1. Lacks thesis statement or clear argument.
2. Lacks single clear organizational principle.
3. Issue chosen is trivial or unrelated to designated half of course.
4. Lacks substantive analysis of the issue.
5. Includes historical research but lacks rhetorical analysis of the language of the issue; or the reverse.
6. Relies too much on secondary sources, especially if it relies on only one book or article.
7. Does not make enough use of secondary sources.
8. Does not employ enough direct quotes.
9. Employs too many direct quotes.
10. Contains errors of fact or unsustained assertions.
11. Style is overly familiar, colloquial, journalistic, exaggerated or opiniated.
12. Contains frequent errors of spelling and grammar.

1. Lacks title
2. Lacks page numbers
3. Lacks references and works cited page.
4. Reference list does not include full citation of documents used.
5. Does not cite sources at the end of the sentence or paragraph where they are used.
6. Does not sufficiently separate quotes from surrounding text by quotation marks or indents.
7. Does not cite page number of work cited.
8. Cites editor of volume instead of author of speech or article.
9. Does not follow consistent bibliographic form.
10. References lack crucial information (check list: author, title, [title of book or journal, editor], place of publication, year of publication, [pages used].)
11. Does not indent longer quotes (e.g. over two sentences or four lines; known as "block quotes").