An ‘A’ paper demonstrates an excellent understanding of the material and contextualizes it well.
The introduction draws the reader in while clearly and appropriately framing the essay as a
whole.
The author shows facility in the handling of ideas, theories, concepts and data and
communicates his or her argument clearly and effectively. The author shows insight and
perceptiveness, a well-developed critical faculty and good judgment. An ‘A’ paper reflects
extensive and relevant reading, perhaps including articles or books beyond those assigned by the
professor, and an excellent comprehension of the arguments presented in those readings. At the
same time, though, an ‘A’ paper goes beyond summarizing other authors to make a fresh and
original, unusual or substantial contribution to the debate.
The ‘A’ paper is lively, well paced, and interesting. It is tightly and appropriately structured with
everything in it seeming to fit the thesis exactly. There are no irrelevant examples, unfinished
thoughts or unsubstantiated statements. Examples are clearly described and shown to relate to the
author’s argument. The conclusion summarizes the overall argument, ties together the threads of the
argument, and leaves no question as to what the writer wants the reader to think or learn from
reading the paper. An ‘A’ paper is well-structured and well-written with no grammatical or technical
mistakes in the text or in the bibliography. The essay convinces the reader that the writer cares for
his or her ideas and about the language that expresses them. It demonstrates excellent work in all
relevant respects, with no major weaknesses.