A Note on Iconic Grades

Grades on the reaction papers will be assigned iconically. In the informal spirit of the short essay assignments, this system of grading intends to minimize traditional letter grades by limiting the evaluator to five possible marks instead of the twelve marks offered by a traditional A-F system. The icons reflect these descriptors and carry these point values:
+ Excellent Papers. Content is insightful and accurate; support is drawn from class material and texts; writing is lucid and delightful; paper attempts more than minimum requirements; paper is free of any major sentence-level error. Earns 25 points.
+ 24 points.
Respectable Papers that meet all credit requirements but do not move far from this baseline. 20 points.
- 10 points until revised.
- Poor Papers that either 1) do not meet all credit requirements; 2) offer flagrantly inaccurate content; or 3) contain too many writing errors. 5 points until revised.
Ø Paper does not meet minimum expectations. No credit.
If your paper earns a grade of - or lower, you may revise it one time after consulting with the instructor. Revised papers may not earn grades higher than .
The short essays are intended to practice analytical skills and prepare you for a lively class discussion. As a result, papers are accepted only at class on the due dates.