STUDENT NAME: SECTION: TASK:

FAE ENG 102 Research Paper Criteria Grade / 23

CATEGORY LEVEL AREAS TO REVIEW

0 1 2 ☐ Task Expectations
Task Focus
Does Not Meet Partially Meets Meets ☐ Research Question/Problem/Purpose (focused, clear, concise, arguable, etc.)
Requirements Requirements Requirements ☐ Revision of Research Paper
☐ Thesis/Stance/Claim/Position
Argument 1 2 3 4 5 6 ☐ Focus and Scope of Response to Research Question/Problem/Purpose
Poor Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Good Very Good Excellent ☐ Reasoning/Logical Fallacies
☐ Awareness and Consideration of Multiple Perspectives
☐ Library Research and Selection of Sources
Sources 1 2 3 4 5 6 ☐ Use/Relevance of Support
Poor Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Good Very Good Excellent ☐ Analysis of Support
☐ Integrating Material

☐ Grammar
Language 1 2 3 ☐ Vocabulary
Poor Unsatisfactory Satisfactory
☐ Tone/Register

☐Paper Structure
Readability 1 2 3 4 ☐ Introduction/Conclusion
Poor Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Good ☐ Paragraph Structure
☐ Clarity
☐ In-Text Referencing
Formatting 0 1 2 ☐ End-Text Referencing
Does Not Meet Partially Meets Fully Meets
Requirements Requirements Requirements
☐ Punctuation/Typing
☐ Layout/Formatting
OVERALL COMMENTS

1. A paper may receive zero for “Meets Task Requirements” but still be accepted/graded when it is on topic, but does not answer the question, or is below the specified word limit.
2. Any essay/paper which receives zero for “Meets Task Requirements” due to either of the following reasons will not be marked and will receive a final grade of zero:
 i. if the paper is completely irrelevant
ii. if the final draft is submitted without previous draft(s).
3.
If your task fails to properly attribute or reference source materials or you present material produced by someone else as your TO
TASK REQUIREMENTS
a. ☐HAND IN all parts of the essay/paper in good time
b. ☐clearly answer all parts/aspects of the QUESTION
c. ☐do not fall short of or exceed the WORD LIMIT
d. ☐meet all OTHER REQUIREMENTS specified in the task prompt
ARGUMENT
1. Thesis – Your thesis should …
a. ☐explicitly state your stance/claim/position
b. ☐make a limited, focused, and arguable claim
... and may...
c. ☐include details of the scope, research problem, sub-arguments, focal
points, counter positions, and/or key sources
2. Stance/Claim/Position
a. ☐develop your OWN POSITION in response to the question and sources
b. ☐clearly maintain a SINGULAR STANCE throughout the essay/paper
c. ☐any counterarguments or concessions should not disrupt your stance
3. Scope, Focus and Coherence
a. ☐narrow the SCOPE of the response effectively
b. ☐maintain a FOCUS appropriate to the set /research question
c. ☐ensure that all ideas have clear RELEVANCE to the thesis
d. ☐develop ideas in a logical ORDER (importance, causality, time, etc.)
e. ☐control any DIGRESSIONS/extended explanations
f. ☐remove UNNECESSARY DETAILS (e.g., about authors, sources, etc.)
g. ☐avoid unnecessary REPETITION of arguments/information
4. Reasoning/Logical Fallacies
a. ☐use any CONCEPTUAL TERMS accurately and effectively
b. ☐ensure all claims/conclusions have plausible PREMISES/REASONS
c. ☐HEDGE/QUALIFY claims reasonably and appropriately
d. ☐deal with significant OBJECTIONS/COUNTERARGUMENTS (as necessary)
e. ☐check all FACTS and do not confuse them with OPINIONS
f. ☐avoid common LOGICAL FALLACIES, including: ad hominem,
anecdotal fallacy, appeal to authority, appeal to popularity, false cause,
false dichotomy, overgeneralization, personal assurance, straw man, etc.
SUPPORT
1. Analysis of Sources
a. ☐demonstrate a DETAILED UNDERSTANDING of the source(s)
b. ☐accurately and FAIRLY REPRESENT the source’s argument/evidence
c. ☐CRITICALLY EVALUATE the source's argument/evidence (as necessary)
d. ☐RESPOND TO ARGUMENTS/EVIDENCE, not to tone/style/origin
e. ☐AVOID “REVIEWING” the source – don’t praise or blame; analyze!
2. Use/Relevance of Support
a. ☐SUPPORT key claims with reference to/evidence from sources
b. ☐choose RELEVANT MATERIAL from the source(s) which effectively
enhances your argument
c. ☐refer to an APPROPRIATE RANGE of the provided sources (in essays)
and/or reputable primary/secondary sources (in research papers)
3. Integrating Material
a. ☐PLACE material effectively within the essay/paper
b. ☐INTRODUCE/FRAME/EXPLAIN the material as necessary
c. ☐correctly ATTRIBUTE the author(s)of the material (where necessary)
d. ☐use an EFFECTIVE MIX of in-line/block quotes and summary paraphrase
e. ☐QUOTE striking language but PARAPHRASE facts and information
AREAS
own REVIEW
work to avoid effort and/or gain credit, you will receive a zero and be subject to further disciplinary measures by the university.
f. ☐EDIT/TRIM quoted material so only the relevant information is used
g. ☐ensure quotes do not disrupt the GRAMMAR of your sentences
h. ☐when quoting, ACCURATELY COPY the original source
i. ☐when paraphrasing, SUFFICIENTLY CHANGE the source vocabulary
(except for key terms) and sentence structure
LANGUAGE
1. Grammar- You should accurately and consistently ...
a. ☐form every clause from at least a subject + a verb
b. ☐ensure SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT (e.g., X agrees, X and Y agree, etc.)
c. ☐build COMPLEX NOUN PHRASES to compress information and improve
flow (e.g., the key weakness of X’s argument that y leads to z, etc.)
d. ☐build COMPLEX SENTENCES to improve flow(with, e.g., coordinated/
subordinated, noun/adjective/adverb, relative or reporting clauses)
e. ☐form and place PHRASES to improve flow (e.g., linking/transitional,
prepositional, gerund/infinitive, or participle phrases, etc.)
f. ☐use REPORTING VERBS and ATTRIBUTIVE TAGS/PHRASES (e.g., X
argues/shows/claims that, For X, As X suggests, etc.)
g. ☐form PARALLEL STRUCTURES (e.g., P is due to x, to y, and to z, etc.)
h. ☐choose VERB TENSES to suggest temporal relationships (e.g., X claims,
critics have claimed, In 1914, X claimed, etc.)
i. ☐use the PASSIVE OR ACTIVE VOICE (e.g., X does y, y is done[by X], etc.)
j. ☐use COMPARATIVE STRUCTURES (e.g., more/least, as … as, etc.)
k. ☐use CONDITIONAL STRUCTURES (e.g., were it, depend on if/whether)
l. ☐use HEDGING/QUALIFYING STRUCTURES (e.g., seem/appear to, may be,
will probably, a majority of, partially, etc.)
m. ☐show POSSESSION (e.g., X’s y, the y of x, [the] xs’ ys, his/her, etc.)
n. ☐use ARTICLES AND DETERMINERS (specific: the, this, those, etc.;
general: a/an, any, another, etc.)
2. Vocabulary
a. ☐choose WORDS/SYNONYMS to precisely convey meaning
b. ☐use specific TECHNICAL/CONCEPTUAL TERMS where necessary
c. ☐avoid INFORMAL, SLANG, OR SIMPLISTIC vocabulary
d. ☐avoid WORDINESS –i.e., inefficient or overly elaborate phrasing
e. ☐avoid unnecessary REPETITION of words or phrases
f. ☐use the correct WORD FORMS (noun/verb/adjective/adverb)
g. ☐use correct prepositional/conventional COLLOCATIONS
3. Tone/Register
a. ☐use a variety of formal ATTRIBUTIVE PHRASES and REPORTING VERBS
b. ☐use a variety of formal LINKERS/TRANSITIONS (do not start sentences
with simple conjunctions, e.g., and, but or so)
c. ☐prefer the ACTIVE VOICE unless the passive is necessary or efficient
d. ☐avoid the SOLIPSISTIC VOICE (“because I think”, “in my opinion”, etc.)
e. ☐avoid INFORMAL PRONOUNS (the general “you” or editorial “we”)
f. ☐SPECIFY appropriately - avoid vague vocabulary and phrases such as
“some reasons,” “a few ideas,” “important issues,” etc.
g. ☐ENUMERATE appropriately – avoid “etc.” or “and so on”
h. ☐keep a clear and reasonable TONE – avoid allusions/metaphors/idioms/
proverbs/clichés/platitudes/exaggeration/hyperbole/pathos, etc.
i. ☐avoid strongly-worded attacks against other writers or their ideas
j. ☐avoid direct and/or rhetorical QUESTIONS to the reader
k. ☐remove unnecessary METADISCOURSE about your text or your process,
e.g., sentence/quote/conclusion or in the text I found/if I think deeply, etc.
READABILITY
1. Introduction – Your introductory paragraph/section should…
a. ☐be framed by an appropriate and effective TITLE
b. ☐give (brief) CONTEXT for your thesis, e.g., an interesting opening
(hook), purpose of the writing, problem statement, definition of a key
term, and/or academic/historical background
c. ☐include a THESIS STATEMENT which:
i. ☐is appropriately signaled
ii. ☐is concise (but may be more than one sentence)
iii. ☐suggests the structure of your essay/paper’s argument(s)
2. Paragraph Structure
a. ☐develop a single idea relevant to the thesis in each paragraph
b. ☐include a ("TOPIC") SENTENCE that clearly shows this development
c. ☐include sufficient SUPPORTING POINTS (reasons/examples/details)
d. ☐introduce supporting points in a LOGICAL ORDER
e. ☐CONNECT the paragraph and support to your overall argument/thesis
f. ☐TRANSITION between paragraphs (where necessary)
3. Conclusion
a. ☐must REFORMULATE the thesis and key sub-arguments
b. ☐may include reasonable recommendations/plausible predictions,
and/or an effective closing thought to provide a sense of CLOSURE
c. ☐should include NO NEW POINTS or “last minute” details/support
4. Clarity – To guide the reader through your ideas, you should …
a. ☐place GIVEN before NEW information
b. ☐EXPLAIN/DEFINE all conceptual terms as/before you deploy them
c. ☐use LINKERS/TRANSITIONS to show how ideas are related (by similarity,
contrast, reason, result, actuality, exemplification, explanation, etc.)
FORMATTING – You should accurately and consistently …
1. In-Text Referencing
a. ☐give in-text references after all quotes and paraphrases
b. ☐ensure all information in in-text references is correct
c. ☐format all in-text references in the required style
2. End-Text Referencing
a. ☐list (a-z) end-text references for all sources you cite (and no others)
b. ☐ensure all information in end-text references is correct
c. ☐format the references/works cited/bibliography in the required style
3. Punctuation/Typing
a. ☐ensure the SPELLING has been checked in English and corrected
b. ☐CAPITALIZE the first letter of the first word of sentences, all proper
nouns (names), and, in titles, all nouns, verbs, and adjectives (only).
c. ☐use PERIODS/FULL STOPS at the end of sentences/after in-text
references/before footnote numbers
d. ☐use COMMAS to separate list elements, to offset prepositional,
gerund, and infinitive phrases or non-defining relative clauses, and
before coordinating conjunctions (i.e., for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
e. ☐use QUOTATION MARKS (“. . .”) to quote the exact words from a
source OR as “scare” quotes around a problematic term (on first
mention), BUT NOT to quote imaginary people or indicate general ideas
f. ☐use a three-dot ELLIPSIS . . . to indicate changes to the wording in the
middle of a quote (but not at the beginning or end)
g. ☐type a SPACE:
 i. ☐after (but not before) commas, periods/full stops, colons, semi-
colons, question marks, exclamation marks, hyphens and dashes
ii. ☐before and after (but not inside) “quotation marks” or
(parenthesis)
h. ☐join, hyphenate or space words appropriately
i. ☐spell out all words - do not use contractions, e.g., it's = it is
4. Layout/Format
a. ☐use the required text-alignment, font-size, margins, and line-spacing
b. ☐format headers/titles/epigraphs (as required)
c. ☐include assignment/course/student information (as required)
d. ☐include page numbers in the page header/footer (as required)
e. ☐format source titles as required (in italics or “in quotes,” etc.)
f. ☐indent the first line of all paragraphs by a tab space
g. ☐indent block quotes (over ~3 lines or ~40/100 words)
h. ☐do not add empty line space after paragraphs or before subtitles
i. ☐use hanging indent for references/works cited/bibliography