ENGL 317 Grading Symbols and Writing Rubric
see “Business Writing Rubric” and “Viewing Your Graded File” below
A = 4.00 – 3.83; A- = 3.82 – 3.50; B+ = 3.49 – 3.17; B = 3.16 – 2.83; B- = 2.82 – 2.50 ;
C+ =2.49- 2.17; C = 2.17- 1.5 D+ =1. 49 -1.17 D = 1.16 - .0.83; F = .82 - 0.00
AB
*FORMAT – appropriate
abbreviations
format
AD
FRAG
avoiding fragments
adjective or adverb
adjective
adverb
*HEAD – stand alone heading
QUO
quotation marks
quoting sources
SENT
MOD
Standard sentence patterns
sentence pattern transformations
independent and dependent
clauses
sentence clarity
sentence variety
paramedic writing
avoiding misplaced/dangling
modifiers
dangling modifiers
SHIFT
capitalization
NUM
numbers
SP
COM
PARA
avoiding comma splices
commas
conquering the comma
parallel sentence structure
parallel structure
AGR
*INTRO – stand alone
subject - verb agreement
pronoun - antecedent Agreement
introduction
*ANS - answers all questions
*AUD – targets audience
CAP
PG
COMP
faulty / incomplete
comparison
CON
connectors
COU
count and non-count nouns
DET
determiners
*DOC documented support
paragraphs and paragraphing
PREP
preposition
prepositions
PRO
pronoun reference
pronoun case
PUNC
sentence types and punctuation
punctuation
sentence punctuation patterns
apostrophe
*see ENGL 317 Business Writing Rubric Standards.
avoiding shifts
spelling
SUB subordinate
independent and dependent clauses
TENSE
verb tense consistency
TRANS
transitions and transitional devices
VOICE
active/passive voice
active and passive voice
WRD
commonly confused words
WDY - wordy
conciseness
Business Writing Rubric
Phase I – Content Development
Criteria
1. Answers all assignment-specific questions.
Scoring Guide
0 - missing all key data or did not directly answer the questions posed by the
assignment.
3 - missing most key data or answered questions with a low level of quality
and/or completeness.
5 - missing roughly half of key data or question.
7 - most key data is present or most of the questions were answered, but
missing minor points.
10 - missing no data; all questions posed by the assignment are answered with
a high level of quality and completeness.
2. Provides sufficient, documented support for all relevant statements.
Scoring Guide
0 - statements are completely unsupported.
3 - some obvious facts are cited; other data is provided without support.
5 - most obvious facts are cited; other data is provided without support.
7 - all facts and information that are not common knowledge are cited, but
there are specific problems with citation style and format.
10 - all facts and information that are not common knowledge is properly cited
in the proper format (APA).
Targets message to audience; acknowledges and meets audience
needs (explicitly, if possible).
Scoring Guide
0 - audience is ignored and needs are not met.
3 - audience needs are acknowledged, but not met. Audience is forced to seek
out the relevance of the document.
5 – audience needs are explicitly addressed, but not met; some context is
provided.
7 – audience needs are addressed explicitly or implicitly; context is given
initially, but audience is not considered in the majority of the document.
10 - audience needs are addressed directly, given context, and provided with
answers to key questions, both explicit and implicit, where appropriate.
deduct up to
50%
20%
3.
Gives an introduction that could stand alone and gives a clear
bottom line for the document.
Scoring Guide
0 - no executive summary.
3 - summary provided, but no purpose.
5 - purpose statement and summary are present and well disposed, but no
bottom-line is provided.
7 - purpose statement and summary are present and well disposed, however,
the bottom line is vague and doesn't convey the entire "story."
10 - purpose statement and summary are present and well disposed; bottom
line is specific and distills the main idea of the document.
20%
4.
30%
Phase II – Editing (Readibility)
Criteria
5. Structures each paragraph deductively with a topic sentence that
gives a bottom line for the paragraph.
Scoring Guide
0 - paragraphs are disorganized and contain no obvious topic sentences.
3 - paragraphs contain too many main ideas; poor organization forces the
reader to work too hard to find the main idea.
5 - paragraphs have discrete topic sentences, but they are in the middle or at
the end of the paragraphs.
7 - most paragraphs have topic sentences that give the bottom line for the
paragraph, but topic sentences lack precision.
10 - all paragraphs have leading topic sentences that are specific enough to
foreshadow the logical content and support that follows.
6.
30%
Transitions between sentences and paragraphs cohesively.
Scoring Guide
0 - no transitions between paragraphs and sentences. Text begins and ends
abruptly.
3 - some transitions between paragraphs and sentences, but the text suffers
from a violation of the known-new contract (failing to provide the reader with
known information before introducing a new topic).
5 - some transitions between paragraphs and sentences, but inconsistently
applied.
7 - explicit transitions between paragraphs and sentences, but transitions feel
forced in some cases.
10 - explicit transitions between paragraphs and sentences that contribute to
the logical flow of the document.
7.
deduct up to:
20%
Chooses words appropriately for the audience; writes in "plain
English" and avoids lofty diction.
Scoring Guide
0 - language is too informal and uses slang, emoticons, or non-standard
abbreviations.
3 – language is too technical or elaborate for the audience; appears as though
thesaurus was used to vary word choice; words carry a distorted meaning.
5 – language is specific to a single discourse community; a general audience is
not taken into account.
7 - language is in "plain English" but words are not precise enough to convey
the proper meaning: jargon, idioms, clichés, and euphemisms.
10 - language is in "plain English" and words are clear and precise and give a
particular meaning where appropriate.
20%
Phase III – Editing (Usability)
Criteria
8. Formats lists, headings, and text consistently for a readable
document.
Scoring Guide
0 - headings and lists are omitted inhibiting the scannability of the document.
3 - headings haphazard; lists are not consistently formatted.
5 - some headings are formatted the same; other headings are not. Lists are
inconsistently punctuated or are not parallel.
7 - lists are parallel and headings are formatted consistently. Headings are
"stacked."
10 - lists are parallel; headings are formatted consistently; headings are not
"stacked" and contain intervening text between them.
9. Writes headings that can stand alone as "headlines," and gives the
bottom line for the text that follows.
Scoring Guide
0 - no headings are provided.
3 - headings are one or two words and give only a broad category of the
following text.
5 - headings are phrases and give a more specific idea of the content that
follows.
7 - headings are longer but give a purpose, not a bottom line. Document
conclusions cannot be gleaned from headings alone.
10 - headings read like headlines and give a bottom line. Document conclusions
can be gathered by reading the headlines alone.
10. Provides readable, usable graphs, charts, and tables that are
referenced specifically in the text and convey information
effectively.
Scoring Guide
0 - No charts provided to succinctly provide data.
3 - charts provided in some cases, but with serious readability and usability
problems (small text, obscured data).
5 - charts are provided, but have moderate usability problems (small print text,
data obscured) Charts are not referred to in text.
7 - charts are provided, and have minor usability problems. Charts are
mentioned in text, but not referred to in analysis.
10 - charts are provided for all pieces of information that require them. Charts
are referenced and analyzed in text of document.
deduct up to:
30%
30%
20%
Phase IV – Proofreading
Criteria
11. Makes LOC errors.
Deduct 2% per LOC detected to a maximum of 10% for the paper. Allow
remediation of LOCs by a visit to writing support or a detailed remediation
paper submitted to instructors.
deduct up to:
30%
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comments, or another person’s file, send me an email.
TO: Social Networking Team
FROM: Basim Aljihani
SUBJECT: Social Networking Focus Group Report
DATE: February 27, 2015
Below is my report based of off a focus group I ran with four individuals, male and female,
regarding their feedback about effectiveness of businesses advertising their products on
Pinterest to gain men and women users. For the most part participants reported that
businesses would benefit from using Pinterest as an advertising platform. Yet, participants
reported that most users would remain female and gain few male users.
Focus Group Rationale
Social networking is the here and now of the millennial generation. The population of social
network users is made up primarily of the millennial generation and after. Since much of the
younger population of the world tends to turn to Social Networks as a means of entertainment
and social outlet, companies need to jump on the bandwagon and advertise their products on
these platforms. A particular platform, Pinterest, has a large following, mainly female, who
use this application for searching new products. If companies brand themselves on this
application it is possible to increase new member usage for both male and female millennial.
The information gathered from the sessions will allow Promity clients to target companies to
advertise on Pinterest within the millennial male and female population.
Setting and Participants
The hour long session was held in my apartment via face to face and Skype on Saturday
February 21,2015. The participants were:
•
•
•
•
Emma Jackson, 20, female, Towson University student-Psychology-Junior
David Oscur, 26, male, Businessman, Undisclosed company, neighbor
Melanie White, 22, female, Girls Life Intern
Rachel Volke, 25, female Florida International University Medical student-2nd year
Session Topics
During the session the following topics were discussed:
Company’s advertising on Pinterest
All of the participants believed that companies would benefit from advertising on Pinterest.
They conclude that beauty, clothing, or accessories will be the most successful products to
market on Pinterest. Therefore, Macys, Nike, and the like will have a niche in promoting the
latest products on Pinterest. Emma expressed that the number of repins a product has will
also help companies either produce more or less of a particular product. This will show the
overall satisfaction of products.
Effectiveness of advertising to gain male and female users
Rachel really expressed her concerns that advertising needs to be done in an authentic
fashion. Pop ups of products will deter users. David felt that a company like Macy’s would
benefit enormously if they pinned pictures of customers in wearing articles of clothing from
the store. The caption of the pinned picture could say the name of the customer and the piece
they are wear. This is basically grassroots advertising, because the male or female in the
picture would repin this for their followers to see. It would make the company look like they
genuinely care about their customers, not just the profits.
Value of advertising to reach the male millennial population
All participants felt that millennial males would still not flock in great numbers to Pinterest.
The strategy of advertising company products may reel in a few more male users, but overall,
each participant stressed that Pinterest was created for the female in mind. Although, Rachel
suggested that Pinterest could ask users to specify the gender they identify with to create
filters. This way male users would not have pins of yoga pant pins pop up when they
searched for workout clothes. Melanie concluded that most male users on Pinterest are here
for a reason, because they prefer more feminine products. Therefore, ‘manly’ products such
as Axe body spray will not pull in to many new male users.
Findings
The three most notable finds from the focus group are that all participants
•
•
•
feel certain companies will benefit greatly from advertising on Pinterest
advertising needs to be done in covert, simplistic ways
and, there will be little increase in male millennial users, although female users in the
millennial generation could potentially increase if advertising is done in a tasteful
way.
Although millennial male user numbers may not increase on Pinterest, there is a definitely
potential for companies to increase profits by advertising on Pinterest. Ultimately, female
users are more prominent on Pinterest, and promoting products towards them will not only
benefit Pinterest, but companies choosing to advertise here as well.
In addition, Pinterest is great for females and has such a large following. Why change a good
thing that shows promise. All participants felt that Pinterest should stay geared towards
women. Emma, Rachel, and Melanie all would use Pinterest more if their favorite clothing
stores like H&M, Forever 21, and Macy’s had Pinterest accounts to advertise their products.
The three females also enjoyed listening to David’s idea of grassroots advertising to connect
products with everyday users.
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