These standards establish major criteria for each grade category. Every project will not
fit neatly into one category; a project might, for instance, have some characteristics of
“B” and some of “C.” Final grades will depend on how an individual instructor weights
the criteria.
The A Project: Excellent
- Project matches the assignment and reflects the learning outcomes.
- Content is significant, thorough, and well-suited for the audience, purpose, and
context. - Arguments and information are well organized at the macro and micro
level—from the whole project to its individual elements—and well designed for
the genre and medium. - Reasoning is convincing and logical; evidence supports claims in a detailed and
compelling manner. - Style is effective for the reading situation.
- Mechanics and grammar are correct, including citation format, and even
rhetorically sensitive (grammar can be rhetorical).
The B Project: Good
- Project matches the assignment and reflects the learning outcomes.
- Content is suited for the audience, purpose, and context.
- Arguments and information are organized appropriately at the macro and micro
level for the genre and medium, but there are missed opportunities to use design
for rhetorical purposes. - Reasoning is logical; evidence supports claims in an adequate manner.
- Style is appropriate for the reading situation.
- Mechanics and grammar are correct, including citation format.
The C Project: Competent
- Project matches the assignment and reflects the learning outcomes.
- Content is adequate for the audience, purpose, and context.
- Arguments and information are organized in a discernible pattern but may not be
particularly effective at the macro or micro level for the genre and medium, and
the design provides minimal support for reading. - Reasoning is plausible, and evidence provides support for claims.
- Style is serviceable for the reading context.
- Mechanics and grammar are correct, for the most part, including citation format.
- There may be minor problems.
The D Project: Marginally Acceptable
- Project attempts to match the assignment, but the topic or rhetorical audience is
too broad, too narrow, or inappropriate. - Content shows a poor sense of audience, purpose, and context. It may correctly
assess the situation but add little substance. - Arguments and information may be significantly flawed, including organization, at
the macro and micro level, and design is used aesthetically versus rhetorically. - Reasoning is flawed on some level, resting on insufficient understanding of the
situation or rhetorical audience. - Project may rely too heavily on evidence from published sources without developing an authorial voice.
- Evidence may be missing or irrelevant, and the interpretation or evaluation of that evidence may be
inadequate. - Style may be serviceable but inconsequential to the success of the project.
- Mechanics and grammar may be correct.
The F Project: Unacceptable
- Project does not match the assignment or its requirements, even if well written,
or relates to the assignment but has no clear purpose, rhetorical audience, or
focus. - Project is missing content or essential elements of the genre or medium.
- Arguments and information have significant organizational problems.
- Reasoning is flawed, or evidence is used unsuccessfully if at all.
Note #1: To earn an A, B, or C on a project, students must complete all process work in
an acceptable fashion.
Note #2: Projects with academic integrity violations will receive a failing grade.
