LHS Composition Guide

Standards for 
grading compositions in English

 The A paper

Addresses the topic, maintains focus

Content is unified and coherent, progresses smoothly

Organization is clear throughout.

Development is full.

Examples are specific and relevant.

Writer has a sense of audience.

Language is mature, appropriate, and used well

Syntax is varied.

Errors in grammar or mechanics are few, if any.

The B paper

Addresses topic, maintains focus

Content is unified, may lapse in logic and/or use of transitions

Organization is clear throughout.

Development is good.

Examples are specific and relevant.

Writer has a sense of audience.

Language is used confidently and correctly, is better than average

Syntax is varied.

Errors in grammar or mechanics are few.

The C paper

Essay addresses topic.

Content is unified, may lapse in control; transitions may not always be present.

Organization is basic.

Development is adequate.

Examples are used but may not be detailed or vivid.

There is a sense of audience.

Language is appropriate, but there may be errors.

There may be shifts in point of view.

Syntax may fall into a pattern; there will probably not be much variety.

There may be errors in grammar and/or mechanics, but they will not dominate or interfere.

Generally, this is a “safe” paper.

The D paper–This paper can fall into either of 2 types:

1) It addresses the topic.

It is unified, but transitions are not always used.

Organization and development are characterized by simplicity.

Language and syntax combine to render an almost “childlike” quality.

The overall impression is one of simplicity.

There are errors in grammar and mechanics, but they do not dominate.

2) It addresses the topic tangentially or implicitly.

It rambles without a clear pattern of development.

Examples may tend to be superficial, glossed over, or used inappropriately.

There is virtually no sense of audience.

Language is used  carelessly, not always appropriately.

It contains a pattern of errors in syntax.

It contains a pattern of errors in grammar or mechanics which dominate.

 The F paper                    

Topic may be addressed only implicitly.

Essay rambles, is contradictory, or is circular.

Development is weak at best.

Examples either do not exist or are general, superficial.

Vocabulary is restricted, language cliche ridden, garbled.

There are serious problems with usage, sentence boundaries, grammar, and mechanics.