COM510: Grading

I regard this course as a workshop for developing professional writing skills. To that end I try to impose real-world standards on your work. In grading your writing I imagine that I am the project supervisor in a corporate environment and you are an individual under my supervision.

Your grade on written assignments will be a composite of ratings in four categories:

Content : Does the writing contain a clearly stated central idea with specific and sufficient supporting details? Does writing indicate an awareness of the audience?

Form : Does the writing reflect a clear structure that includes an obvious progression from one point to the next? Does the writing adhere to the guidelines of an applicable format?

Style : Does the writing show a variety of sentence structure and a choice of words appropriate to the audience?

Mechanics : Does the writing show evidence of careful proofreading for lapses in grammar, punctuation, and spelling?

The grading scale I use is as follows:

A - I regard the submitted version of the document as publishable or deliverable with only minor changes.

B - I regard the document as competently written but requiring one substantive revision before it can be delivered or published.

C - I regard the document as a poor reflection on the organization, and therefore not ready to deliver or publish without significant revisions.

Below C level - I regard the document as seriously flawed or late.

I use “+” and “-“ to make finer distinctions between poor and poorer or competent and more competent.