Gradatorium: Introduction

Introduction | Official Grading Criteria | Criteria Explained | Before You Download
This is a "C" | This is a "B" | This is an "A"

Welcome to the Gradatorium, the place where we attempt to take the mystery out of grading in EAD 155/156. Sure, you know what grades your papers are getting, but do you understand why they're getting those grades? What does your instructor mean when she says you need to "develop a thesis statement" or do a better job of "analyzing quotes"? What's the difference between a "C+" and a "B" paper? And just what does an "A" paper in EAD 155/156 look like anyway?

The Gradatorium introduces you to the grading criteria for EAD 155/156, explains what those criteria mean, and shows you sample papers that earned a "C," "B" and an "A" so you can see how those criteria get applied in the "real world." Then, because the best way to learn how something is done is to try to do it yourself, we give you a crack at grading a mystery paper. See how close the grade you give it comes to the actual grade it received. Finally, we'll talk a bit about how to apply what you've learned here to your own writing.

Let's begin by taking a look at the grading criteria.

Official Grading Criteria >>