Redações

Students will have a number of formal short papers to write for the course. It is difficult, if not impossible, to objectify completely the criteria used in the evaluation of writing. It is with this in mind that I offer the following grading criteria to help guide the class in the preparation of formal writing assignments.

To begin, I look for:

An underlined thesis that responds to an explicit problem, question or topic.
Complete sentences.
Paragraphs with clear topic sentences.
Logical organization.
A paper free from misspelled words and serious grammatical errors.
A paper neatly presented with such traditional formatting as double-spaced lines, one inch margins, and a standard-size and easily legible typeface (e.g. 12 or 14 point Times or Times Roman).

If any of the preceding items is missing the paper will receive some kind of C. If more than one of the preceding items are missing the paper will receive an even lower grade.

If the paper conforms to all of the above criteria I then look for the following:

A full, interesting, and engaged response to the thesis.
Clear organization.
Clear transitions between paragraphs.
A distinct conclusion, rather than a simple end to the writing.
A clear and efficient (i.e. not wordy) writing style.

Based on the degree to which these criteria are met a grade of some kind of A or B will then be assigned.

Adapted from Bean, 264.

Grading

The final grade will be computed on the basis of the following breakdown. For more specific grading criteria on individual categories of assessment, follow the links below.

Participation 15%

Quizzes and Lesser Written Materials 10%

Formal Papers 15%

Term Project 30%

Exams 30%