Rubric standards for LAS 400

A-level work meets three standards:

• you demonstrate genuine thoughtful consideration of the question and your answer;
• your essays meets the requirements for analysis (below), including your use of substantive materials, proper citations, and integration of faith-based concerns and issues within the scope of the question;
• your thesis and examples wrestle with the complexity of at least two differing perspectives (one may be your own) -- this should show your reliance upon course readings and current events (i.e. newspapers).

  A "perspective" is much more than a mere opinion. It is an argumentative position based on your feelings, experience, our readings, current events, and the numerous life stories that we have heard or observed so far. You are expected to clearly show the sources of various perspectives and arguments, if not obtained from your own head, and all supporting information must be clearly and correctly referenced.

  You should not set up a straw man to be knocked down, but genuinely inhabit and argue honestly for at least one point of view other than your own. You are welcome to then refute that point of view--if you were unable to refute it, it would probably not be the "other" POV, after all--during the course of presenting your own conclusions on the topic.

B-level work meets the first two standards above, and

• presents well two differing perspectives.

C-level work meets the first two standards above, and

• presents well the student's perspective.

D-level work:

• fails to adequately meet the standards above;
• barely shows the student's own perspective;
• shows minimal engagement of course materials, discussions, speakers, and current events.

E-level work:

1. fails for all the reasons listed above; and
2. shows evidence of plagiarism and/or improper citation and bibliographic references. All suspected plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Student Affairs.

   Confirmed, intentional plagiarism will always result in a grade of E for the work and be reported to the Dean of Student Affairs. It will also--if I have my way--result in failure of the course.

   D.B.

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