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Analytic Scale for Primary Trait Scoring of Assignment on The Secret Sharer

Your essay is supposed to provide a supported answer to the following question:

How has the experience with Leggatt changed the captain so that what he is at the end of the story is different from what he was at the beginning?

 

In order to do well on this paper, you need to do these things:

1. Have your own clear answer to this question.
2. Support your answer with strong arguments and textual details.
3. Make your essay clear enough for a reader to understand with one reading.

 

Criterion 1. Does your essay have a thesis statement at the end of the first paragraph that answers the questions regarding changes in the captain?
             
no thesis or
unclear thesis
   
clear thesis
2
4
6
8
10
             
Criterion 2. Is your thesis supported with strong argumentation and use of significant details taken from the story?
 
weak argument and/or lack of details as support   strong argument and good details as support
2
4
6
8
10
         
Criterion 3. Is your paper easy for a reader to follow?
Paragraphing and transitions
2
4
6
8
10
Clear sentences
2
4
6
8
10
Accurate mechanics: grammar, Spelling, punctuation, neatness
2
4
6
8
10
(from John C. Bean, Engaging Ideas, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996. 260)
 

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