USC Writing Program Grading Policy
While this is by no means a complete account of what characteristics are
attributed to certain levels of writing, this will hopefully serve as a
guideline for you when you are revising your rough drafts as well as
provide you with an idea of my expectations for your papers in this class. This information can be found in more detail on pages 9-10 of the USC Writing 140 Coursebook.
A Writing will:
*Present a cogent and insightful argument or analysis.
*Provide compelling support for the overall argument or analysis.
*Develop the argument or analysis with organizational clarity and logical force.
*Demonstrate sophisticated exploration of the issue or issues set forth in the assignment.
*Employ a style that reinforces the paper's effectiveness and advances its purpose within the context of the academic discourse community.
*Display maturity in sentence variety, grammar, spelling, and usage.
B Writing will:
*Present a clear, principled argument or analysis.
*Use effective examples and reasoning to support the overall argument or analysis.
*Display consistently strong overall organization, paragraph development, and logical transition.
*Fully addresses and explores the issue or issues set forth in the assignment.
*Employ a style that is appropriate and furthers the purpose of the paper.
*Display strength in sentence variety, grammar, spelling, and usage.
C Writing will:
*Offer a competent if occasionally limited argument or analysis in a direct response to the assignment topic.
*Use appropriate examples and reasoning to support the overall argument or analysis.
*Display competence in overall organization, paragraph development, and logical transistion.
*Addresses the issue or issues set forth in the assignment.
*Use a style and tone appropriate to the purpose.
*Display competence in sentence variety, grammar, spelling, and usage.
D Writing will contain:
*A limited argument or analysis in response to the assignment.
*An implausible, unclear, incomplete, or inconsistent argument or analysis.
*Flaws in organization, paragraph development, or logical transition.
*An avoidance of the issue or issues set forth in the assignment, or a dealing in a manner that is neither serious nor thoughtful.
*An inappropriate style or tone.
*Flaws in syntax, grammar, usage, or spelling>
F Writing will:
*Fail to recognize or adequately respond to the writing task.
*Be far too general or present a vacuous discussion of the issue or issues.
*Rely on remarkably weak or inappropriate examples.
*Have little controlling organization or logical coherence.
*Have serious and extensive flaws in syntax, grammar, or usage.
Links
Writing class homepage
Frequently Asked Questions About Grading
