All written work will be evaluated according to 5 general criteria.
| Abbreviation | Criteria - in Checklist form |
| F | Focus - How well do you stick to your topic (whether assigned or chosen by you)? |
| L | Logic - How good is your reasoning? Are your statements accurate? Do you connect your points so there is a clear flow from one idea to the next? Do you go beyond simple claims to develop or discuss the points you raise? |
| O | Organization - How well have you organized your presentation? Is there an introduction, a body, and a conclusion? Do you introduce your topic so that it is clear what you are writing about and what you intend to say about that topic? Do you save discussion for the body of your paper? Do you offer your reader a closing section that pulls together your main arguments without simply repeating them? |
| S | Support - Do you offer specific examples to support the claims you make? Mention individuals, terms, specific passages, titles, etc. Do you indicate the sources of your information by using quotations marks, in-text citations, bibliographic, and discographic entries as appropriate?. Consult any good writing manual for information the current recommendations of the MLA (Modern Language Association) regarding reference and citation formats. |
| M | Mechanics - Have you proofread your paper and corrected all spelling or typographical errors? Have you double-spaced your text and used standard one-inch margins? Have you numbered each page of your report and followed the other format requests? Is the print readable? Have you written in complete sentences following standard rules of grammar and punctuation? |
Each concern above is worth 10 points, for a total of 50 possible points for all 5 categories combined. Your instructor will indicate your score for each area. A sample tally for a "B" paper might look like this:
F=10
L=8
O=8
S=9
M=9
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The instructor may write additional comments to give you additional guidance regarding the relative strengths or weaknesses of your report.
Additional Advice
In many of the assignments you have been asked to respond to a specific set of questions. How you choose to organize your answers to those questions is up to you. As much as possible, your aim should be to present a cohesive report.
Answer all questions per unit, unless instructed to choose.
The best answers will make use of assigned readings and classroom lectures or discussion to inform and support the response. You may wish to consult this sample of a good student report to help you think about creating your own essay.
Do not hesitate to use our the class listserv: MUSFORUM@listserv.arizona.edu to help you formulate your ideas and to ask questions.
Assignments are due as indicated. Do not ask for extensions or makeups.