Grading Rubric for Term Paper
TOTAL: 100 POINTS (10% OF OVERALL COURSE GRADE FOR THE SEMESTER).
Important notes:
– Plagiarism will result in an immediate grade of 0. Your essay will be uploaded to
Turnitin, which will detect if you have not cited sources in your essay, or if you have
copied anything directly from any other text or source. I welcome you referring to other
materials we have discussed in class or are minimal in terms of research –just please
remember to cite correctly.
– Refer to my syllabus for further writing guidelines and carefully read the paper
assignment for full details of the paper format and content.
Grading Rubric:
Title “page”:
/5
[This information should be on a “front sheet” page, single-spaced. This page does NOT count
towards your 3-4 pages. Double space once between this info and the text information below.]
Your Name
Title of Your Paper
ARTWORK 1:
The Artist’s Name (if there is one)
Title of work/object
The Date of the Work
Medium
Museum acquisition number
Image of your object(s)
ARTWORK 2:
The Artist’s Name (if there is one)
Title of work/object
The Date of the Work
Medium
Museum acquisition number
Image of your object(s)
Following of instructions:
/10
Is this essay based primarily on observations the student made while looking at the objects?
Does the essay follow ALL of the instructions set out in the paper assignment handout and in class?
Is it the correct length? (if not, 0 points in this section)
Correct grammar and spelling________________________________________/15
(Correct spelling, punctuation & grammar used throughout. proper noun/verb agreement, correct
use of writing voice, clarity of writing, etc. Correct punctuation used when describing works of art
(either italics, quotation marks or underlining used for title of works of art, capital letters used for
names of artists, brackets used for dates when appropriate. E.g. “Duccio’s Maesta was painted in
1308”. Or “Duccio’s Maesta (1308) was painted for the altarpiece of Siena cathedral.”)
Acknowledgement of sources/correct format for bibliography if any sources are used and/or
footnotes:__________________
___ __ /5
Any evidence of plagiarism = automatic fail
Introduction:
_/15
Is there a clear opening sentence that begins the essay well?
Is the thesis statement in the introduction and is it clear?
Do I understand what the essay will talk about from reading the intro?
Main Body of Essay – Quality of artwork observation & formal and contextual analysis ______/20
Does the essay “flow” well – do the ideas expressed by the writer make sense sequentially? Are the
ideas expressed in the essay well-developed? (e.g. does the essay read like a series of continuallydeepening and connected ideas or is it just a list of statements of fact?)
Does the essay clearly connect with the formal elements of the works? (e.g. materials used, line, tone,
color, composition, medium, modeling – where appropriate).
Does the essay clearly identify the narrative of the works (painting, sculpture) and/or the function of
the work or building (esp. architecture) and/or the use of the object (esp. ceramics, ceremonial
objects, etc)?
Has the writer addressed all aspects of formal analysis for BOTH works, and used appropriate
prompts that focus the paper on what they can OBSERVE through CLOSE LOOKING, and what they
can then infer about context/geography/socio-cultural/political context from their observations?
Main Body of Essay – Comparison____________/15
Has the writer thoughtfully explained the purpose of the comparison? Why are these two artworks
together? What does a comparison of these two artworks teach the viewer? What are their
similarities and differences and why is this important?
Conclusion:
_/10
Does the writer manage to summarize and conclude his/her essay well? Is there a “final sentence”
within a concluding paragraph that completes the essay satisfactorily, rather than leaving the essay
mid-thought?
Total:
Comments:
/100
Compare and Contrast
The text of this essay is to be at least 500 words
1. Select a work of art from the course lectures (preferably a color image)
2. First, spend time looking thoroughly at this work of art, and then write an analysis of
it. Think in terms of subject, form and content. Look for the elements of design and the
principles of organization. How is the artist using shape, color, line, and texture?
How is the piece balanced? What rhythms are established? Do we get a sense of
movement? How is he or she using these “formal” aspects to help convey a mood, or
idea? Also, you may want to find out a little about the artists and the historical period
they represent. What do you think was the purpose for making this piece? What do you
think they were trying to say?
3. Find another work that is similar in some way. For example, two still-lifes, portraits,
landscapes, or works on a similar theme, like mother and child, the crucifixion, etc.
Look carefully at both, compare, and contrast the two. Again, think in terms of form,
subject and content. How are they similar? In what ways are they different? Be specific.
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