The descriptions below detail the qualities of certain “types” of papers. These are for your benefit. The following have been adopted into my own language from descriptions published by Princeton University and Harvard College.
The Unsatisfactory Paper. The D or F paper demonstrates that the writer does not understand the relevant text(s) at hand. There is no thesis, or the thesis is not clearly defined. Overall, this type of paper is underdeveloped, disorganized, and it does not fulfill the requirements of the assignment. This type of paper is filled with mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors, indicating that the writer did not proofread or revise their work. The result is unsatisfactory.
The Mediocre Paper. The C paper shows that the writer has a limited grasp of the text(s) at hand. The thesis is usually broad, vague, or obvious. The thesis does not advance an argument that anyone might care to debate. The paper does not show that the writer is interacting with the text(s) because it fails to offer any quotations and/or textual evidence. While there may be some organizational structure to the paper, it does not demonstrate that the writer has complete control over this structure. This type of paper meets some of the assignment’s requirements, but not all. There are some mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors. The paper may have been proofread; however there is little evidence that suggests it was revised. The result is mediocre.
The Acceptable Paper. The B paper illustrates that the student has a strong understanding of the text(s) at hand. The thesis is developed, meaning that it is narrow in scope and worth arguing. There are numerous quotations present within the body of the paper, and the writer demonstrates a thoughtful analysis of the things being quoted. This textual evidence is relevant and it advances and supports the thesis. The paper is well organized, and the reader can easily follow the flow of the paper. This type of paper meets all of the assignment’s requirements. There are no mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors. Furthermore, the paper suggests that the writer has proofread and revised the work. The A paper has all of the qualities of the B paper, but in addition this type of paper is lively, well paced, interesting, and even exciting to the reader! The thesis is fully developed and is completely fulfilled by the body of the paper. By reading an A paper, the reader gets the sense of the writer’s mind at work, engaging with the text(s) to create a piece of writing that fulfills the assignment at hand while, importantly, going beyond those requirements to offer something more. This result is acceptable.
