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Grading Guidelines and Getting Help

A paper:

An A essay is clear with rich content.  The organization is clear yet unobtrusive, and the paragraphs use rich, detailed examples and include explanations which clearly illustrate the writer's points.  Transitions, both within and between paragraphs are smooth, and the writer avoids proofreading errors.  Sentence structures are varied, and the specific wording, descriptions and insightful commentary make you eager to reread the essay. In sum, you feel the writer is holding an intelligent, reasoned conversation with you.

B paper:

In general, a B paper contains all the elements of a C essay, but uses more specific details or examples, and explains them more clearly so that the reader occasionally forgets they are reading an essay.  The reader seldom, if ever, has to ask “huh?”  The introduction makes the reader want to read the rest of the essay, and the conclusion leaves the reader satisfied.  The writer often varies sentences and uses specific wording, breaking away from the standard five or six paragraph mold and developing a single idea/division in more than one paragraph.  The basics, such as formatting and proofreading, are handled competently, with a minimum of errors to impede the reader’s understanding.

C paper:

This is writing that gets the job done – and the way most students write. The essay has a clear thesis and contains all components of the specific assignment (i.e. counter-argument and rebuttal in argumentative essays or the required number of words or sources).  While the essay is organized, more work on transitions and clearer cues to the reader (i.e. topic sentences) are needed.  Examples are presented, but not in sufficient detail to let the reader “see” exactly what the writer means, and explanations of them are sometimes perfunctory.  Additionally, C essays often show signs of being rushed with some formatting and proofreading errors, though not enough to prevent the reader from understanding the argument.  Note: you do not get a “C” just for handing in the essay (see first sentence below).

D paper:

This does not mean that you haven’t done any work; it means that the final draft needs further revision before it meets the standards of a “C” essay.  In general, these essays lack direction and/or have errors which prevent readers from understanding your thinking.  Lacking a clear thesis, the paragraphs (often missing topic sentences) seem to wander and the essay is not focused around a single argument or theme.  Additionally, the essay may lack a central component of the assignment -- say, a specific counter-argument.  On a more basic level, the essay may have too many proofreading errors (If you make more than the maximum number of major errors for a given essay, you’ve earned a “D”).

F paper:

As in D papers, this does not mean that you haven’t done any work, it means that the essay has serious problems – missing research, pages, too many logic errors etc. – or exhibits a lack of understanding of the assignment.  They could also be too short (be sure to meet the minimum word requirement) or too filled with grammatical errors to be understandable.

The above is adapted from Holt’s handbook.

NOTE: Essays will be returned in a week to ten days.  I will only bring them into class once.  If you miss that class, you must come to my office to pick up your essay.  It is your responsibility to remember to do so.

Breakdown of letter grades: A=4; A-=3.8; B+=3.5; B=3; B-=2.8; C+=2.5; C=2; C-=1.8; D+=1.5; D=1

A Note on Grading

The biggest surprise most students have with the difference between college and high school is the difference in the way their work is evaluated.  Back in the early Jurassic period, when I was in high school, if you handed something in, you received a B for effort: if it was typed (remember, I used a stone typewriter), you received an A for going that extra mile.

The problem with this attitude is that in real life, effort doesn’t count – results do. If you submit a poorly researched and worded report on the market for water widgets in Mongolia to the division supervisor of WasteYourMoneyOn PlasticThingAMajigsThatYouDon’tReallyNeed™ Inc. and tell her “I spent, like, fifteen hours on this, so it’s like, perfect,” she will show you the door. This is her way of saying “I evaluate your ideas and their communication to others – not your effort.”

Similarly, in a college class (or at least the ones that make you fire off some neurons in your gray matter), the professor respects your intellect instead of your mental sweat.  Instead of saying, with a trace of condescension, “Here, take this B and leave me alone – since you can’t learn the material anyway, I don’t want to be bothered,” an honest professor sets a standard, and helps you reach it.  I am an honest professor.  To make it as clear as possible – effort does not count. Of course without effort, your essay will not convey its meaning and you will fail in your endeavor: to communicate your ideas to another person in writing.

It may help you to understand how I read your work.  I treat any piece of writing that’s placed in front of me as just that: a piece of writing.  If it guides me through the author’s argument/vision, it works.  If it doesn’t, well . . . it doesn’t and I will a) make suggestions about how to improve the work (if it’s a rough draft), or 2) grade according to how well the words in front of me explain or prove the writer’s point (if it’s a final draft).  While I realize that self-esteem is the latest buzz word among educators, I must admit that the author fades away when I read, and it’s the words on the page that engage me.  Granted, it is a shock to some students to finally be judged by their words instead of their effort/personality (“but I got “A”s in my AP/previous class!”). . . . yet it is a shock that they must overcome if they want to improve as writers.  And that is my goal: to improve your writing.

If you have any questions about my comments or your grade remember that I am here to help: make an appointment and bring in your essay so we can discuss them.

Proofreading Symbols (Dr. Bordelon’s Cryptic Markings)

Words or phrases that are circled or have squiggly lines underneath them are problem areas that should have been revised. Underlined words or phrases means you’re cooking with gas (Jurassic Age slang for doing well).  The minus signs and numbers are the number of major errors.

You’ll note on your essays will be returned with numbers on them.  The numbers don’t refer to a point system, they are just my way of keeping track of the number of your major errors.

                            = idea is sound, but phrasing needs work (note squiggly underline).
_____________ = sharp wording and/or idea– good.
Awk = Awkward phrasing or wording -- sometimes ungrammatical, sometimes, a phrase that's a mouthful and should be smoothed out.
Cit. = citation error
Confusing = cannot tell what you are trying to say
C/S = Comma splice: check glossary
Frag = Fragment: check glossary
huh? = confusing phrasing or sentence
Intro phrase = missing introductory phrase with source
Log. or logic = idea is not logical
MW__________ = missing word/s
rep. = repetitious
R/O = a Run-on Sentence: check glossary
Stet = an oops on my part – remain as is.
S/V = Subject verb agreement error
trans. = Missing or awkward transition: check glossary
V/T = Verb tense error
W/W = wrong word (ex. "There" for "Their" or "should of" for "should have"

Getting Help ( or “Can my aunt/uncle/girl/boyfriend read my essay”)

While your Aunt Bertha or Uncle Hermie may be considered an “expert” in English (and may even be that rare species, an “English Major”), it’s difficult to get honest criticism from family members or significant others..  Also, unless they’ve recently taken a college level English class, their standards are probably different (and lower) than a college professor’s.  The best place to get help is – surprise, surprise – me.  Check my office hours and sign up for an appointment (see sign-in sheet on my door).  There’s also the college’s writing tutor (see below).  Finally, look around the classroom: your classmates can be your best source of criticism.  They are familiar with the material, are familiar with my standards, and are familiar with you.  Study groups? Peer review groups?  Sounds like a good idea to me.

Be sure to study the comments I make throughout your drafts very closely.  Before beginning a new essay, look back over these comments, and be sure to continue doing what worked, and to focus on and improve what didn’t. Remember that one of the best ways to improve your writing is to sit with me both before and after your essay is graded.  This gives us a chance to see your writing “in action,” and either address the rough spots in your prose or organization, or discuss ways to avoid future problems.

If you already know that proofreading problems plague your prose, be sure to set up regular appointments with the college’s writing tutor.  Similarly, if you notice after your first or second essay that you’re having problems with proofreading, set up regular appointments with one of the college’s writing tutor.  By now you’re probably wondering “Okay, where DO I find this great tutor?” Check in R144, The Writing Center, and sign up.