Fillable Sample School Grading Key printable pdf download

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What it means…

Symbol

What it means…

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Arg

(Problem with argument). This error was discussed in the reading or in class.

This part is well-written. It was a delight to read. Thanks!

(Cite) This needs to be cited. Use in-text parenthetical citations or footnoted

✓

This is right! Well done.

citations. Accompany these with a works cited list. Use one format throughout.

Partially correct. Missing key parts.

Calc

(Calculation) Show the calculation for this or change to non-quantitative claim.

Not quite, but sort of. Either you’re misunderstanding this or you understand

(Develop). Ooo! This might have potential! Alas, not enough is said about it.

it, but you’re not writing clearly enough. Protip: test out your understanding of

≈

Provide more detail, offer more support, consider objections, etc.

the material in class or ofﬁce hours (when your grade isn’t on the line). E.g.,

“Does so-and-so’s argument for ______ rely on the claim that _________?”

(Deﬁnition). Given the nature of this assignment, you should deﬁne this. Don’t

This is not correct.

appeal to a dictionary. Deﬁne it based on how the word is used in our class.

(Disconnect). It seems like you think these things are related in a way that

(Error) writing error. Common errors: missing word, repeated word, spelling,

≠

they are not. If I am wrong, then this means that you need to make your point

grammar, run-on sentence, incomplete sentence, gratuitous punctuation, etc.

more clearly (see also “?”).

(Fluff). If you’re not (1) describing a premise/conclusion, (2) explaining how

It’s not clear how these thoughts are related, so this hard to follow. Explain

premises lead to a conclusion, (3) supporting a premise, (4) objecting to a

⚯

the connection between each point you make.

premise/conclusion, (5) explaining the upshot of your objection, or (6)

responding to an objection, then you’re adding ﬂuff. Please (please!): no ﬂuff.

Confusing or Awkward. I’ve read this multiple times in order to try to ﬁgure

out what you mean and I still don’t know. It should be difﬁcult for me to

(Handwriting). I can’t read this. If I can’t read it, I can’t give credit for it.

misunderstand you. Proofreading test: Have someone read your paper and

then tell you what they think you’re saying. If they misunderstand you at all,

(Implicit vs. Explicit). This merely implies a point. It is better to make the point

then look for ways to be more clear.

I/E

explicitly. Examples: “How could we know?!” vs. “We cannot know.” “There is

something to be said for X.” vs. “Here is what we should say about X.”

This claim contradicts a claim you made earlier. That means either this claim

or the earlier claim must be false. So you will have to ﬁgure out which claim is

List. This might be easier for the reader to digest in list form.

→←

false, remove it from your argument, and then ﬁgure out whether and how

you can make the argument work without that claim.

New paragraph here. Including multiple conclusions in a paragraph makes for

gratuitously difﬁcult reading. Paragraph breaks (and signposts, transitions,

⌃

Add text here. If I wrote something above the ^, that’s my suggested text.

etc.) help your reader transition between each part of your thought process.

This claim (or its implication) is too strong. Strong claims do not always make

(Support) This claim is not well-supported. Try showing (1) how the opposite of

for strong arguments. The stronger a claim (or its implication), the harder it is

your claim is impossible or implausible, (2) how your claim is supported by the

to defend. So don’t make a claim so strong that you cannot defend it.

preponderance of evidence, (3) how the claim follows from some intuitively

plausible (e.g., uncontroversial) principle(s), and/or (4) how your claim best

(upshot). You’ve starting making a point, but you haven’t ﬁnished. What’s the

↑

jibes with the accepted meaning of the relevant concept(s). Note: if your

upshot? Once you ﬁgure it out, signpost the upshot: “This means that …”

interlocutor objected to this claim, then you need to respond to their objection.

(as in “subtract”) Try being more concise. If it’s (1) a quotation: use verbatim

(Thesis) This seems to be your thesis. The thesis should be the conclusion of

quotes only if you need to draw attention to the original wording. Most of the

your argument(s). Every part of your paper should be dedicated to presenting

—

time, you do not need a direct quote. Rather, you should summarize the

and supporting the premises of this argument, explaining how your conclusion

author in your own words (and then cite it, of course). If it’s (2) your own

follows from those premises, and responding to objections to the premises

writing: this could be said with fewer words. See also “F” (for Fluff).

and/or thesis. Tip: limit yourself to one thesis and make sure you articulate it

Don’t do this. Common issues: “In my opinion…,” “The dictionary deﬁnes X

clearly in (at least) the introduction and conclusion of your paper.

⊘

as…,” “Science proves/disproves…,” “Since the beginning of…,” “[So-and-so]

was born in such-and-such…,” etc.

(Word Choice). That probably isn't the best word or phrase for this.

Clariﬁcation: (1) I always write in capital letters for clarity sake, not because I’m yelling, angry, etc. Also, (2) I write on your assignment because I care. (3) My goal in writing on the assignment is to help you understand

the grade and how to improve. (4) If you ﬁnd that philosophy is hard, then you’re not alone. Thinking and writing clearly and cogently is unnatural. It takes lots of practice and teamwork. We’re in this together. (5) Still

have questions? No problem. We can talk about it at least 48 hours after you get the assignment back. Just email me to let me know when you plan to stop by ofﬁce hours.

Sample School Grading Key

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