Grading Guidelines:

A is given for the well-written essay which not only demonstrates a knowledge of the content of lecture and possible discussions, but also takes the answer one step further to provide an independent, individual response to the question. It is essential to know what has been said in lecture and to use that as the starting point, but the A paper adds the student’s own perspective and thoughts to the information provided. Plenty of relevant examples are included.

AB is given for the well-written essay, which primarily repeats the information given in lecture or discussion groups. While clearly understanding the concepts and analytical elements, the student is not consistently adding an independent perspective to the question. There are some good examples.

B is given for the essay which is predominantly a repetition of information given in lecture with no added insight. While B is a good grade, it indicates that the student has not thought about the tales apart from what he/she has been told. The paper is still well-written and organized with some examples

C is given when the paper’s organization is flawed, and the student is demonstrating a lack of knowledge about details in the texts. The writing is simple, and the information given lacks insight and perspectives.

D is given for the essay which lacks correctness and shows major omissions and flaws. While the student may have read some of the tales, it is obvious that not all have been covered, and it is equally obvious that class attendance has been sporadic.

F is given for the essay which gives little evidence or shows few signs of the student having read or understood the tales discussed in lecture.

How to get a good grade:

1) Do NOT merely repeat what has been said in lecture. Argue with me! Disagree with me! - and substantiate your arguments.
2) Be specific. Do not make sweeping statements or generalizations. Use specific, concrete, and relevant examples to support your arguments.
3) Show your insight. Use personal opinions to supplement the ones given in lecture, and substantiate your arguments and thoughts with examples from the texts.
4) Be objective. You are writing a literary essay not a personal response. Make sure you stay in the analytical mood.
5) Be respectful. You are writing about a world-famous author, so if you want to berate his stories, do so with logic and arguments rather than scorn. Do remember to spell his last name correctly!