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Assessment Criteria for Writing Assignments
- content - relevance and comprehensiveness
- coherence of ideas
- organisation and development of ideas
- cohesion
- use of appropriate layouts / formats
- appropriate register
- accuracy of vocabulary and grammatical structures
- range of vocabulary and grammatical structures
- compliance with academic writing conventions
Relevance
This means is your writing an answer to the question in the assignment, and have you
followed the instructions about what to write.
Comprehensiveness
This means have you given a full answer, for example in summary writing have you
summarised all the important ideas in the text.
Coherence of Ideas
This means do your ideas fit together to make a whole text. For example, in summary
writing, have you identified the writer's main idea and how the idea is discussed in the
text.
Organisation and
Development of Ideas
This means are the ideas, and your paragraphs about these ideas, well organised; and do
they develop; eg. from an introduction, through discussion, to a conclusion.
Cohesion
This means do you use words to help the text stick together; eg. firstly, secondly, then,
finally, (do not use 'at last'). You can also refer to things you have written about
already in this text, using words like: this, they, he, them, that. You should also show
the direction and logic of you ideas by using words like, because, in addition, therefore,
although, so, however (If you use 'moreover' be very careful that the idea after moreover
is more important than the idea before it, and that there is a good reason for this
unusual organisation).
Use of
Appropriate Layouts / Formats
This means knowing and using the right layout or format of the text you are writing. Click here for an example about reports. In summary writing you
only need a title and the summary. It is a good idea to reference
the text you are summarising so you or another person can find the original text later,
and to use separate paragraphs for different ideas.
Appropriate Register
This means the correct formality and politeness for the situation. It also means using the
same type of words as a professional in the field; eg. a computer professional should talk
and write about 'peripherals', not 'things you connect to your computer'.
Accuracy
of Vocabulary and Grammatical Structures
This means is you grammar and vocabulary correct.
Range
of Vocabulary and Grammatical Structures
This means are you using vocabulary and grammar that let you express your ideas well, or
does your lack of grammar and vocabulary restrict the efficiency and fluency of your
writing.
For English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses your academic writing should also follow academic writing style.
Compliance with Academic Writing Conventions
This means are you following the commonly accepted way academics write this kind of text. Academics (eg. your English teachers) have special requirements for academic writing, for example, they want to be able to find your original text(s) easily, so they require you to reference these text(s). They also expect you to do some critical thinking about your writing.
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Last updated on: Friday, December 14, 2001.