C: Average. This work is generally competent; it meets the demands of the assignment in terms of length, focus, and research (if applicable).The paper is reasonably well-organized and developed. This essay features a clearly-defined thesis or other indication of significance to the reader, and the writing avoids major mechanical errors. The information (or argument) this paper delivers is, however, thin and commonplace. One reason for this lack of substance is that the ideas in this essay are typically cast in the form of vague generalizations--statements that prompt the confused reader to ask, "In every case?" "Exactly how large?" "Important, for what reasons?" "Why?" Although free of glaring mechanical errors, this essay does have some stylistic problems: often the opening paragraph does little to drew the reader in; the final paragraph offers only a perfunctory wrap-up; the transitions between paragraphs are often bumpy; the sentences tend to follow a predictable (hence monotonous) subject-verb-object pattern; and the diction is occasionally troubled by unconscious repetitions, redundancy, and imprecision. "C", then, is a solid, satisfactory, baseline grade for a paper that gets the job done but does not invite a rereading.
D: Passing. An essay that only meets some of the demands of the assignment (given above). This essay struggles with an unclear thesis or organizing idea and, although passably coherent, is only marginally effective at carrying a reader through its pages. Mechanical errors of the major variety (including subject/verb agreement, pronoun reference, unintentional sentence fragments or incomplete sentences) may characterize this essay. Sentences are frequently awkward, ambiguous, and unconnected to an overarching thesis. Often the difference between a "C "and a "D "is that final proofread, since careless errors and typos account for much of the unintelligible in this essay. A "D" marks below-average, but minimally acceptable, work.
F: Failing. An essay that fails to meet the demands of the assignment. Lacking a thesis (or featuring multiple theses), an essay at this stage is not centered around a controlling idea or issue. Its treatment of the subject is superficial. Technical problems may also contribute to the confusion of an essay at this stage. Most often seen on papers written on the eve (or early morn) of the due-date, an F denotes unsatisfactory work for a college-level course.
B: Good. An essay that exceeds the minimal demands of the assignment. This paper is significantly more than competent. This essay features original ideas that engage the reader in new ways. Beyond mechanical correctness, this essay effectively shows relationships among ideas using, for example: subordination, parallelism, modification, and control of passive voice along with active verbs. Its specific points are logically ordered, well developed, and unified around a clear organizing principle that is apparent early in the paper. The opening paragraph draws the reader in; the closing paragraph is both conclusive and thematically related to the opening. The essay sets forth conceptual complexities in clear prose. An essay at the B stage of drafting really risks an interpretation, definition, argument, or honest narrative, and the writer's presence in the pages accounts for the difference between a B and a C. An essay earning a B demonstrates above-average writing.
A: Excellent. An essay that stands out as exceptional in terms of originality, organization, authority, and impact. This essay excels in all of the categories given above, demonstrating clear, careful expression of the subject matter. The A-level essay is almost always the result of successive revisions, through which the author has truly seen and re-seen the writing. Perhaps the principal characteristic of the A paper is its rich content. The information delivered is such that one feels significantly taught by the author, sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph. An essay at this stage is also marked by stylistic finesse: the title and opening paragraph are engaging and clear; the transitions are artful; the phrasing is tight, fresh, and highly specific; the sentence structure is varied. Finally, this essay's careful organization and development impart a sense of wholeness and unusual clarity. An essay of this caliber leaves the reader wanting to re-read.