A: Outstanding Work
    All of the assignments were completed on time
    with quality that went above and beyond the assigned requirements.

• Essay topics are conceptually challenging. Research is thorough using best available sources (both books and articles) including interlibrary loan (ILL) if necessary. The sources are clearly read with analytical understanding.
• Thesis (the central idea) is clearly present and well developed through specific arguments showing a sense of critical issues as well as critical evaluation, analysis and interpretation of these issues.
• Writing is conceptually rich and thought provoking with no mechanical and/or formal problems. Organization is clear, reasoning is highly specific and appropriate. Writing on this level provides a sense of logical completeness.
• A-level work characteristically indicates a critical perspective and control of the evidence and a level of self-awareness that raises questions about various ways the evidence might be interpreted with thorough synthesis and analysis of the studied material. The points are supported by well chosen works of art (illustrations).

    B: Good Work
    All of the assignments were completed on time
    with above average quality.

• Essay topics are going beyond basic and predictable. Research is thorough (possibly involving ILL) but sources are obvious and understanding of these sources does not go beyond the obvious.
• The central idea (thesis) is evident but the text /arguments are not always developed to their full potential.
• Writing displays no substantial mechanical and/or formal problems. On the whole the writing is well organized, reasoning is specific and appropriate. It still provides a sense of logical completeness but it is less clear than an "A" and the writer has less control over the way the presuppositions and arguments are structured and communicated.
• B-level work still indicates a solid understanding of the important issues. Basic synthesis and analysis of the studied material is evident. Points are well illustrated.

    C: Satisfactory Work
    All of the assignments were completed on time
    with average quality.

• Selected topics are predictable and pose little or no challenge. Research is cursory aiming only at obvious sources, understanding of these sources shows little evidence of knowledge beyond the class lectures and textbooks.
• The central idea (thesis) is identifiable and addresses the selected topic (or question) but the supporting arguments are not well developed.
• Writing has some mechanical and/or formal problems. The writing is reasonably well organized but some transitions are lacking. As such it provides only the most basic sense of logical completeness but it is unclear in places and the writer has only basic control over the way the presuppositions and arguments are structured and communicated.
• C-level work still indicates a basic understanding of the important issues but do not go beyond basic absorption of the class lectures and textbook. Points are illustrated, but the illustrations are only basic.

    D: Poor Work
    All of the assignments were completed on time
    but with poor quality that suggest incompleteness.

• Essay topics are predictable and simplistic. Research is scanty and incomplete, understanding of these sources shows no evidence of knowledge beyond the class lectures and textbooks.
• There is no evidence of a clearly identifiable central idea (thesis) which addresses the posed question.
• Writing shows mechanical and formal problems. The writing is poorly organized with transitions missing and the supporting arguments do not evidently relate to the central idea. Also, it is unclear and the writer has little control over the way the presuppositions and arguments are structured and communicated. As such, the work on this level lacks a sense of logical completeness.
• D-level work indicates problem with the basic understanding of the important issues. The illustrations seem arbitrary.

    E: Unacceptable Work