Eng 101 Compare / Contrast Essay Rubric
Needs
Improvement
–
1 pt
Good –
2 pts
The introduction
contains insufficient /
irrelevant background
information.
Introduction
& Thesis
Statement
The introduction
does not contain
background
information, and /
or the introduction
is very short (1 or
2 sentences long).
The writer did not
write a thesis, or
the thesis
statement is not
recognizable.
Does the essay
need more
transitional
devices?
Information may be
confusing.
The introduction is does
not exceed 3 sentences.
The writer’s thesis
attempts to state a claim
and support relevant to
the question and
comparison/contrast
topic, but it is vague.
Writer attempts to use
comparison/contrast
organizational patterns
(point-by-point or
block).
Logical
Order &
Transitions
Are there
enough points
of comparison
that makes the
paper
thorough and
easy to follow?
The writer hardly uses
any relevant quotations,
descriptions,
definitions, questions,
or brief
stories/information to
prepare the reader for
the essay’s topic thesis.
Body paragraphs
are not developed
at all.
Writer did not use
an organizational
pattern associated
with a compare /
contrast essay.
Paragraphs
provide very little
to no detail.
Transition and
similar sentences
are not present at
all.
Writer did not write
topic sentences.
Each paragraph does
not provide detail
necessary to distinguish
similarities and
differences between the
things being
compared/contrasted.
Compare/contrast
transitions and similar
phrases are used once,
or not at all. This lack
of transitions does not
help reader in
effectively moving from
one point to the next.
Very Good
3 pts
The introduction promotes
a good understanding of
the topic.
The writer uses some
relevant quotations,
descriptions, definitions,
questions, or brief
stories/information to
prepare the reader for the
essay’s thesis.
The writer’s thesis
attempts to state a claim
and support relevant to the
question and
comparison/contrast topic,
but it is insufficiently
precise and/or
insufficiently narrow/too
broad in scope.
Writer uses consistent
comparison/contrast
organizational patterns
(point-by-point or block).
Writer attempts to write
paragraphs topic sentence
consistent with the pattern
of comparison/contrast
(point-by-point or block)
but is not outlined in the
thesis, or includes
additional ideas into the
topic sentence.
Each paragraph provides
some detail to recognize
the similarities and
differences between the
things being compared /
contrasted.
Compare/contrast
transitions and similar
phrases are intermittently
present in all paragraphs.
These transitions could be
more effective in moving
the reader from one point
to the next.
Excellent
4 pts
The introduction contains
enough relevant background
information that promotes a
clear understanding of the
topic.
The writer uses relevant
quotations, descriptions,
definitions, questions, and
brief stories/information to
prepare the reader for the
essay’s comparison/contrast
topic thesis.
The writer’s thesis states a
claim and support relevant
to the question and
comparison/contrast topic.
Writer uses consistent
comparison/contrast
organizational patterns
(point-by-point or one side
at a time, making it easy for
the reader to follow the
comparison/contrast.
The paragraphs topic
sentence is consistent with
the pattern of
comparison/contrast (pointby-point or block) outlined
in the thesis.
Each paragraph provides
enough descriptive detail
necessary to clearly
recognize the similarities
and differences between the
things being
compared/contrasted.
Compare/contrast
transitions and similar
phrases are present in all
paragraphs and effectively
move the reader from one
point to the next in a smooth
manner.
Conclusion
Conclusion is not
present. Essay just
ends.
Mechanics:
Grammar &
Spelling –
Does the paper
indicate that
the writer has
control of the
rules of
grammar and
mechanics?
Essay contains
more than 10
errors, some of
which are
distracting to the
reader.
Font, spacing, and
APA format are
incorrect.
Citations &
Sources
Writer disregards
the use of in-text
signal phrases,
citations.
References are
missing.
References
missing AND intext citations
missing = 0 for
the essay
(plagiarism)
Conclusion is present,
but not effective as
writer misses two of
three elements:
repeating essay’s thesis,
summarizing the
essay’s main points, or
addressing the reader –
why what he/she read is
important for the reader.
Conclusion is somewhat
effective as writer misses
one of three elements:
either: repeating essay’s
thesis, summarizing the
essay’s main points, or
addressing the reader –
why what he/she read is
important for the reader.
Conclusion is effective as
writer repeats essay’s thesis,
summarizes the essay’s
main points, and addresses
the reader – tells the reader
why what he/she read is
important for the reader.
Essay contains 8-9
errors; most are not
distracting to the reader.
Essay contains 6-7 errors,
but they are not distracting
to the reader.
Essay contains no more than
5 errors.
Font, spacing, or APA
format contains errors.
Font and spacing, font and
APA, or spacing
and APA are mostly
correct.
Writer intermittently
attempts to use correct
in-text signal phrases,
citations.
Quotation elements are
substantively missing.
References are present,
but not in alphabetical
order. Missing many of
following standard
conventions: last name,
date, title,
journal/website title, url
– as appropriate for the
type of source.
Information is cited but
has 3 or more errors.
Score:
/20
Writer attempts to use
correct in-text signal
phrases, citations.
Quotations has two out of
three parts present.
References are present, but
not in alphabetical order.
Not following standard
conventions: last name,
date, title, journal/website
title, url – as appropriate
for the type of source.
Font, spacing, and APA
format are correct.
Writer uses correct in-text
signal phrases, citations.
Quotations have all three
parts.
References are in
alphabetical order and
following standard
conventions: last name,
date, title, journal/website
title, url – as appropriate for
the type of source.
(At least 2 correct in-text
citations). No errors!
(At least 1 correct in-text
citation). 1-2 errors.
Final Assignment Score:
/15
Comparison Contrast Essay Outline
1. Introduction
o Essential background data to provide the reader with an idea of what you're
writing about.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------o
Comparison essay thesis statement.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The body paragraphs
o First paragraph
▪ Topic sentence - the first point of comparison.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
▪
Description and specific examples.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o
Second paragraph
▪ Second topic sentence - the second point of comparison.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▪
Description and specific examples.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o
Third paragraph
▪ Third topic sentence - the third point of comparison.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------▪
Description and specific examples.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Conclusion
o Overall summary of all points of comparison.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 11: starting from March 28-31 11:59 p.m.
Essay and Text Guidelines
The essay must follow the following conventions:
1. Five paragraphs - at least (550 – 600 words)
2. The essay MUST use at least three sources (citations)
3. APA 7'h ed. style formatting, citations, and references
4. Times New Roman, 12-point font
5. Double Spaced
6. One-inch margins
7. A peer review assignment will be done before submitting the final
submission.
Submission of Course Work Assignments – Turnitin (LMS)
Coursework assignments must be submitted in three parts in the draft
Purchase answer to see full
attachment