GRADING CRITERIA SHEET FOR RESEARCH PAPER
Before your paper can be given a grade greater than zero it must be correctly
formatted according to the format checklist and must have all grammar, spelling,
punctuation, style correct as listed on the Other Criteria checklist.
Format Checklist
Document setup
Typed - laser print
8.5" × 11" paper
Double spaced throughout (including footnotes, quotations,
abstract, references, etc.)
Margins of 1 inch or more top, bottom, sides
Standard indentation
10 - 20 pages of text, numbered
Title page
Title in upper and lower case - not all capitals, centered
Author's name, centered
Permanent address
Permanent phone number
University of Indianapolis, centered
Statement of present position
Central Indiana Chapter - APICS
Undergraduate
Second page
Title in upper and lower case - not all capitals, centered
Abstract (double spaced) 50 words or less in different font than
rest of paper (use point size 10 for abstract, 12 for rest of
paper)
2-3 spaces
Start text – no initial heading
Self 3
Inst. 3
Text of paper
No initial heading for introduction
Main headings all caps, centered, two lines between it and
preceding paragraph
Secondary headings flush to left margin with only initial letters
capitalized
Paragraph headings typed with a standard indentation in capital
and small letters, underlined, followed by two hyphens.
No deadheads (two headings in succession with no intervening
paragraph).
Sections with subsections have at least two subsections
Tables numbered consecutively from beginning to end of
article
Figures numbered consecutively from beginning to end of
article
Citations to references designated throughout text by enclosing
numbers in parentheses, with page numbers for direct
quotations only
Tables
Double spaced
In body of manuscript
TABLE in capitals and the table number (arabic numerals)
centered above table
Table heading in capitals and small letters centered directly
under (double spacing) table number
Footnotes to tables
General: relates to table as a whole, designated by the word
"Note" followed by a colon
Column or item specific: designated by superscript small
letters (a,b,c, etc.) by the head of the column or item
referred to (footnote itself on a separate page)
Probability levels: designated by asterisks, positioned at foot of
table
Figures
Large enough to allow 50% reduction
Original artwork
Both in body of text and in separate electronic file
FIGURE in capitals and the figure number (arabic numerals)
centered at top of page
Figure heading in capitals and small letters centered directly
under (double spacing) figure number
Self 3
Inst. 3
References
Alphabetical by last name of first author (name of organization
publishing material if no author)
Numbered
Separate page
Headed REFERENCES in all capitals
Style of references cited under REFERENCES title
Style conforms to U of I standards
Self 3
Inst. 3
Common Error Tally Sheet
Self #
Inst. #
Spelling errors
3rd person or passive voice violations (no I, you ,we, etc.)
Spacing problems, words separated, unusual gaps
Incomplete sentences
Run-on sentences
Subject-verb not in agreement
Inconsistent tenses
Punctuation errors
Photo copies of figures, tables, etc.
Inadequate citing of references
Improper usage
Other errors
Grading
Thesis stated in first sentence of paper:
Organization:
Clear
Adequate
Vague
well-organized, coherently developed
mostly well-organized, coherently developed
adequately organized and developed
inadequate organization and development
weak organization or very little development
Explanation or illustration of key ideas: Clear
Adequate
Most
Some
Accurate information:
All
Selection of relevant material:
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Coverage of topic:
Unclear
Some
Few None
Little
Excellent Good Fair Poor
None