Why Did My Paper Get A [insert grade here]?
The following text was taken from the website of Chuck Huff (of St. Olaf College, http://www.stolaf.edu/people/huff/), who freely admits to having borrowed it from other places on the web and having modified it to his needs. It is to be regarded (in the context of my courses, anyway) merely as a general guide, not as a detailed map to be slavishly followed.
Christopher D. Green
3 December 2004
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Why do I start this list with the "B" paper? Because a B is a fine
thing to get on a paper and because a B paper is a paper that fulfills the
requirements of the assignment in full. In short, a B is the description of
work well done. The A paper adds several positive qualities that surpass all
the requirements of the assignment. Among these are clarity and richness in
content. More detail is given below.
* B paper (Good): It is significantly more than competent. Besides being almost
free of mechanical errors, the "B" paper delivers substantial
information--that is, substantial in both quantity and in relevance. Its
specific points are logically ordered, well-developed, and unified around a
clear organizing principle that is apparent early in the paper. It has positive
value that goes beyond the avoidance of error, but it lacks one or more
qualities that would bring it close to perfection. It may develop an idea fully
and accurately but lack elements of originality. It may have all the qualities of
an A paper except naturalness of organization, or it may be marred by improper
form, inappropriate style, or occasional obscurity. Stylistically, the opening
paragraph draws the reader; the closing paragraph is both conclusive and
thematically related to the opening. The transitions between paragraphs are,
for the most part, smooth, the sentence structures varied. The diction is more
concise and precise than that of the "C" paper. In general, a
"B" paper offers substantial information with few distractions.
The B paper, then, is a complete paper in fulfilling the assignment, but lacks
something in organization, clarity, richness of detail, quantity of
information, or cleanness of style. If you receive a B on a paper, ask me what
from this list describes what is missing. Often, the B paper is one revision
away from being an A. The revision involves noticing the flaws and thinness in
analysis, content, or style, and then moving vigorously to correct them.
* A paper (Superior): The
Superior paper is written far above the minimum standards I have outlined for
the assignment. It includes all the positive qualities of the B paper listed
above. In addition, it displays originality, imagination, vitality, and a
personal voice for the author. But the principal characteristic of the
"A" paper is its rich content and analysis. The quality, quantity,
clarity, and density of the information delivered is such that the reader feels
significantly taught by the author, sentence after sentence, paragraph after
paragraph. The "A" paper is also marked by stylistic finesse: the
title and the opening are engaging; the transitions are artful and related to
the argument of the paper, not mere window dressing; the phrasing is tight,
fresh, and specific; the tone enhances the purpose of the paper. Finally, the
"A" paper shows a subtlety of logic that often escapes the more
straightforward "B" paper; it makes strong claims while anticipating
nuance, special circumstances, and irony. The "A" paper, because of
its careful organization and development, imparts a feeling of wholeness,
clarity, and strength of argument.
* C paper (Adequate): It is generally competent but lacks intellectual rigor;
it meets the assignment, has few mechanical errors and is reasonably
well-organized and developed. The actual information it delivers, however,
seems thin and commonplace. One reason for that impression is that the ideas
are typically cast in the form of vague generalities--generalities in
presentation of theory, experimental findings, or even application examples.
The paper may not be developed fully, its logic may be unconvincing or its
organization, paragraphs, or sentences weak. Stylistically, the "C"
paper has other shortcomings: a weak opening paragraph, a perfunctory
conclusion, strained transitions, choppy and monotonous sentence patterns, and
diction marred by repetition, redundancy, and imprecision. Occasionally, a
paper may rate an A or B in content and receive a C because of errors of form.
Just as often, a paper may be relatively correct in form, but its content may
be uninspired or thin, thus warranting a grade no higher than C.
* D paper (Unsatisfactory): This paper is largely faulty, often because of
errors of form or mechanics, but it does not warrant complete disregard. It may
contain little or no content, it may simply restate arbitrarily selected
material from the sources, or it may lack coherent organization. It does,
however, have some saving graces: a spark of originality, an important argument
buried in incoherent syntax, some mastery of sentence skills, or a relative
grasp of organization.
* F paper (Not acceptable): Its treatment of the subject is superficial; its
theme lacks discernible organization; its prose is garbled or lacking in
clarity or style. Mechanical errors are frequent. In short, the ideas,
organization, and style fall far short of acceptable college writing in English
(the language, and also likely, the Department).