Grade Scale:

Contrary to popular belief, instructors do not begin grading essays with the assumption that they will earn an “A” and then work their way down from there as errors and issues emerge.  The default grade is a “C” – we work our way up or down from that point as described below.

A+ (100), A (95) & A- (90)    

outstanding work that demonstrates facility with the material under discussion, clear comprehension of sources used, smooth integration of material taken from both outside sources and class texts into the student’s prose, and truly original thought about the text(s) under discussion.  NOTE: Report cards do not recognize A+ grades, but I apply them throughout the semester and they factor into the calculation of the final grade.

B+ (89), B (85) & B- (80)      

excellent response to the assignment that exhibits some originality of thought in conjunction with clear comprehension of sources used and the smooth integration of all material quoted or paraphrased into the essay.

C+ (79), C (75) & C- (70)      

adequate response to the assignment that meets all expectations in terms of using outside sources in conjunction with discussion of text(s) read as a class; ideas presented will largely be those learned from class discussion, or limited research.

D+ (69), D (65) * D- (60)      

inadequate response to the assignment that fails to meet several expected criteria; issues may include inadequate research, weak integration of quoted or paraphrased material into the text, improper citation of sources (including assigned readings), logical or organizational issues that adversely impact the success of the argument, or grammatical problems that impede the reader’s ability to understand the argument.

F (55)  unsatisfactory response to the assignment that fails to meet many expected criteria; issues may include reliance on summary of assigned texts rather than informed discussion or analysis of them, limited and/or inappropriate use of outside resources, failure to adequately cite sources or document their use in a bibliography, poor logical development of the argument, or grammatical problems that impede the ability to understand the argument.