Grades on English Composition 101 Papers

A

This grade is given to the most effectively written papers. The information in an A paper has been carefully organized, and the writer's ideas are insightful and original. Vivid, memorable details are included. The writer moves smoothly and logically from one idea to the next. The paper is clear and generally free of mechanical errors.

B

A B paper has above average organization. Its writer provides effective ideas and examples from his or her own experiences. The paper is clearly written, but it may contain some wordy or awkward phrasing. The transitions between ideas are smooth but may be less effective than the transitions in an A paper. To get a B, the paper must have qualities that clearly raise it above an ordinary paper.

C

The C is given to a paper with average ideas. Paragraphing in this paper is effective, but some specific support for general ideas may be missing. Minor misstatements of ideas or minor mechanical errors may lower an above average grade to a C. Transitions may be choppy, and the details may not all be in a logical order.

D

Little attempt was made to organize information effectively in a typical D paper, and the ideas and examples are not impressive. The paper may be wordy and awkward, jumping abruptly from one point to the next. Serious mechanical errors (such as several sentence fragments or run-on sentences) lower a grade to a D. A paper that includes few specific details but is otherwise acceptable would probably get a D.

F

An F paper may not be on the assigned topic, or, if it is on the topic, the ideas in an F paper are predictable and superficial. The style of an F paper may be confused and awkward, making some of the sentences hard to follow. A clear pattern of writing errors (especially word ending errors) would also result in an F. An F would also be given to a very general paper and to a paper noticeably shorter than 500 words.