RESEARCH PAPER GRADING CRITERIA

The report is organized around a critically considered, original and well-documented thesis, with an introductory paragraph, a well-developed middle, and an appropriate conclusion. The content of the report is accurate. Points raised are factually grounded, and conclusions are based on careful consideration of verifiable (empirical) examples.

The report expands upon and applies larger thematic and methodological issues raised in class regarding the topic discussed. It displays skepticism (critical thinking) and originality in examining "the thinking behind the thinking" by raising important questions and not just relying on the content of sources consulted.

The report has a cover-page, a table of contents, a body, a bibliography and an appendix; charts, tables and graphs are created using Excel or PowerPoint, and displays original research. Useful illustrations may also be included. The report is written in the APA style.

The body of the report is 10 pages long (excluding the charts, graphs, tables, illustrations and references) in 12 point Times Roman font with 1" margins and with .5" headers and footers. Pages are numbered. There are no more than 3 grammar and/or spelling errors in the report.

The report shows a detailed use of the available statistical databases and contains a minimum of 15 pertinent sources (not including the statistical databases) referenced in the body of the report.

The report is organized around a coherent and well-documented thesis, with a beginning, middle and an end. The content of the report is mainly accurate and the topic selected addresses the assignment.

The report may be somewhat limited or lacking in critical thinking and original ideas or observations. The report makes reference to anthropological concepts and principles but fails to systematically incorporate them in its hypothesis or in the overall analysis.

The report has a cover-page, a table of contents, a body, a bibliography and an appendix; charts, tables and graphs are labeled and footnoted as they might reprint existing data published elsewhere. Illustrations may or may not be included. The report is written in APA style.

The body of the report is at between 9 & 10 pages long (excluding charts, tables, graphs, illustrations and references) in 12 point Times Roman font with 1" margins and .5" headers and footers. Pages are numbered. There are no more than 5 grammar and/or spelling errors in the report.

The report shows a good use of the available statistical databases and contains a minimum of 12 pertinent sources (not including the statistical databases) referenced in the body of the report.

There is a generally presented thesis, which tends to be general in nature and is a largely a restatement of the ideas in the articles. There is too much regurgitation of sources, and not enough discussion of a thesis. The report lacks coherency or is not well written; there is a poor selection of sources and not much use of specific examples.

The report shows a general understanding of an issue, but is largely descriptive; summarizing sources, rather than being analytical. The report relies heavily on opinions and generalizations. There is no depth of discussion or consideration of subtle issues and implications. Critical thinking and original ideas are largely lacking.

There may be problems with the content and accuracy of the report. There is little use of specific facts, and conclusions may be largely unverified opinions.

The report has a body and a bibliography; it may be missing a cover-page, a table of contents, or the appendix. Charts, tables or graphs are missing, as are quality illustrations. There are problems with the formatting of the report according to APA style.

The body of the report is between 8 & 9 pages long (excluding charts, tables, graphs, illustrations and references) in 12 point Times Roman font with 1" margins with .5" headers and footers. Pages are numbered. There are significant (more than 5) grammar and/or spelling errors in the report.

The report shows a fair use of the available statistical databases and contains a minimum of 10 pertinent sources (not including the statistical databases) referenced in the body of the report.

The report does not address the topic and is poorly written. It is poorly organization and lacks a coherent thesis. The beginning, middle or end may be missing. The report demonstrates a lack of understanding and/or a lack of effort in exploring the topic.

The report has a body and a bibliography. It may be missing a cover-page, a table of contents, or the appendix. Charts, tables or graphs are missing, as are useful illustrations. There are problems with the formatting of the report according to APA style.

The body of the report is less than 8 pages long (excluding charts, tables, graphs, illustrations and references). It uses 12 point Times Roman font with 1" margins with .5" headers and footers. Pages are numbered. There are a significant number (more than 6) grammar and/or spelling errors in the report.

The report shows a poor use of the available statistical databases and contains less than 10 pertinent sources (not including the statistical databases) referenced in the body of the report.

The report is devoid of organization and content. It is very poorly written. Little understanding or effort was put into this report. It is missing sections such as a cover-page, a table of contents, and appendix. There are serious problems with the formatting of the report according to APA style.

The body of the report is less than 7 pages long (excluding charts, tables, graphs and illustrations) in 12 point Times Roman font with 1" margins with .5" headers and footers. There are very significant (more than 8) grammar and/or spelling errors in the report.

The report shows a poor use of the available statistical databases and contains less than 8 pertinent

sources (not including the statistical databases) referenced in the body of the report.

Zero Points:

The report is devoid of content. There may be no bibliography, charts, tables, graphs, etc. The content relies heavily or exclusively on Internet sources for report.

The body of the report is less than 7 pages long with few sources. The sources may be largely inappropriate Internet sites. It does not follow any formatting guidelines discussed in class. There are very significant (more than 10) grammar and/or spelling errors in the report.

1. The PowerPoint presentations will be graded on the degree of "professionalism" they display. How well, for example, would a presentation be received by a professional audience of social scientists? How clear is the presentation? How well organized is it, and how clearly are the charts and illustrations? Does the presentation show a concern for accuracy and clarity? Does the presentation show a concern for detail? To What degree do the presenters provide an intelligent and well-informed presentation of the issue under consideration?

2. The PowerPoint presentations will also be graded on the degree of creativity they display. Is the information presented in a unique and interesting way without compromising the professionalism of the presentation? Does the presentation show that the presenters went to great lengths to provide interesting and appropriate illustrations? Did the presenters create their own illustrations and, if so, were they effective? Did the slides present the information in a way that was both informative and interesting to view?

3. How well rehearsed was the presentation. Did the presentation flow smoothly, or were there numerous gaps in the presentation as the presenters tried to figure out what came next? Was the dialogue clearly written and clearly presented, or did it seem rather poorly thought out? How well spoken were the presentations? Was each presenter easy to understand, or were the presenters difficult to hear or understand? Was the overall narration easy or difficult to follow?