Brian T. Murphy
LIT 218-01: Literature and Film
609-894-9311, Ext. 1318
Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30-1:50, Acad 114
bmurphy@bcc.edu
www.Brian-T-Murphy.com/Lit218.htm
Office Hours: Mon/Fri 8:20-9:20, Laurel 108; Tue/Thu 11:20-12:20, Parker 319-V; Wed 11:00-12:00, Laurel 108
DESCRIPTION: This course explores the complex interplay between film and literature. Selected novels, short stories
and plays are analyzed in relation to film versions of the same works in order to gain an understanding of the
possibilities—and problems—involved in the transposition to film.
As this is an introductory course in literature and film analysis, students do not need to have taken other Cinema courses
before taking this course. However, it is assumed that students have successfully completed the prerequisites for this
course, English 101 and English 102 (or their equivalent). Therefore, students are expected to have the necessary
background and experience in analyzing, discussing, and responding to literature, as well as the ability to conduct
independent research and to write correctly documented research essays using MLA format.
Students are cautioned that this course requires extensive reading and writing in addition to viewing films and taking
part in class discussions. Students not prepared to read (up to 150 pages/week) and to write on a regular basis and to take
an active part in class discussions should not consider taking this course.
OBJECTIVES: Students will

Enhance their ability to understand, appreciate, and discuss works of literature through extensive reading and
discussion of short stories, novels and plays.

Analyze works of fiction and drama for plot structure, setting, characterization, theme, and narrative point of view.

Develop an understanding of critical analysis of film through careful examination of cinematic adaptations of
literary texts, focusing on character development, dramatic structure, and performance.

Learn and utilize the terminology of film analysis, both those terms shared with literary discussion (character, plot,
theme, setting) and those specific to cinema (lighting, montage, special effects, etc.).

Demonstrate an understanding of the possibilities and problems involved in the transposition of literature to film,
applying terminology and critical skills acquired during the semester to analyze a cinematic adaptation of a text not
discussed in class.
TEXTS:
Required:
All of the following texts will be available at the Burlington County College bookstore. Although I have ordered specific
editions, these texts are all widely available in several different mass market editions; almost any edition that you find
will be acceptable, so check school or public libraries and used bookstores. (Slightly more expensive, but highly
recommended, are the Norton Critical Editions, which include authoritative texts as well as intellectual backgrounds and
both contemporary and modern critical responses.) In addition, several are available as free online texts.
Austen, Jane. Emma.
Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies.
Orwell, George. 1984.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet.
Shakespeare, William. Othello.
Additional readings will also be assigned and made available as photocopies or as links, including:
Brown, Frederic. “Arena”: possible source for Star Trek Episode 19: “Arena”
Feldman, Gail M. “Adapting Shakespeare to Film.” Inside Film Magazine Online.
Ferriss, Suzanne. “Emma Becomes Clueless.” Jane Austen in Hollywood. Eds. Linda Troost and Sayre Greenfield.
Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 1998. 122-129. (reprinted in Parrish, Stephen M., ed. Emma: A Norton Critical Edition.
New York: Norton, 2000. 435-444)
Recommended:
Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies, 10 ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005.
Kirzner and Mandell. The Concise Wadsworth Handbook; Maimon and Peritz. A Writer’s Resource: A Handbook for
Writing and Research; or another handbook covering grammar, writing, and MLA documentation.
A good college-level dictionary
Additional Recommended readings, predominantly critical essays or background information, are indicated on the
schedule with an asterisk (*); most should be available (to diligent researchers) through the BCC Library.
POLICIES:
Attendance: Students must not only attend every class, but also be on time, be prepared (all reading or writing
assignments complete), and take an active part in class. According to the College Catalog, “Students are expected to
attend all class, clinical, laboratory, and studio sessions for the full duration of each instructional session.” Moreover,
once you get to class you are expected to stay in the classroom until the class is over. Leaving class early or getting up in
the middle of class is considered disruptive behavior and should happen only in extreme emergencies. Students may be
required to sign in each class session to verify their attendance. Students unable to attend class should contact the
instructor regarding their absence in advance or as soon as they return to school. Excessive absences or repeated
tardiness will result in a lowered grade and may result in failure of the course at the instructor’s discretion.
Plagiarism and Cheating: Plagiarism includes copying or paraphrasing another’s words, ideas, or facts without
crediting the source; submitting a paper written by someone else, either in whole or in part, as one’s own work; or
submitting work previously submitted for another course or instructor. Plagiarism, cheating, or other forms of academic
dishonesty on any assignment will result in failure (a grade of zero) for that assignment and may result in further
disciplinary action, including but not limited to failure for the course and expulsion from the College. Please refer to the
Burlington County College Student Code of Conduct in your Student Handbook for additional information regarding
plagiarism and College regulations.
Homework/Essay Submission: All writing assignments must be received by the instructor on or before the due date,
by the beginning of the class period, as indicated on the schedule, below. In the event of an unavoidable absence the day
an assignment is due, the work may be emailed. Only work submitted as an email attachment, in MS Word format, and
received before the end of the normal class period will be accepted.
Make-up Exams/Late Work: All assignment deadlines and scheduled exam dates are provided at the beginning of the
semester; therefore, late papers will not be accepted nor will make-up exams be offered, except under extraordinary
circumstances with appropriate documentation. Excuses such as “crashed computers,” “lost disks,” or “empty printer ink
cartridges” will not be accepted. It is suggested that all computer work be saved both on your computer’s hard drive and
again on disk or removable storage device.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Attendance and Participation (10 points): As this class will combine both lecture and discussion, students are
expected both to attend every session and to take an active part in class—joining in discussions and raising questions.
Discussion is one of the best ways to clarify your understandings and to test your conclusions. Open discussion always
involves personal exposure, and thus the taking of risks: your ideas may not be the same as your fellow students’ or even
the instructor’s. Yet as long as your points are honest and supportable, they will be respected by all of us in the
classroom. Questions, discussion, disagreement, and laughter are all encouraged in this class. (However, ridicule or
scoffing is never tolerated.)
Quizzes (20 points): With the exception of the first day, class may begin with a short (five- to ten-minute) quiz or
writing assignment on the reading(s) for the day, at the instructor’s discretion. Quizzes cannot be made up; if you miss a
quiz due to absence or lateness, that grade will be regarded as a 0. At the end of the semester, the lowest quiz grade will
be dropped. Total number of quizzes during the semester will determine the point value of each; that is, if 11 quizzes are
given (lowest quiz grade will be dropped), each quiz is worth up to two full points.
Weekly Response Papers (5 @ 8 points): Students will complete at least five short essays during the semester, on
topics to be assigned (see Response Paper Topics, below). Essays must be at least 2-3 pages long (500-750 words),
typed, double-spaced, grammatically correct, and submitted on or before the due date indicated on the schedule, below.
Essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing (attached).
Research Paper (20 points) Students will complete a research paper of at least 7 to 12 pages, utilizing a minimum of
five sources, correctly documented utilizing MLA format. Topics should be selected from a list of suggestions provided
(see Research Paper Topics, below), or developed in consultation with the instructor.
Final Exam (10 points): Students will complete a final exam during the official final exam period, evaluating students’
recognition and comprehension of material studied during the previous weeks. This exam will cover specific texts and
films, as well as the principles of cinematic adaptation and critical analysis, and will combine objective questions and
short essay answers. Students may be entitled to use notes or textbooks for the essay portion of the exams only.
GRADING:
Final grades will be determined as follows:
Total Points earned (Final Average) will determine the
grade received for the course, as follows:
Assignments:
Value:
Total
Final
Final Grade
Attendance and
Points
Percentage
10 points
Participation
90-100+
90-100
A
Quizzes
20 points
85-89
85-89
B+
Response Papers
40 points
80-84
80-84
B
Research Paper
20 points
75-79
75-79
C+
Final Exam
10 points
70-74
70-74
C
Extra Credit (if any) will
60-69
60-69
D
be added to the final total.
0-59
0-59
F
The standards for the above numerical/letter grades are as follows:
A: Meeting course goals by demonstrating perceptive understanding of readings and course concepts; excellence
and originality in compositions; superior scores on exams and other assigned work; active participation in
class discussion and small groups; and compliance with attendance and assignment requirements.
B: Meeting course goals by demonstrating mastery of subject and concepts; above average quality in
compositions and exams; good participation in class and small groups; and compliance with attendance and
assignment requirements.
C: Meeting course goals by demonstrating a satisfactory level of understanding of subject material and concepts;
acceptable quality in compositions and exams (see #2 of course goals); adequate participation in class and
small groups; and compliance with attendance and assignment requirements.
D: Not meeting all of the course goals; minimal knowledge of subject material and concepts; marginal quality in
compositions (poor quality of development, support, or grammar); poor performance on exams; passivity in
class and small groups; non-compliance with attendance and assignment requirements.
F: Not meeting course goals; unsatisfactory progress in understanding and applying subject material and
concepts; incomplete or unacceptable work in compositions (gross grammatical, developmental, and structural
errors); failure of exams; non-compliance of attendance and assignment requirements.
SCHEDULE:
Projected Schedule of Readings, Movies, and Assignments (This schedule is subject to revision)
Note: All readings below are required, and must be completed by the day indicated; the only exceptions are those
indicated with an asterisk (*), which are recommended additional readings.
Session 1: Introduction: Syllabus, texts, policies, assignments; In-Class Writing Assignment
Session 2: Problems and Possibilities of Cinematic Adaptation
Read Brown’s “Arena” (online/handout); Viewing: Star Trek Episode 19: “Arena” (1967)
Session 3: Literature into Film: Filming the Text
Read Orwell’s 1984; Response Paper 1 Due
Session 4: Read Orwell’s 1984; Viewing: selections from Radford’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, a.k.a. 1984 (1984)
Session 5: Viewing: selections from Radford’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, a.k.a. 1984 (1984)
Session 6: Read Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange; Response Paper 2 Due
Session 7: Viewing: selections from Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Session 8: Viewing: selections from Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Session 9: Recreating a Classic: Multiple Visions
Read Golding’s Lord of the Flies; Response Paper 3 Due
Session 10: Read Golding’s Lord of the Flies; Response Paper 4 Due
Session 11: Viewing: selections from Brook’s Lord of the Flies (1963) and Hook’s Lord of the Flies (1990)
Session 12: Viewing: selections from Brook’s Lord of the Flies (1963) and Hook’s Lord of the Flies (1990)
Session 13: Read Shelley’s Frankenstein; Response Paper 5 Due
* LaValley, Albert J. “The Stage and Film Children of Frankenstein: A Survey.” The Endurance of Frankenstein.
Eds. George Levine and U. C. Knoepflmacher. Berkeley: U of California P, 1979. 243-248.
* Gould, Stephen Jay. “The Monster’s Human Nature.” Dinosaur in a Haystack: Reflections in Natural History. New
York: Harmony, 1995. 53-62.
Session 14: Read Shelley’s Frankenstein; Response Paper 6 Due
* Zakharieva, Bouriana. “Frankenstein of the Nineties: The Composite Body.” Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, 2 ed. Ed.
Johanna M. Smith. Boston: Bedford, 2000. 416-431.
Session 15: Viewing: selections from Whale’s Frankenstein (1931) and Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Session 16: Viewing: selections from Whale’s Frankenstein (1931) and Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Session 17: Read Shakespeare’s Hamlet; Response Paper 7 Due
* Boose, Lynda E. and Richard Burt. “Totally Clueless? Shakespeare Goes Hollywood in the 1990s” from
Shakespeare, The Movie: Popularizing the Plays on Film, TV, and Video. London and New York: Routledge, 1997.
8-21. (reprinted in Film and Literature: An Introduction and Reader. Ed. Timothy Corrigan. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999. 340-356)
* Cohen, Paula Marantz. “Shakespeare Goes to the Movies.” DOJ: The Drexel Online Journal.
* Kliman, Bernice W. Hamlet: Film, Television, and Audio Performance. Rutherford, NJ: 1988.
* Feldman, Gail M. “Adapting Shakespeare to Film.” Inside Film Magazine Online.
Session 18: Read Shakespeare’s Hamlet; Response Paper 8 Due
Session 19: Viewing: selections from Olivier’s Hamlet (1948); Zeffirelli’s Hamlet (1990); Branagh’s Hamlet (1996)
Session 20: Adapting the Text: Modernizing the Story
Viewing: selections from Almereyda’s Hamlet (2000)
Session 21: Read Austen’s Emma; Response Paper 9 Due
Session 22: Read Austen’s Emma; Response Paper 10 Due
* Ferriss, Suzanne. “Emma Becomes Clueless.” Jane Austen in Hollywood. Eds. Linda Troost and Sayre Greenfield.
Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 1998. 122-129. (reprinted in Parrish, Stephen M., ed. Emma: A Norton Critical
Edition. New York: Norton, 2000. 435-444)
* Kaplan, Deborah. “Mass Marketing in Jane Austen: Women and Courtship in Two Film Adaptations.” Jane Austen
in Hollywood. Eds. Linda Troost and Sayre Greenfield. Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 1998. 77-186.
Session 23: Viewing: selections from McGrath’s Emma (1996) and Heckerling’s Clueless (1995)
Session 24: Viewing: selections from McGrath’s Emma (1996) and Heckerling’s Clueless (1995)
Research Paper Due
Session 25: Read Shakespeare’s Othello; Response Paper 11 Due
Session 26: Read Shakespeare’s Othello; Response Paper 12 Due
Session 27: Viewing: selections from Parker’s Othello (1995) and Nelson’s O (2000)
Session 28: Viewing: selections from Parker’s Othello (1995) and Nelson’s O (2000)
Final Exam (to be scheduled)
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
Weekly Writing Assignment Topics:
For each week, a question or topic is provided. You may complete any five response papers, but your response must be
on the assigned topic for the week it is submitted, and must be submitted on or before the due date, by the beginning of
the class period, or it will receive a zero (0). Late work will not be accepted. Students may complete more than five
response papers for extra credit: only the best five scores will be utilized in determining final grades.
Instructions: Respond to each question or topic below in a well-developed, coherent, and thoughtful essay of at least two
to three pages (500-750 words). Essays must be typed, double-spaced, and grammatically correct; essays will be
evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing (attached). Your essay should include independent
analysis and demonstrate careful thought, but no research is necessary. Although these are personal responses, and
therefore there is no “correct” answer, remember that they are still formal essays: in your analyses, formulate a clear,
explicit, assertive (persuasive), objectively-worded thesis statement, and avoid use of “I” or “you” throughout. Do not
attempt to address all aspects of the text, but carefully focus your topic, and avoid merely paraphrasing or summarizing
the work. Be sure to support your answers with specific references to the work.
1) What is Orwell’s 1984 really about? That is, if it can be said to have a theme, what is that theme? Is it concerned with truth,
with politics, with war, with language, with man’s place in the cosmos? What is Orwell saying—not about Smith, or even
Oceania, but about modern life, society, or the human condition?
2) Why “A Clockwork Orange”? That is, what is the real significance of the title, beyond F. Alexander’s apparent belief that
“all lewdies nowadays were being turned into machines and that they were really—you and me and him and kiss-mysharries—more like a natural growth like a fruit”? What does Burgess seem to be saying here—not about Alex, or even
Ludovico’s Technique, but about society or the human condition?
3) In Lord of the Flies, Simon and Piggy both occupy relatively ambiguous positions: less important—perhaps— than Jack
and Ralph, yet more important than “minor” characters; not leaders, yet not quite followers; innocent (?) victims, yet not
innocents. How should we read these characters; that is, what exactly are their roles, and what is each one’s significance or
importance to the novel?
4) Why “Lord of the Flies”? That is, what is the real significance of the title, beyond the obvious (?) allusion? What
connection does this title have with “the Beast,” and what does Golding seem to be saying—not about this group of boys, but
about the human condition?
5) According to Stephen King, “Frankenstein is a mystical morality tale about what happen[s] when man dares to transgress
the limits of knowledge” (qtd. Haining, Peter, ed. The Frankenstein Omnibus. Edison, NJ: Chartwell Books, 1994. 3). Is
Shelley’s novel really concerned with the idea that, as the cliché has it, “there are some things man was not meant to know”?
Why or why not?
6) According to Fred Botting, in “Reflections of Excess: Frankenstein, the French Revolution, and Monstrosity,” Mary
Shelley’s novel “is not only about the manufacture of a monster. It is, as many critics have noted, a monster itself [...]
composed from an extensive literary corpus: direct citations of Romantic poetry, Paradise Lost and myths of Prometheus,
references to many literary, philosophical and historical texts, events, and figures, as well as many others” (436, in Shelley,
Mary. Frankenstein, 2 ed. Ed. Johanna M. Smith. Boston: Bedford, 2000. 435-449.) Trace one element of the novel’s
component parts as identified by Botting, for example, the French Revolution, the influence of Rousseau, or the myth of
Prometheus (as creator and fire-bringer or as Romantic ideal of rebellion against tyranny). How does this reference or theme
function in the text?
7) According to Cyrus Hoye, “four subjects—melancholy, demonology, the nature of man, and death—[...] were, in their
several ways, of absorbing interest to the late Renaissance, and each, in varying degrees, impinges on important issues raised
by The Tragedy of Hamlet” (“Preface.” Hamlet: A Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton, 1992). Select one of these four
subjects and briefly explore how it “impinges on important issues” in the play.
8) Hamlet is in some ways a play about power, including not only political but also personal power. What are the types of
power in the play, what gives one character power over another, how is power acquired or distributed, and how is it used and
abused? And, more importantly, does Shakespeare seem to be challenging or supporting his society’s views on the nature of
power?
9) Jane Austen refers to Emma in less than flattering terms; she calls Emma herself “a heroine whom no one but myself will
much like,” and expresses her belief that “to those readers who have preferred ‘Pride and Prejudice’ it will appear inferior in
wit, and to those who have preferred ‘Mansfield Park’ very inferior in good sense” (qtd. Parrish, Stephen M. “Preface to the
Third Edition.” Emma: A Norton Critical Edition by Jane Austen. New York and London: Norton, 2000. viii). Are Austen’s
concerns, or her ambivalence toward the novel, justified? Why, or why not?
10) According to John Wiltshire, “the narrative voice of Emma, while flexible, and capable even of picking up Mr. Elton’s
vulgarisms when in his vicinity, is overwhelmingly the style of Emma, youthful, confident, presumptive, witty, dogmatic,
commanding, assured” (“Emma.” The Cambridge Companion to Jane Austen. Eds. Edward Copeland and Juliet McMaster.
Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1997. 66-75; reprinted in Parrish, Stephen M., ed. Emma: A Norton Critical Edition. New York:
Norton, 2000. 435-444). How does this narrative voice inform our reading—or misreading—of people and events in the
novel? That is, how do Emma’s perceptions shape the readers’, and to what effect?
11) Othello’s plot clearly is informed by the issue of race; however, a reductive reading of the play is complicated by the fact
that Othello is an Elizabethan play. Given the historical context in which this play is written and performed, how does
Shakespeare either confirm or challenge his society’s views on race? How is this different from the way(s) in which Othello
functions (or may function) as social critique today?
12) According to some readings of Othello, Desdemona’s passiveness or acquiescence is indicative of the Elizabethan view of
women; women are subordinated to men, weaker, passive, victims, et cetera. However, can Desdemona be read as heroic, as
active rather than passive? How?
Research Paper Topics:
Select one of the following topics, and complete a research paper of 7 to 12 pages, typed, double-spaced, and
grammatically correct; essays will be evaluated according to the Model for Evaluation of Student Writing. In addition,
essays must use a minimum of five sources, properly documented (utilizing MLA format for documentation), with a
cover page and Works Cited page (cover page and Works Cited do not count toward the 7-12 page requirement).
Remember that these are formal essays: the paper must be persuasive, with a clear, explicit, assertive, objectivelyworded thesis statement, support your assertions with specific references to the works, and should avoid use of “I” or
“you” throughout. I will be available to meet with any student who needs assistance or additional instruction; please email me to set up an appointment.
1) A large number of literary works, in addition to those discussed in class, have been filmed more than once. Choose
one such text, and analyze at least two different film versions. How does each version adapt, revise, or alter the story?
What is changed or left out, and why? How do all of these individual changes contribute to a different interpretation of
the text; that is, what is the significant difference between the versions? And, finally, how does the socio-cultural milieu
of each film inform these differences? Some suggested works (see me if you have others in mind):
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Robert Bloch, Psycho
Richard Condon, The Manchurian Candidate
Richard Connell, “The Most Dangerous Game” (at least eight movie versions, and innumerable episodes of television shows
including Fantasy Island, Gilligan’s Island and—of course—The Simpsons)
Raold Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971, and Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, 2005)
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Frederick Forsyth, The Day of the Jackal (as The Day of the Jackal, 1973, and The Jackal, 1997)
C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (the 2005 release, the 1979 animated television version, and the 1988
BBC television version)
William Shakespeare, King Lear (too many versions to count!)
William Shakespeare, Macbeth (again, too many versions to count!)
Bram Stoker, Dracula (I mean, c’mon, how many versions are there?)
H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds
2) Other literary works have been adapted into films in a manner more free than that employed for those listed above.
These adaptations are generally less “faithful” to the text, essentially involving a radical transformation or expansion or
a complete revision of the original, often including a shift in setting (both time and place). For example, consider Amy
Heckerling’s Clueless (1995) and its radical (Suzanne Ferriss might say reactionary) revision of Jane Austen’s Emma.
Choose one of the following adaptations (see me if you have another adaptation in mind): what changes were made, and
why? What effect do the changes have on our “reading” of the movie as text?
Arthur C. Clarke, “The Sentinal” into 2001: A Space Odyssey
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness into Apocalypse Now
Homer, The Odyssey into O Brother, Where Art Thou?
C. de Laclos, Les Liaisons Dangereuses into Cruel Intentions
Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac into Roxanne
William Shakespeare, Macbeth into Scotland, PA
William Shakespeare, Macbeth into Kumonosu jô, a.k.a. Throne of Blood
William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew into Ten Things I Hate About You
William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night into She’s The Man
Philip Van Doren Stern, “The Greatest Gift” into It’s a Wonderful Life
Last Revised: Friday, 18 August 2006
MODEL FOR EVALUATION OF STUDENT WRITING
UNSATISFACTORY
SATISFACTORY
ABOVE AVERAGE
EXCELLENT
A. CONTENT:
Includes thesis
statement and both
quantity and quality of
supporting details
Thesis is lacking or
incorrect, and not
supported with
appropriate detail.
Writing is thin,
including
generalizations with
few or no concrete
examples or
illustrations.
Thesis is apparent but
general or
commonplace.
Support may be
sketchy or
occasionally
irrelevant.
Generalizations are
supported with
examples, but content
may be thin.
Thesis is explicit,
appropriate, and well
supported. Content is
both adequate and
appropriate, providing
examples and
illustrations to support
all generalizations.
Thesis is explicit and
significant, assertive,
objectively worded,
and supported with
substantial and
relevant information.
The essay includes a
wealth of relevant
details, examples, or
imagery.
B. ORGANIZATION:
Includes paragraph
development and
arrangement of body
paragraphs, as well as
coherence
(introduction, body,
conclusion)
The plan and purpose
of the essay are not
apparent. It is not
developed or is
developed with some
irrelevancy or
redundancy. Paragraphs
are incoherent or
undeveloped.
Transitions are lacking.
The plan of
development is
apparent but not
consistently followed.
The writing lacks
clarity or is
repetitious. The
paragraphs are
generally effective,
but transitions may
be weak or
mechanical.
The plan of
development is clear
and consistently
followed. The writing
is concise and clear,
with a minimum of
repetition. Paragraphs
are generally welldeveloped and
effective, with
appropriate
transitions.
It is planned logically
and progresses in
clearly ordered and
necessary steps, and
developed with
originality and
attention to
proportion and
emphasis. Paragraphs
are logically and
effectively developed
with effective
transitions.
C. DICTION AND
MECHANICS:
Includes conventions of
grammar, usage, and
punctuation, as well as
appropriate diction
Often, sentences are not
grammatically correct.
Vocabulary is
elementary, not college
level. Words are used
incorrectly. Persistent
usage, spelling, or
punctuation errors exist.
Sentences are
generally correct but
may lack distinction,
creativity, or style.
Vocabulary is
generally used
correctly. Occasional
lapses in grammar,
punctuation, or
spelling exist.
Sentences are
correctly constructed
and demonstrate
variety. The
vocabulary is
effective and
appropriate. Errors in
grammar,
punctuation, or
spelling are rare.
The sentences are
skillfully constructed,
effective, and varied.
Words used are
vivid, accurate, and
original. The writing
is without flaws in
grammar or
mechanics. A
personal style is
evident.
D. RESEARCH AND
DOCUMENTATION:
Includes
documentation and
incorporation of
appropriate collegelevel sources
Sources are lacking or
inappropriate.
Information from
sources is not
adequately incorporated
into the body of the
essay. Documentation
is missing, inadequate,
or incorrect.
Sources are adequate,
but may be too
general. Information
is occasionally
weakly incorporated
or is unconnected to
the content of the
essay. Documentation
is generally correct,
but may contain some
minor errors.
Sources are generally
relevant, authoritative,
and appropriate.
Information is
relevant and is usually
incorporated
correctly. In-text
citations and
References or Works
Cited page are
generally correct.
Sources used are
relevant, substantial,
and authoritative,
demonstrating
creativity and
scholarly research.
Information is
introduced and
incorporated
smoothly and
appropriately.
Documentation is
clear and free of
errors.