A = Outstanding
An "A" paper has a strong, clear, interesting, narrow, and specific thesis and an introduction that provides an interesting, helpful preview of the content, logic, and organization of the paper.

An "A" paper provides relevant, concrete evidence and logically persuasive reasons for every assertion.

An "A" paper has a clear and consistent overall organization that relates all the ideas of the paper together logically in a thoughtful, sophisticated, and memorable manner with ample transitions to aid the reader.

An "A" paper has unified, coherent, and well-developed paragraphs as appropriate.

An "A" paper has almost no errors of grammar, punctuation, word choice, or usage.  The writer consistently uses sentences that are clear, concise, effective, and varied in terms of length and structure.

An "A" paper has an appealing layout and follows the formal conventions of business writing with confidence and finesse.

B = Good
A "B" paper has a strong, clear, interesting, narrow, and specific thesis, but the introduction is not a wholly adequate preface to the content, logic, and organization of the paper.

A "B" paper provides relevant, concrete evidence and logically persuasive reasons for most assertions.

A "B" paper has a clear and consistent overall organization that relates all the ideas of the paper together logically with transitions for the reader at significant points in the paper.

A "B" paper has unified, coherent, and well-developed paragraphs for the most part.

A "B" paper has some errors of grammar, punctuation, word choice, or usage.  The writing is always clear, although it is not always concise, effective, and varied.

A "B" paper has an appropriate layout and follows the conventions of business writing in an appropriate but uninspired way.

C = Adequate
A "C" paper has a clear thesis, but the thesis is vague, broad, uninteresting, or not wholly relevant to the assignment.

A "C" paper provides evidence and reasons for most assertions, but the evidence and reasons are frequently not the most relevant or the most logically persuasive or the most thoroughly developed.

A "C" paper has a clear and consistent overall organization, but the organizational principle is vague, uninteresting, or inadequate.  Transitions tend to be weak, uninspired, or vague.

A "C" paper has significant problems with the unity, coherence, or development of some of its paragraphs.

A "C" paper has a number of errors of grammar, punctuation, word choice, and usage, but the writing remains comprehensible at all times.  The sentences are sometimes short and choppy or long and wordy.

A "C" paper provides evidence that its author has paid attention to layout and the formal conventions of business writing, but the results are flawed and/or unsuccessful.

D = Deficient
A "D" paper has a thesis, but the thesis is unclear and vague.

A "D" paper rarely provides real evidence or real reasons for its assertions.  The paper is made up mostly of unsubstantiated opinion.

A "D" paper does not have one clear organizational principle or does not follow through on its initial organizational principle consistently.

A "D" paper has frequent problems with the unity, coherence, and/or development of its paragraphs.

A "D" paper has many errors of grammar, punctuation, word choice, and usage, and the writing is sometimes incomprehensible.

A "D" paper gives little indication that its author has paid attention to layout and the formal conventions of business writing.