2 Sample Grading Rubrics

Grading rubrics that provide important information for completion of papers, discussions and presentations are listed below. Additional information on grading, as well as dates for dropping and withdrawing from the course is provided below.

Papers

Superior

• Work is error-free
• All questions are answered thoughtfully and accurately
• You thoroughly explained your reasoning for all answers

Above Average

• Work is nearly error-free
• All questions have been answered accurately
• You did not thoroughly explain your reasoning for all answers

Average

• All questions have been responded to
• Some errors are evident
• You have not thoroughly explained your reasoning for all answers

Below Average

• Work contains significant errors
• Work contains omissions of explanation

Failing

• Work is nonexistent or incomplete, in a large part
• Work is suggestive of plagiarism

Discussions

Superior

• You responded to the discussion question meaningfully and commented on other students’ responses in a way that intentionally moved the discussion forward
• It was clear that you took time to think about comments or questions posed and responded in a way that was respectful, articulate, thought provoking, and on time
• Your strong effort and investment in the discussion was evident

Above Average

• You responded to the discussion question meaningfully and commented on other students’ responses in a way that intentionally moved the discussion forward
• You took some time to think about comments or questions posed, but there is still room for improvement

Average

• You responded in a simple response that addressed a moderate range of effort and knowledge
• You showed some organization
• Your errors in grammar and word usage were evident

Below Average

• You did not participate meaningfully
• You did not move the discussion forward

Failing

• You did not post a response
• You did nothing to move the discussion forward

Presentations

Superior

• Constituted a genuine contribution by the speaker to the knowledge or beliefs of the audience
• Sustained positive interest, feeling, and/or commitment among the audience
• Contained elements of vividness and special interest in the use of language
• Delivered in a fluent, polished manner that strengthens the impact of the speaker’s message

Above Average

• Dealt with an interesting or challenging topic
• Fulfilled all major functions of a speech introduction an conclusion
• Displayed clear organization of main points and supporting material
• Supported main points with evidence that meets the tests of accuracy, relevance, objectivity, and sufficiency
• Exhibited proficient use of connectives-transitions, internal previews, internal summaries, and signposts
• Delivered skillfully enough so as not to distract attention from the speaker’s message

Average

• Conformed to the kind of speech (informative, persuasive, etc.)
• Ready for presentation on the due date
• Conformed to the time limit
• Fulfilled any special requirements of the assignment such as preparing an outline, using visual aids, incorporating audience analysis, etc.
• Had clear specific purpose and central idea
• Had identifiable introduction, body, and conclusion
• Shows reasonable directness and competence in delivery
• Free of serious errors in grammar, pronunciation, and word usage

Below Average

• Seriously deficient in the criteria required for the C speech

Failing

• Nonexistent, incomplete in large part, or
• Suggestive of plagiarism

Quizzes

Each quiz contains 10 true-false statements and 10 multiple-choice questions. Each statement/question is worth 2 points.