The document provides grading criteria for a student paper assignment. It lists the following requirements for the paper: a title page with student name, period, and date; 3-5 double-spaced pages in 12pt Times New Roman font with 1 inch margins and page numbers. The paper must also include a works cited page with proper citations using Noodletools. The grading criteria cover purpose, content, organization, tone, sentence structure, length, quality of sources, and proper use of MLA format.

1. Student Name: ______________________
Period: ____________________________
Date submitted: _____________________
PAPER SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
Title Page: Title
Student Name
Period
Date
Paper: 3-5 pages; double spaced; Times New Roman; 12 pt font; 1 in margins; page numbers.
Work Cited Page: Proper citations using Noodletools
(Note: Document will not be graded if not typed.)
Criteria Exemplary Good Acceptable Unacceptable
Purpose/ The writer’s central The writing has a clear The central purpose or The purpose or
Introduction purpose or argument is purpose or argument, argument is not argument is generally
(8-2 pts) readily apparent to the but may sometimes consistently clear unclear.
reader. digress from it. throughout the paper.
Content Balanced presentation Information provides Information supports a Central purpose or
(24-6 pts) of relevant and reasonable support for central purpose or argument is not clearly
legitimate information a central purpose or argument at times. identified. Analysis is
that clearly supports a argument and displays Analysis is basic or vague or not evident.
central purpose or evidence of a basic general. Reader gains Reader is confused or
argument and shows a analysis of a significant few insights. may be misinformed.
thoughtful, in-depth topic. Reader gains
analysis of a significant some insights.
topic. Reader gains
important insights.
Organization The ideas are arranged The ideas are arranged In general, the writing is The writing is not
(8-2) logically to support the logically to support the arranged logically, logically organized.
purpose or argument. central purpose or although occasionally Frequently, ideas fail to
They flow smoothly argument. They are ideas fail to make sense make sense together.
from one to another and usually clearly linked to together. The reader is The reader cannot
are clearly linked to each each other. For the fairly clear about what identify a line of
other. The reader can most part, the reader writer intends. reasoning and loses
follow the line of can follow the line of interest.
reasoning. reasoning.
Feel and Tone The writing is The writing is generally The writing is dull and The writing has little
(8-2) compelling. It hooks the engaging, but has some unengaging. Though the personality. The reader
reader and sustains dry spots. In general, it paper has some quickly loses interest
interest throughout. is focused and keeps interesting parts, the and stops reading.
the reader’s attention. reader finds it difficult
The tone is consistently to maintain interest. The tone is
professional and The tone is generally unprofessional. It is not
appropriate for an professional. For the The tone is not appropriate for an
academic research most part, it is consistently academic research
paper. appropriate for an professional or paper.
academic research appropriate for an
paper. academic research
paper.
Sentence Sentences are well- Sentences are well- Some sentences are Errors in sentence
Structure and phrased and varied in phrased and there is awkwardly constructed structure are frequent
length and structure. some variety in length so that the reader is enough to be a major
Word Choice They flow smoothly and structure. The flow occasionally distracted. distraction to the
(8-2 pts) from one to another. from sentence to reader.
sentence is generally

2. smooth.
Word choice is Word choice is Word choice is merely Many words are used
consistently precise and generally good. The adequate, and the inappropriately,
accurate. writer often goes range of words is confusing the reader.
beyond the generic limited. Some words
word to find one more are used
precise and effective. inappropriately.
Grammar, The writing is free or There are occasional The writing has many There are so many
Spelling, Writing almost free of errors. errors, but they don’t errors, and the reader is errors that meaning is
Mechanics represent a major distracted by them. obscured. The reader is
(punctuation, distraction or obscure confused and stops
italics, meaning. reading.
capitalization,
etc.)
(8-2)
Length Paper is the number of Paper has more or fewer
(4-1 pts) pages specified in the pages than specified in
assignment. the assignment.
(Including title page and
work cited page)
Quality of References are primarily Although most of the Most of the references There are virtually no
References and peer-reviewed references are are from sources have sources that are
Citations professional journals or professionally uncertain reliability. The professionally reliable.
through paper other approved sources legitimate, a few are reader doubts the The reader seriously
and the “work (e.g., government questionable (e.g., accuracy of much of the doubts the value of
cited” page documents or websites, trade books, internet material presented. the material and stops
(8-2 pts) professional sources, popular reading.
organizations websites, magazines). The reader
etc.). The reader is is uncertain of the
confident that the reliability of some of
information and ideas the sources.
can be trusted.
MLA format is used MLA format is used There are frequent Format of the
accurately and with minor errors errors in MLA format. document is not
consistently in the paper recognizable as MLA.
and on the “Works
Cited” page.
Final Grade: ___________________________/75pts (max score possible: 76 pts)