Term Paper Assessment Rubric
7 areas assessed on a 1-5 scale. Total points are 35
Topic ______
Name ______
5 / -Strong thesis- limited, controversial and responds directly to the question-Cites considerable relevant information from outside learning, cited correctly
-Uses evidence from documents completely, accurately and weighed correctly
-Displays a thorough understanding of the topic and related issues.
-An argument is persuasively tied together throughout the entire paper
-Well structured, using topic sentences, and information is organized in an understandable fashion
-Proper spelling, grammar and mechanics
4 / -Thesis answers the question, but is weakly stated
-Cites some relevant information from outside learning, cited correctly
-Uses correct evidence from documents, but does not fully explore the validity of the document or the source of the evidence
-Shows an understanding of the topic and related issues, but doesn’t take the topic to the next level of understanding
-An argument is present throughout the paper, but isn’t always convincing
-Clearly written and coherent, but forces reader to make connections
-Some minor errors in spelling, grammar and mechanics
3 / -Thesis is either not limited enough or not controversial
-Includes little evidence from outside learning, or does not cite correctly
-Uses some evidence from documents correctly, but with a simplistic analysis or does not weigh the validity of the evidence or document
-Shows a basic, simplistic understanding of the topic and related issues
-An argument is present in only part of the paper
-Organization lacks topic sentences
-Errors in writing detract from the essay’s meaning
2 / -Thesis does not answer the question, or is not limited and not controversial
-Includes no information from beyond the in-class documents, does not cite at all
-Fails to use documents correctly; simply paraphrased or misunderstood
-Shows understanding of topic and related issues in only part of paper
-An argument is present in only one paragraph of the paper
-Disorganized and makes few connections
-Errors in writing are so numerous that the reader does not understand the paper
1 / -No thesis
-No information from either beyond the in-class documents or from in-class documents
-Ignores documents
-Shows no understanding of topic or related issues
-No argument in paper
-No organization
-No attempt is made to use proper spelling, grammar and mechanics
No Rough Draft with teacher graded comments is automatically -5
No Bibliography is automatically -5