All in-class essays, papers, essay exams, and other student writing are evaluated taking into account the distinctions described below. Only work demonstrating clearly superior to outstanding effort and initiative, originality, creativity, and unusual degree of understanding and accomplishment will be awarded grades in the B and A ranges. The A Grade Outstanding essays feature a well-defined and manageable thesis, highly specific and relevant evidence, and accurate and insightful analysis. Arguments and evidence are carefully arranged and organized around central ideas lending support to the main thesis.
All points are clearly and sufficiently motivated, explained, supported, and developed.
The arguments and observations reveal not only close attention to details but also awareness of and ability to exploit nuances of form and signification. Whenever necessary, while probing the evidence and assessing the implications of the analysis, the writer appropriately qualifies the main and subsidiary theses. The A essay is an example of sound, independent, and penetrating thinking where analysis prevails over mere paraphrase or the reporting of commonplace ideas. This essay is very well written, elegant in style, and free of spelling, grammatical, and syntactical errors. The outstanding essay draws the relevant implications of its arguments and opens up avenues for further thought and reflection.