Grading Guide Essay

Grading Guide Essay # 2 Review of Literature

Remember that this assignment includes the information on the syllabus. The assignment also includes what you cover in your outline and what you see listed here on this grading guide.

• MLA format shows mastery of conventions including but not limited to your name and page number in upper-right hand corner, Times New Roman 12-point font, 1” margins all the way around; ragged right edge; double spaced
• Appropriate white space between paragraphs. Press “Enter” only once.
• Title Review of Literature: Subtitle (-5 points for not having a title)
• Thesis statements go first in each paragraph. No rhetorical questions allowed: they aren’t necessary when you have short documents to write.
• Body includes the following:
• Using author’s/authors’ name(s) and giving brief credentials
• Brief summaries of key points
• Definitions of key terms
• Quoting with “quick tags” or signal phrases (only 10-12% of the total document can be direct quotes)
• In-text citations (parenthetical and signal, or quick tag) match Works Cited first word for each citation (except for The, A, and An)
• Correct genre for a Review of Literature/Research
• Conclusion:“So what?” and “Who cares?” based on what your authors claim
• Works Citedis worth 5 points: do you get full credit for your Works Cited? Yes No

If you don’t have a Works Cited, then the essay is incomplete.

Overall considerations show mastery of academic writing conventions:

• Length of total essay length fulfills assignment: no shorter than 2 1/3 pages and not longer than 3 pages plus Works Cited on a separate 4th page; 4 paragraphs
• Clear subject and verb: no expletives
• Demonstratives such as “this” and “that” are adjectives with clear noun following them.
• Transitional phrases guide readers through the text.
• Grammar and punctuation produce clear and unified text.
• Quality examples and details: you need “thick description”
• No you, your, yourself and/or impersonal pronoun one. Figure out exactly who is doing the actions and/or who you’re addressing in your discussion.
• Active voice: no passive voice (-2 points for each instance of passive voice).