Grading Criteria

The Grading Criteria for Business and Professional Writing (355:303) are intended to promote fair and relatively uniform standards for evaluating papers and for determining final grades.

Grades on the Midterm Paper

Nonpassing work
Nonpassing work on the midterm paper generally exhibits some of the following problems:

• Fails to fulfill the basic requirements of the assignment (e.g.: minimal or missing bibliography, no in-text citations)
• Develops a very personal argument without sufficient reference to others (so that it should really be a letter to the editor rather than a project proposal)
• Fails to use or cite research, or uses inappropriate research
• Focuses on the methods (how) while ignoring the researched justification (why)
• Presents an overly broad, or unfocused, or inappropriately large topic
• Follows a "report of information" format, without a clear objective or application structuring the paper
• Fails to address a specific audience
• Exhibits a high level of error which interferes significantly with meaning
  

C level work
C-level papers not only address a reader's concerns but begin to use or reference research to justify an approach to those concerns. Often, they are making the appropriate gestures without reaching full potential. Often, they try to define a problem and offer a somewhat justified solution, but the research is not yet fully sufficient or well enough deployed to make a solid case. The research does not yet begin to gel into a paradigm, and sometimes the paper still exhibits some residue of the "report" format. Alternatively, student may rely too heavily on summary of sources and research findings, rather than having the summary directed toward a specific goal. Sometimes a C-level paper relies too heavily on pathos rather than logos, which is usually a sign of insufficient research. We should not award higher than C-grades (or even passing grades) based on fluency alone, since often the students who do the least research have the easiest time writing fluently at this point, while they will be in danger later. We should try to encourage those students who are doing strong research but are struggling to put it into usable form, while chastising those students whose research is weak -- even if they exhibit naturally strong writing. C papers generally are poorly researched or, alternately,exhibit a somewhat higher than average level of error or sloppiness (but a level of error that does not interfere with meaning). You may reduce a grade to the C-level based on error alone.

B level work
B-level papers have a clear understanding of audience and purpose. They describe a problem and offer a solution that is justified by research. They should also begin to set forth (or at least suggest or point toward) a consensus view (or paradigm) that will justify the project objective. They are generally well presented and relatively error free.

A level papers
A-level papers have a strong understanding of audience, purpose, and the means of persuasion at hand. They should offer a clear paradigm, where the student uses good research and presents it with confidence. There should be very few errors in writing. We should distinguish the best performances from others by awarding few "A" grades, especially at midterm.

Determining Grades on the Oral Presentation
The oral presentation is both an "oral draft" of the final paper and an exercise in public speaking. Therefore, we need to balance the sometimes competing issues of content (including research, organization, and visual aids) with recognition of the form or style (including delivery, eye contact, and polish). We should focus most, though, on how well the presentation gives evidence that the student is prepared to write the final paper for the class, and our comments should focus most on how the student can revise the project for the final paper.

Generally, teachers should return comments on the presentation by the following class. First time teachers may find it useful to return only comments while withholding grades until all presenters have gone, so that they may be judged by comparison. Teachers who are more familiar with student presentations should probably return grades and comments together.

The strongest presentations (A- and B-level) feature clear organization, convincing logic, excellent references to evidence, clear and useful visual aids, and a confident delivery style. Weak (or C-level) presentations tend to have weak evidence, few or weak visual aids, poor organization, or an especially problem-ridden delivery.

Determining Grades on the Final Paper

F Range
Reasons why a paper might not pass include:

• The paper is plagiarized, in whole or in part (BRING TO COORDINATOR'S ATTENTION).
• The paper does not meet the basic requirements of the assignment (e.g.: no visual aids or no bibliography, missing crucial sections).
• The writer does not use sufficient or appropriate documentation (i.e.: very few, very old or completely inappropriate sources) or does not support points with references.
• The paper is written in the form of a report, and fails to focus information toward action.
• The paper depends largely on undirected summary.
• The level of basic organization interferes dramatically with the paper's meaning -- for example, the paragraphs do not follow logically or there is no apparent organizational structure.
• Problems of sentence-level error (especially grammar and syntax) are so severe that they interfere with the paper's meaning and appear to be both serious and irremediable without another semester of work. Examples of serious error include sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement errors, or an over reliance on simple sentences without transitions between them. Less severe (and passable) problems include spelling errors, misused apostrophes, and bad proofreading.
• The writer does not project a basic competence in writing.

C Range
Papers usually fall into the C range if they have some of the following characteristics:

• The level of research, organization, and logic are sufficient to demonstrate a basic competency.
• The paper puts information in action and is not merely a report or summary.
• The argument shows signs of promise even if it is not fully unified or fully developed.
• The research, while sufficient to pass, does not seem to fulfill all of the needs of the student's argument. Perhaps certain essential facts are missing from an otherwise acceptable paper.
• The writer ignores important difficulties or avoids dealing with salient issues.
• The writer has not fully engaged with or considered the audience's concerns about this project.
• The solution does not follow logically from the problem.
• The paradigm does not mesh with the practice, or is not clearly delineated.
• Generally, a paper that is competent but fails to organize the research into a paradigm will receive a C+ grade.
• The visual aids are especially weak or carelessly prepared.
• The level of error is high or shows signs of general and repeated carelessness.

B Range
A paper in the B range generally does most of the following to some extent:

• Clearly describes or quantifies the problem or need to be addressed.
• Has a sense of the paradigm or theoretical frame used to define the project.
• Engages (and does not ignore) the difficulties suggested by the research or the plan.
• Uses source materials well and places them in a logical relation to other sources and the thesis.
• Responds to the needs or concerns of the likely audience (or funding source).
• Strives to persuade the reader.
• Seems feasible as a real world project.
• Uses visual aids that are well explained and integrated into the proposal.
• Guides the reader through the argument (using good transitions, signposts, forecasting, etc.)
• Has mostly error free writing.

Often, a B range paper has a strong literature review but a weak plan, or -- alternately -- an imaginative and well developed plan of action that is insufficiently supported by research.

A Range
We should distinguish only the best papers in the class with an "A" grade. An A paper has all of the qualities of a B paper, and distinguishes itself in at least some of the following ways:

• Sets an especially challenging or original task that the student fulfills.
• Demonstrates excellent or innovative research, which is well ordered and cited.
• Organizes the research into a clearly and carefully delineated paradigm.
• Uses graphics that are highly effective at conveying information.
• Has almost completely error free writing.
• Has a degree of stylistic polish that exceeds the commonplace (though this alone does not make an A paper, it is often a contributing factor).
• Exhibits a remarkably attractive appearance and visually appealing design.
  

The best A-level projects are those in which the writer does more than merely import an existing paradigm into a new situation. There should be some attempt to modify the model and make it case-specific, expanding the paradigm. Although this is not an absolute requirement, it is one sign of A-level work.