Rubric A grade of A (90-100) will be awarded for an essay which:
● Summarizes the article perfectly, extracting the thesis, explaining the argumentative structure and
rationale of the author
● Frames the broader issue in exceptional detail, using the textbook chapters and placing the
article beside comparable articles for compare and contrast
● Critiques the article with a well-constructed argument using facts, moral principles, moral
theories, other articles, citations; uses an objective and clear voice to explain nature of criticism
● Uses typical writing form (12 pt. Times; standard margins) with clearly marked
intro/body/conclusion transitions, proper citations when direct quoting ( MLA, Chi., APA,
acceptable), and is at least 6 full pages in length (double spaced)
A grade of B (80-89) will be awarded for an essay which:
● Summarizes the article excellently, only missing or misrepresenting minor details or minutiae
● Frames the broader issue well, but leaves out some important details or fails to incorporate other
articles in an informative way
● Critiques the article well, but fails to make the best criticism or omits important considerations in
the process
● Uses typical writing form (12 pt. Times; standard margins) with clearly marked
intro/body/conclusion transitions, proper citations when direct quoting ( MLA, Chi., APA,
acceptable), and is at least 5 full pages in length (double spaced)
A grade of C (70-79) will be awarded for an essay which:
● Summarizes the article, but in too general a way to capture the important details about the article
and the argument it contains
● Frames the broader issue but very superficially and without working to connect the article to the
broader issue; fails to include other articles
● Critiques the article, but in a very subjective, arbitrary, or unprincipled way
● Uses typical writing form (12 pt. Times; standard margins) with clearly marked
intro/body/conclusion transitions, proper citations when direct quoting ( MLA, Chi., APA,
acceptable), and is at least 4 full pages in length (double spaced)
A grade of D (60-69) will be awarded for an essay which:
● Attempts but fails to summarize the article sufficiently, either by misrepresentation or omission
● Attempts but fails to frame the issue meaningfully, either by misrepresentation or omission
● Attempts but fails to critique the article in any way other than by simply saying what is personally
agreeable or disagreeable about it.
● Uses typical writing form (12 pt. Times; standard margins) with clearly marked
intro/body/conclusion transitions, proper citations when direct quoting ( MLA, Chi., APA,
acceptable), and is at least 3 full pages in length (double spaced)
A grade of F (0-59) will be awarded for an essay which:
● An essay which fails to accomplish any of the above
