Below are general guidelines I use to evaluate papers. Papers written for a history course require good writing, intelligent and creative thinking, and a clear, elegant presentation. How you express ideas is important.

I evaluate your papers on the following:

• content
• organization
• style
• mechanics (punctuation, grammar, syntax, spelling)
• clarity of thought and argumentation.

A Papers:

Excellent papers have something interesting and creative to say, say it clearly and gracefully, and support it fully. The ideas in the paper are original, thought provoking, and range beyond the views and materials discussed in class. The thesis is well defined and focused and all claims are supported by evidence. "A" papers also have sound organization, few or no mechanical errors (including typos and spelling errors), coherent and unified paragraphs, clear, unambiguous sentences, and proper diction.

A- to B+ Papers:

Are those that are less successful in uniting all elements of an "A" paper, but nonetheless are distinctive for making particularly interesting, clear, creative, and graceful arguments. "A-" papers are those which might be weaker stylistically or organizationally, but which reveal a unique quality of thought. "B+" papers are those that are very competent stylistically and organizationally, but which present less original or persuasive arguments.

B Papers:

Good, well written papers. The paper has a clear thesis, sound organization and continuity, and its ideas are well supported. There may be some minor mechanical errors but no major ones; it can perhaps be improved stylistically, and there may be some problems with the use of evidence. Such papers may originate in arguments and interpretations made in class, but they should also demonstrate independent thought and some originality.

B- to C+ Papers:

Papers that show a thoughtful but not entirely successful effort to come to terms with the material at hand; a "B-" paper might be an intelligent paper that is awkwardly written; a "C+" paper is one that is less competent both in content and presentation. Such papers might have weaknesses in sections or paragraphs, distracting mechanical errors, use inappropriate or inadequate evidence, or have a thesis that needs more definition.

C Papers:

A weak, fuzzy thesis and illogical arguments to support it; a certain amount of confusion about what the paper is arguing; many minor mechanical errors and perhaps some major ones; irrelevant examples given, organization rambles or disappears; words are misused; diction is inconsistent; proofreading is inadequate. The paper has some good ideas but runs into substantial problems in working them out.

C- Papers:

Similar criteria to a "C" paper but the ideas expressed are unduly casual, trivial, or obvious.

D Papers:

Thesis missing, little or no recognizable argument; major mechanical problems; poor organization; serious misreadings or misunderstandings of course material. The writer really has no point to make and has serious problems writing at an appropriate level.

F Papers:

The paper is plagiarized in part or as a whole.