In-class essay exams will be graded according to several criteria. To make it possible for you to best prepare, it is appropriate that you know what these criteria are. The criteria, which have been adapted from the CUNY Proficiency Examination Task 1 Scoring Guide, are listed below. I will assign a score on a 4.0 scale for each category, give double weight to the second criterion (content), average the scores to arrive at the exam grade, and convert this to a letter grade.
 

(1) Organization that produces a focused response to the question: The essay should include an introduction that states the main claim(s) or point(s) of your essay and previews the essay itself, a main body structured to respond to the question as posed (i.e., that follows the order of the question), and a conclusion. Further, the essay should feature suitable paragraph divisions and topic sentences, with coherent connections among the parts of the essay. Only material relevant to the question should be included.
 

(2) Completeness and accuracy: The essay should respond to all parts of the question, demonstrate full understanding of the arguments of any authors under discussion, and offer specific examples as appropriate to substantiate points. Names, dates, and events relevant to the essay should be accurate.
 

(3) Clear and effective communication: The essay should communicate ideas clearly, using a vocabulary appropriate for the course and the discipline; grammatical conventions should be used. The distinction between your voice and the author(s) under discussion should be clear. I do not penalize spelling errors on in-class tests unless they obscure the meaning of a sentence.