Progress Checklist for Argumentative Research Paper

Research Log: entries about how much time you are spending doing your research and what you are finding

Good Comments:
Adequate
Fair
Incomplete

Notecards or slips of paper that indicate the information you've collected for your paper

Good Comments:
Adequate
Fair
Incomplete

Annotating Cards or slips of paper that indicate the bibliographic information and skimming notes you made

Good Comments:
Adequate
Fair
Incomplete

List of Titles: the original list of sources you found in your library search

Good Comments:
Adequate
Fair
Incomplete

List of the BEST Sources: the ones you isolated after skimming the bigger list

Good Comments:
Adequate
Fair
Incomplete

OVERALL GRADE FOR PRE-WRITING ACTIVITIES:

Comments:

Focus: clearly stated argument found in the introductory pages

1 2 3 4 5

Development:

• Comprehensiveness (enough good sources)
• Strong reasoning from writer
• Rebuttals handled well
• Introduction contains background information (such as history, definitions, information needed to understand the arg.)
• In-text citation done well
• Language used and amount of development reflect respect for audience
• Length of paragraphs is good

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

Organization:

• Transitions made from one argument to the next
• Introduction contains the background information
• The overall order of the argument is good
• The internal ordering of individual paragraphs is good

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

Style:

• The language is academic/formal
• Sentence patterns are varied

1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5

Mechanics:

• Block quotes are correctly cited
• Use of ellipses and brackets is correct
• Introduction of sources done properly (signal phrases)
• References cited correctly using MLA formatting

1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5

OVERALL GRADE FOR FIRST VERSION:

Comments: