A C essay: an average
essay, which displays the following qualities:
a clear main idea or thesis statement
some awareness of audience (e.g., the author, instructor,
classmates, general public) and purpose (e.g., to
inform, entertain, persuade, etc.)
content that supports the essay's central purpose
a generally appropriate balance of abstract and
concrete material
a reasonably unified structure
few major mechanical errors (e.g., sentence fragments,
run-ons, verb tense shifts)
few serious problems with documentation
A B essay: an above-average
essay, which possesses the following characteristics:
a clear and perceptive main idea or thesis
considerable awareness of the essay's audience and
purpose
a cohesive and clear structure that includes effective
transitional elements
prose that's clear and also uses some basic elements
of sophisticated style (e.g., varied sentence lengths
and structures, strong verbs, emphatic elements)
few mechanical errors of any kind
few errors in documentation
An A essay: a superior
essay, which is characterized by the following features:
incisive, original, and significant content
a tightly woven structure that advances the author's
purpose with the audience
abstractions that are supported with well-chosen,
sharp detail
nuanced prose that exemplifies inventive stylistic
techniques (e.g., varying rhythms, parallel elements,
appropriate figures of speech)
fresh and precise diction
practically no errors in mechanics or documentation
A D or NC essay:
a below-average essay, which has one or more of the
following qualities:
an unclear central purpose
deficient or superficial content
a structure with clear gaps in unity or coherence
abstractions lacking concrete support
a preponderance of either excessively confusing
or overly basic sentences
many mechanical errors or several major ones
serious errors in documentation
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