History Essay Rubric
(applicable to both short essays and term papers)
CMU-Q History Department Dr. Benjamin Reilly
(breilly2@qatar.cmu.edu)
|
Argument 30% |
Evidence 30% |
Clarity 20% |
Synthesis
and Analysis 20% |
|
Points
awarded for: Clearly stated thesis
statement Consistent overall
organization around theme Clear explanation,
throughout the paper, of how evidence presented is relevant to the thesis Clear relevance of argument
to the question asked |
Points
awarded for: Evidence clearly related
to thesis statement Evidence is sufficient to
answer the question asked Moderate use of direct
quotations Proper documentation of
sources (click
here for info) |
Points
awarded for: Proper grammar Appropriate essay
structure Use of linking words
(however, although, etc.) to guide the reader through the essay Use of strong topic
sentences to summarize each paragraphs contents and link the evidence in the
paragraph with the essays overall topic |
Points
awarded for: Originality of thought Ability to make links
between different historical events or different historical sources Sensitivity to biases,
limitations, etc. of sources Understanding and
application of theories of history to material under study |
|
Points
deducted for: Lack of clear thesis
statement Repeated departures from
the stated topic Essay topic not clearly
related to the topic assigned |
Points
deducted for: Evidence unrelated to
question asked Insufficient evidence Long, unexplained direct
quotations Incorrectly documented or
undocumented sources Factual inaccuracies |
Points
deducted for: Poor grammar No clear paragraph
structure Misspelled words, typos,
improper punctuation Weak topic sentences |
Points
deducted for: A narrative approach to
your topic- chiefly descriptive rather than analytical Lack of sensitivity to
the type, bias, and limitations of sources used Basing arguments on
assumptions, not facts |