paper’s central thesis
Research Paper Rubric
| Excellent | Competent | Needs Work/Missing | |
| Purpose | · The paper’s central thesis is readily apparent throughout the paper. | · The paper has a clear thesis but sometimes digresses from it. | · The paper’s thesis is not consistently clear throughout the paper. |
| Subject Content | · The paper contains a balanced presentation of relevant and legitimate information that clearly supports the thesis.
· The paper demonstrates an in-depth analysis of the topic. |
· The paper provides reasonable support for the thesis. Additional evidence would have strengthened the thesis.
· The paper contains a general analysis of the topic. |
· The paper is missing important/relevant content and/or there are little to no examples to support the thesis.
· The paper contains a vague or no analysis of the topic. |
| Organization | · The paper is arranged logically to support the thesis. Ideas flow smoothly from one to another.
· The reader can follow the line of reasoning. |
· The paper is arranged somewhat logically to support the thesis. Ideas occasionally fail to link together.
· The reader is fairly clear about what the writer intends. |
· The paper is not logically organized. Ideas fail to make sense together.
· The reader cannot follow the writer’s line of reasoning. |
| References | · All the references used are important and are of good/scholarly quality.
· The paper uses a minimum of five reputable and relevant book or article sources and cites them in proper MLA format. |
· Most of the references used are important and of good/scholarly quality.
· The paper uses a minimum of five reputable and relevant book or article sources and cites them, although not in proper MLA format. |
· Most of the references used are not important and/or are not of good/scholarly quality.
· The paper used less than five book or article sources. They were either not reputable or relevant or cited properly. |
| Format/ Layout | · The paper closely follows all of the requirements related to format and layout. | · The paper follows most of the requirements related to format and layout. | · The paper poorly follows the requirements related to format and layout. |
| Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling | · There are few or no errors in grammar, mechanics, or spelling. | · There are several minor errors in grammar, mechanics, or spelling. | · There are numerous errors in grammar, mechanics, or spelling. |
OVERALL GRADE:
