Spring Research Paper Rubric for Grading

Section
Description of research paper items and resulting points.
% of Grade
% Received
Title Page
0%
65%
75%
85%
100%
Title section not present Title is there, but is not descriptive Title is very bland and somewhat conveys what the paper is about Title is descriptive of what the paper is about Title is catchy & descriptive of what the paper is about



2
Introduction
0%
65%
75%
85%
100%
Intro paragraph not present
Topic introduction has nothing of interest Topic is introduced Topic is introduced in a somewhat interesting way Topic introduced in a very interesting way
Intro paragraph not present Few main topics are mentioned Some main topics are introduced Most main topics are introduced All main topics of the paper are introduced
Intro paragraph not present Intro is really not long enough to be a REAL intro One paragraph with 4 or 5 sentences One paragraph with 6 or 7 sentences One paragraph with 8 to 10 sentences
* (Parenthetical references are not required in this section if the points are going to be made again in the "Findings" section. If you use an attention grabbing introductory point that is not going to be used again, then it needs a parenthetical reference.)
8
 
Findings
0%
65%
75%
85%
100%
Not Present
Information content is well short of covering the topic
Information content is not adequate to cover the topic
Information content is almost adequate to cover the topic
Scientific background appropriate to the topic is clearly and accurately presented.
Not Present
Examples and facts are inadequate to convey depth and breadth of topic.
Examples and facts are somewhat inadequate.
Examples, facts, and details mostly convey depth and breadth of topic.
Precise examples, facts and details convey both the depth and breadth of the topic.
Not Present
The topic is not adequately researched and includes 1 primary source.
The topic is researched and somewhat integrates a variety of sources that include 2 primary sources
The topic is researched and integrates a variety of sources that include 3 primary sources
The topic is thoroughly researched and integrates a variety of sources that include 4 primary sources
Not Present
Scientific vocabulary is not well defined and is used in a way that shows minimal understanding of the concepts
Some scientific vocab is defined and used in a way that shows some understanding of concepts
Most scientific vocab is appropriately define and used in a way that mostly shows an understanding of the concepts
Scientific vocabulary is appropriately defined and used in a way that shows an understanding of the concepts.

40

Findings Content Adjustment (from the entire paper's gade)
100% from grade
-35% from grade
-25% from grade
-15% from grade
-0% from grade
Parenthetical references are not used (This results in a "0" for your paper)
Minimal information in this section is tied to the literature cited and web documents with parenthetical references
Some information in this section is clearly tied to the literaterature cited and web documents with parenthetical references.
Most information in this section is clearly tied to the literaterature cited and web documents with parenthetical references.
All information in this section is clearly tied to the literaterature cited and web documents with parenthetical references.
Parenthetical references are not used as requested (This results in a "0" for your paper)
Few
Some
Most
All parenthetical references have (Author's Last Name, Year of Publication, and page numbers of where information is found in the appendix)
Your paper is plagiarized (This results in a "0" for your paper)
Very little
Some
Most
All material has been paraphrased in your "voice" and style of writing. Minimal plagiarism is found . "Quotation marks are used for statements that are not paraphrased."
minus ___ out of 100  
Conclusion
0%
65%
75%
85%
100%
Not Present
Information content is well short of covering the topic
Information content is not adequate to cover the topic
Information content is almost adequate to cover the topic
You summarized your findings to remind the reader of you paper's main points in 1 paragraph
Not Present
You last statement did not seem very thoughtful or bring closure. I'm left wondering if there is another page?
Your last statement seemed weak but it did bring closure.
You make an adequate statement to bring the paper to a close.
You make a thought provoking statement to bring closure to the paper.
20
 
Mechanics & Organization
65%
75%
85%
100%
Grammar usage was a problem throughout
Some grammar usage was a problem
Very few grammar errors
No apparent grammar errors
Organization: Sentence structure was choppy and hard to read
Organization: Some sentence structure was a problem
Organization:Very few problems with sentence structure and smoothness of reading
Organization: This writeup read very smoothly because of proper sentence structure and flow of thoughts
Organization: Sources are choppily pieced together in chunks one source at a time
Organization: Sources are not very smoothly integrated into a coherent flow
Organization: Sources are somewhat integrated into a coherent flow
Organization: Sources are smoothly integrated into a coherent flow
Spelling and punctuation was a problem throughout
Some spelling and punctuation was a problem
Very few spelling and punctuation errors

No apparent spelling and punctuation errors

30
 

Literature Cited

-Please list your sources that you used in your "Findings" section. They should be in alphabetical order by the author's last name (CSE style guide).
-8 authored sources minimum. No anonymous sources accepted as "the 8 " (sources must have a human author with a last name). Anonymous sources can be used, but not included in "the 8." In other words, if you used 2 anonymous sources, you would need 10 total.
-contains at least 4 primary resources (scientific journals)
IF YOU HAVE 4 OUT OF 8 REQUIRED SOURCES, THEN YOUR MAX GRADE IS 50%

This section must be included to get credit given above. 0 if not used.
 
Web Documents

-copies of the sources need to be made into a web document on Gambassa.com
- text highlighted (one color if it pertains, another color if actually used) if it is used
-Your web document need anchors so that the text of your res. paper can be linked to its exact source.

This must be included to get credit given above. 0 if not used.
Paper Length 6-8 for Findings
The paper (findings) must be between 1800 & 2400. If you write 900 words your grade will be 50% maximum with a 1/2 deduction. If you write 1200 words your grade will be 67% maximum with a 1/3 deduction. If you write 1500 words your grade will be 83% maximum with a 1/6 deduction.    
Font and Size
12 point font Arial (0 given for other fonts or sizes)