Formative+Assessment+&+Rubrics+(11+Feb+2010)

=**Question:**=

Which of the following factors was more important in causing the Scientific Revolution - the Renaissance or the invention of the printing press?

The FA is due on 22 Feb 2010 (Monday). = = =**Assessment Rubrics**=
 * ** Criteria ** || ** Superior ** || ** Good ** || ** Borderline ** || ** "Needs Help" ** ||
 * ** Thesis ** || Easily identifiable, plausible, novel, sophisticated, insightful, crystal clear. || Promising, but may be slightly unclear, or lacking in insight or originality. || May be unclear (contain many vague terms), appear unoriginal, or offer relatively little that is new; provides little around which to structure the paper. || Difficult to identify at all, may be bland restatement of obvious point. ||
 * ** Structure ** || Evident, understandable, appropriate for thesis. Excellent transitions [1] from point to point. Paragraphs support solid topic sentences. || Generally clear and appropriate, though may wander occasionally. May have a few unclear transitions, or a few paragraphs without strong topic sentences. || Generally unclear, often wanders or jumps around. Few or weak transitions, many paragraphs without topic sentences. || Unclear, often because thesis is weak or non-existent. Transitions confusing and unclear. Few topic sentences. ||
 * ** Use of evidence ** || Examples used to buttress every point with at least one example. Examples support mini-thesis (topic sentence) and fit within paragraph. || Examples used to support most points. Some evidence does not support point, or may appear where inappropriate. || Examples used to support some points. Points often lack supporting evidence, or evidence used where inappropriate (often because there may be no clear point). || Very few or very weak examples. General failure to support statements, or evidence seems to support no statement. ||
 * ** Analysis ** || Author clearly relates evidence to "mini-thesis" (topic sentence); analysis is fresh and exciting, posing new ways to think of the material. || Evidence often related to mini-thesis, though links perhaps not very clear. || Quotes appear often without analysis relating them to mini-thesis (or there is a weak mini-thesis to support), or analysis offers nothing beyond the quote. || Very little or very weak attempt to relate evidence to argument; may be no identifiable argument, or no evidence to relate it to. ||
 * ** Reasoning ** || All ideas in the paper flow logically; the argument is identifiable, reasonable, and sound. Author anticipates and successfully defuses counter-arguments; makes novel connections to outside material (from other parts of the class, or other classes) which illuminate thesis. || Argument of paper is clear, usually flows logically and makes sense. Some evidence that counter-arguments acknowledged, though perhaps not addressed. Occasional insightful connections to outside material made. || Logic may often fail, or argument may often be unclear. May not address counter-arguments or make any outside connections. || Ideas do not flow at all, usually because there is no argument to support. Simplistic view of topic; no effort to grasp possible alternative views. ||

[1] Transitions bring ideas together. They are leaving one thought and entering a new one. If you think of these words as ending the old and opening the new, it will help you organize your thoughts and your essays.