receive the notes.
Weekly Journal Reflections (5%)
− Each week, students will have a journal reflection that asks them to reflect on
some aspect of the class (what they learned, an area of writing, etc.). For example,
after completion of high-stakes essays, the weekly journal reflections will ask
about the writing process and experience.
Final Exam (5%)
− This is a division-wide, timed final writing exam that all ENG 111 students must
take. The division uses this essay as part of its General Education Assessment to
determine any changes the division needs to make in its teaching methods. I am
not able to disclose the final exam prompt to you until the beginning of the final
exam period. However, I can disclose to you that the exam will be timed, typed,
and submitted on Blackboard during the final exam period.
2.2.2—HIGH STAKES ASSIGNMENTS—60%
The goal of high stakes assignments is also to produce learning, but more heavily weighted because they
evaluate the students’ writing carefully for soundness of content and clarity of course materials.
Essays (60%): Essay 1, 2, and 3.
− This course emphasizes the writing PROCESS, which includes prewriting,
outlining, drafting, peer reviewing, revising, and reflecting. All high-stakes essays

5. will be submitted typed, formatted in MLA, and submitted as a compatible
document to Turnitin through a link on our course site
− Viewing Feedback: You will need to go to your essay submission (where it says
view/complete) to view detailed, line-by-line feedback on your essay.
▫ This is the best one-on-one feedback you will get from me on your writing,
and therefore essential for your improvement. Essay revisions are also
graded based on the amount of improvement per my specific feedback.
− Essays must be submitted as documents that are compatible with Microsoft Word:
.doc or .docx If you have a MAC, Word may save as .pages, which is
incompatible, so please be sure to save as a .doc or .docx.
▫ Essays that are submitted in incompatible formats will earn a zero (0).
▫ The student may upload a corrected version, but the late penalty (-5 points
per day late) will still apply which is why it is very important to follow
directions!
Revising Essays (Optional):
− Revisions are optional. Essay 1 and Essay 2 may be revised ONE TIME EACH.
Because of the Essay 3’s due date and time constraints with final exams and final
grading, there will not be time for students to revise. Therefore, it is important
that students do extremely well on the research project.
− How do I Revise? Visit the feedback given on your essay by clicking on the
submission link, “view/complete”. You should look at both the rubric (this is
considered holistic grading—the overall summary), and the line-by-line, detailed
feedback. I will revisit the original essay, rubric, and feedback and closely
compare it to the revision. Revised essays are graded on the extent of effort put
into your revision based on the feedback I gave you in the line-by-line detailed
feedback and the rubric.
− If a student wishes to revise an essay, they may (not required) also go through the
Writer’s Center, but please take your essay AFTER revising with instructor
feedback. Otherwise, the tutor will provide similar feedback as the instructor from
the first final draft—which wastes the time of the student, tutor, and instructor.
The student must then apply Writer’s Center feedback before submitting the
revised product.
− Simple breakdown: click on “view/complete” and look over your instructor line-
by-line feedback—look at the feedback on your rubric—revise your essay
according to your instructor’s feedback—optional: revise with writer center
tutor—submit revised draft for grading before deadline to Essay Revision section.
− Revisions can be uploaded to Blackboard any time under the Essay Revisions
section of the menu bar, by the posted revision deadline.
− Late Essays cannot be revised!
− Essay scores “top out” at 100%

6. 2.3—CHECKING YOUR GRADES
− You should check your grades frequently by clicking on the “My Grades” link in the
course menu bar. This will show your GRADEBOOK.
− Each time an assignment is graded, you will see a a number out of 100.
− You may also see a feedback bubble next to your grade: be sure to click on that
comment bubble for feedback. Reading instructor feedback and incorporating it
into future assignments is essential to your success in this course. The assignments
that we do in this course will build upon one another.
− Remember, the exception to this feedback rule is high-stakes essays which are graded
through Turnitin. You will find your feedback in the same location you submit the essay.
The link says “view/complete.”
2.4—FINAL GRADING SYSTEM
Official grades are issued for each student at the end of each semester. Students enrolled in
academic programs will be graded by the following letter grade system.
Letter Grade Numerical Grade Grade Points Per Semester Hours
A (Excellent) 93 – 100 4.00
A- 90 – 92 3.67
B+ 87 – 89 3.33
B (Good) 83 – 86 3.00
B- 80 – 82 2.67
C+ 77 – 79 2.33
C (Average) 73 – 76 2.00
C- 70 – 72 1.67
D+ 67 – 69 1.33
D (Below Average) 63 – 66 1.00
D- 60 – 62 0.67
F (Unsatisfactory) Below 60 0
 All essays are graded using the department’s “Evaluation Scale for Writing” provided at the end of
this syllabus. More specific expectations for each assignment are provided within the assignment
instructions.
3. POLICIES
3.1—ATTENDANCE POLICY
− Instructors are required to administratively disenroll students who miss more than the
equivalent of 12.5% of class hours. A class with 3 contact hours allows students six (6)
absences (which is the equivalent of 12.5%). However, because our course is online,
absences will be tracked by the submission of assignments.
− MISSED DEADLINE = ABSENT. The student is allowed six (6) missed deadlines,
and will be disenrolled from the course if a seventh (7th) missed deadline occurs.
E.g., if student has two assignments due on x-date (for the week), and a student fails to
submit both, the student is marked for two (2) absences of their allowed six (6).
− In addition to seven (7) missed deadlines, a student will also be disenrolled if they 1)
do not to submit an assignment for 2-weeks in a row, or 2) do not log into the course
for 2-weeks in a row.
− Coastal’s attendance policy is designed to balance the educational benefits of regular
class attendance with the demands of everyday life. For this reason, there is no

7. difference between an excused or unexcused absence—if the deadline is missed, the
student is marked absent, regardless of the reason; Coastal’s policy is in place to allow
for illness, emergencies, and more. If absences are used without purpose, students may
find themselves with no absences to use for emergencies when they arise.
− 011 Students: For students taking courses that are corequisites (e.g., ENG 111 and ENG
011), an attendance violation in one of the courses will result in the student being
disenrolled from both courses
− You can check your attendance in the “My Attendance” tab. If you have any questions
about the attendance policy, please ask.
− See pp. 45-47 of the College Catalog for detailed information on attendance,
disenrollment, and reinstatement: https://www.coastalcarolina.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2020/07/Catalog-2020-2021-Web.pdf
3.2—REINSTATEMENT POLICY:
If a student is disenrolled from the course and wishes to be reinstated, the student must initiate
the following reinstatement process within one week of the date and time of being
disenrolled:
1. First, the student must have an extenuating circumstance that allows for reinstatement.
2. The student must contact the instructor via coastal e-mail: loweb@coastalcarolina.edu
3. The e-mail must be written formally and entail any "extenuating circumstances" that the
student believes caused his/her excessive absences.
4. The instructor may allow or deny reinstatement based on academic performance as well
as attitude and proactive communication.
5. Furthermore, permission to make up missed assignments will be at the discretion of the
instructor.
6. If a student is reinstated by the instructor, continued enrollment would be under
conditions set by the instructor by way of a reinstatement agreement between the
student and the instructor.
7. If the student violates any of the conditions of reinstatement, the student will be
permanently dropped from the course.
3.3—ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:
• Any decisions for this class regarding disenrollment, reinstating, failing the course,
disruptions to learning, academic dishonesty, etc., will be made based on academic
performance of the student. All students should be aware of any financial obligations to
the government and/or other sources regarding monetary rules related to the above issues.
3.4—LATE WORK AND GRADING POLICY:
Late assignments are penalized as follows: I will DEDUCT FIVE (5) POINTS PER DAY that
the assignment is late. You have up to one week (7 days) to submit late work. On the 8th
day, it’s
an automatic and irreversible zero (0). Remember, a missed deadline also counts as an absence
for the course. Weekends and holidays apply to this rule. The calendar and assignments are
planned in a way to keep you on track with the writing process for high stakes assignments; each
assignment builds on the last.
Specific Grading Penalties for Essays:

8. − No writing assignments submitted before rough draft: deduct ten (10) points to Final
Essay score
− Essays that are submitted in incompatible formats will earn a zero (0)
− The student may upload a corrected version, but the late penalty (-5 points per day late)
will still apply which is why it is very important to follow directions!
Exceptions to the Late Policy: Rough Drafts and Peer Review (see section 2.3.2 above)
3.5—ONLINE COMMUNICATION POLICY:
Follow these standards when communicating with your peers and instructor:
• Professional, academic, and respectful tone and civility are used in communicating with
fellow learners and the instructor, whether the communication is by electronic means,
telephone, or face-to-face.
− Racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic language has no place in our class. Neither
does religious intolerance.
• Written communication, both formal and informal, uses Standard English rather than
popular online abbreviations and regional colloquialisms:
− e.g., lol, tbh, haha, for real, seriously, and so on
− Do not email me with “hey” “sup” or refer to myself or any other instructor by their
first name, unless otherwise told. Ms. Lowe or Ms. L is fine.
− Spelling and grammar are correct.
3.6—ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism means that you take the words, ideas, or images of an author and use them as your
own. Any time you consult a website, article, book, image, or video, and proceed to use
information from that source in any way, you MUST give credit to the author of that work in the
proper way. ENG 111 uses MLA citation and formatting guidelines.
Examples of Plagiarism are as follows:
− Copying and pasting text from an article or website into your essay without using
quotation marks to show that the words are not yours.
− Copying and pasting text from an article or website into your essay and changing a few
words to synonyms to claim that idea as your own.
− Reading something online—unknown to you before—and including it in your essay
without informing your reader where you got that information.
− Inaccurately quoting or paraphrasing material
− Incomplete or missing documentation (no in-text citations and/or Works Cited page will
earn a zero on a paper)
− Purchasing a paper!
− Copying a previous student’s—or anyone’s—work and submitting it as your own
− Submitting a paper that you wrote for another class is plagiarism.
− All course work must be new and original work for this course. Any misrepresentation of
the source in your writing or speaking would constitute a form of plagiarism. Plagiarism

9. is not at all acceptable and the penalty is a grade of zero (0) for the assignment and/or
failure of the course
A note on plagiarism: All instructors at Coastal have access to Turnitin which has an extremely
thorough plagiarism tool. Additionally, I have seen many cases of plagiarism, and I can easily
spot it—changes in writing tone are obvious. In severe cases, further disciplinary action may be
required. See “Proscribed Conduct” on p. 54 of the College Catalog:
https://www.coastalcarolina.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Catalog-2020-2021-Web.pdf
4. RESOURCES AND ACCOMMODATIONS
4.1—DISABILITY STATEMENT:
Please contact the ADA Coordinator in the Student Services Division (938-6331) as soon as
possible to make any necessary accommodations arrangements. Instructors will be notified and
provided information on necessary accommodations. Specific reasons for accommodations are
kept confidential and are not provided to the instructor.
4.2—STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM:
The Student Success Team helps students achieve their academic goals and helps them develop
skills that transcend the classroom. As a team focused on academic success, the Student Success
Team assists students with accessing campus resources including tutoring and study skills using
proven methods that help students increase their GPAs, reach their academic goals, and graduate
or complete their programs on time. This focused approach to learning helps students achieve
academic success! Make an appointment by emailing studentsuccess@coastalcarolina.edu
4.3—THE WRITER’S CENTER:
The Writer’s Center is a free resource available to all Coastal Carolina Community College
students. Daytime hours are Monday-Friday 9am-3pm. Evening hours are Monday, Wednesday,
and Thursday 5pm-7pm. To access the WC schedule, click “Make an Appointment” on the
Writer’s Center homepage, which can be accessed through the Writer’s Center icon on your
MyCCCC Portal.
Types of Sessions
• Video Tutoring sessions allow you to meet with a tutor through a video conference
hosted by Microsoft Teams, which is similar to Zoom, so you must be available during
your appointment time. You will be able to see and hear your tutor, and the screen
sharing capability will allow both you and the tutor to view and edit your document.
• Online Tutoring is offered as a secondary type of session for students who are
unavailable during our operating hours. A tutor will leave comments on the Microsoft
Word document you attached to your appointment form and send it back to you via email,
so you do not have to be available during your appointment time.
• Face-to-Face Tutoring will have limited availability. Check the information posted
outside of the Writer’s Center for operating hours and procedures, or contact us at
writerscenter@coastalcarolina.edu or 910-938-6354.
4.4—TITLE IX STATEMENT:
“Coastal Carolina Community College ("Coastal"), in compliance with and as required by Title
IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and its implementing regulations ("Title IX") and
other civil rights laws, as well as in furtherance of its own values as a higher education

10. institution, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual
orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, disability, age, religion,
veteran status, or any other characteristic or status protected by applicable local, state, or federal
law in admission, treatment, or access to, or employment in, its programs and activities.”
“Discrimination and harassment are antithetical to the values and standards of the Coastal
community; are incompatible with the safe, healthy environment that the Coastal community
expects and deserves and will not be tolerated. Sexual Harassment, as defined by Title IX and
herein1, is a specific type of sex discrimination/harassment that includes Sexual Assault, Dating
Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking, which Coastal addresses using its Title IX Sexual
Harassment Grievance Procedures, as required by Title IX.”
It is important for you to know that there are resources available if you or someone you know
needs assistance. You may speak to a member of college administration, faculty, or staff
(https://www.coastalcarolina.edu/title-ix/).Please note that as responsible employees, all faculty
and staff are required to report any incidents of sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator,
with or without your consent. If you have any questions or wish to file a complaint, please reach
out to the Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Annette Harpine, AdminBldg, Office #7, 910-938-
6789(email: harpinea@coastalcarolina.edu).
4.5—COMMUNICABLE DISEASE POLICY:
Any student who knows, or has a reasonable basis for believing, that he or she is infected with
a communicable disease (e.g. pandemic influenza) or other serious public health threat has an
obligation to report that information to Student Services. A serious public health threat is one
that has been declared by the State Public Health Director or the Governor. In the event of a
reported occurrence of a communicable disease on campus, the College will seek guidance and
direction from the appropriate public health authorities.
Students who come to campus whether it be for classes, to use the library, to meet with an
instructor or other faculty or administrative member, or to meet with a Writer’s Center tutor
during an established public health threat, must wear a face covering indoors and maintain social
distancing by staying at least six (6) feet away from other individuals whenever possible. Face
coverings are also required outdoors when the minimum 6-foot radius is not possible.
COVID-19 Reporting:
Any student who feels they have symptoms of COVID-19, has been exposed, or plans to get
tested should not return to campus and should notify Student Services by sending an email to
CDStudent@coastalcarolina.edu. Students will be advised on when/how to return to campus
safely.
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH EVALUATION SCALE FOR WRITING
• A letter grade followed by a + denotes that the text met all of the criteria for that letter grade
but not enough of the criteria for the next higher letter grade.
• A letter grade with no + or – denotes that the text met most, but not all, of the criteria for that
letter grade.
• A letter grade followed by a – denotes that the text met some, but not most, of the criteria for
that letter grade.
A (90-100)

11. o The text consistently focuses on its purpose by addressing and engaging the intended
audience. The text’s central theme and its ideas are clearly and effectively expressed in a
manner that deepens the reader’s understanding of the topic by using appropriate
academic language.
o The text is appropriately and effectively organized in a method that presents and supports
the evidence used to support the central theme.
o This organization is present at the paragraph level in which the writer effectively
develops each paragraph using topic sentences that support the text’s central theme.
o Paragraphs are further developed by the use of specific details, explanations, and
appropriately incorporated sources.
o Sentences are clear, concise, and varied in length, pattern, and syntax. The text uses
appropriate tone and diction.
o Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics adhere to the standard rules of
grammar with few, if any, errors.
o When required, sources are expertly chosen and incorporated in a manner that
demonstrates audience awareness, source credibility, and author’s purpose and are
consistent with the prescribed documentation style.
B (80 to 89)
o The text has a clear purpose and is directed toward a specific audience, but at times the
writer wavers in maintaining the audience’s attention.
o The central theme is clearly developed and the support for the central theme is
interesting.
o The text is generally organized and utilizes varied and persuasive evidence to support the
central theme.
o Paragraphs are well developed and generally include topic sentences that support the
central theme and are supported by details.
o Transitions between paragraphs demonstrate how the ideas are related to each other and
to the central theme.
o Sentences are usually clear and concise with varying patterns and length.
o Word usage conveys the writer’s ideas without serious distortion or simplification of the
ideas.
o The work avoids both the monotony of primary syntax and the incoherence of
complicated, tangled expression.
o Grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling are appropriate for college writing, but
there may be inadvertent or occasional errors.
o When required, sources are correctly cited and incorporated consistent with the
prescribed documentation style.
C (70-79)
o The text suggests a central idea, but it is underdeveloped, purely repetitious or too general
and abstract.
o The text does not consistently maintain its purpose or attention to a specific audience.
o The text contains a central theme but may include vague or incompletely developed
ideas.
o The organization of the text is moderately clear, but the arrangement of ideas or selection
of supporting evidence may be problematic.
o Some supporting details and transitions fail to either support the central theme or
demonstrate how the details relate to the rest of the text.

12. o The diction and tone of the text are appropriate but may demonstrate limited familiarity
with precise and direct word choice.
o The text includes only a few major errors but may have a significant number of minor
errors in grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.
o When required, most sources are consistently cited or incorporated into the text, but there
may be occasional minor instances of incorrect in-text citation or bibliographic entries or
a singular major inconsistency in documentation.
D (60 to 69)
o The text has interesting sections and ideas but does not successfully convey its purpose or
address a specific audience.
o The text inadequately develops the central theme or frequently strays from the point or
topic.
o The structure in not effectively unified or the support for the central theme is not
presented in a coherent manner.
o Paragraphs may have weak or poorly focused topics that do not provide sufficient details.
o Sentences may be unclear, wordy, poorly constructed or have unstable syntax that makes
the meaning unclear.
o Frequent errors in punctuation hinder readability.
o Grammar problems are recurrent. If there are only occasional problems, they show a
narrow range of word usage or idea development.
o When required, sources are consistently improperly cited within the text, source selection
only partially meets the assignment requirements, or there are significant issues regarding
bibliographic entries.
F (Below 59)
o The text lacks a purpose and is not directed toward a particular audience.
o The text lacks a central theme.
o The text is generally incoherent and has no discernible organization.
o There is no clear plan for presenting, organizing, or selecting evidence.
o Paragraphs lack focus, detail, or connection to a central point.
o Sentences are frequently unclear or incorrectly constructed.
o The text displays a high frequency of problems in punctuation, spelling, grammar, and
other mechanics that frustrate the reader’s comprehension of the ideas.
o The text is also so brief that any reasonable accurate judgment of the writer’s competence
is impossible.
o Even though required, sources are not incorporated, or when utilized, are plagiarized, or
used without any attempt to properly document the source.