Japan Center Essay Competition Sponsored by Canon U.S.A.

1 pt

Unacceptable: Superficial and shallow. No real sense of the issues.

3 pts

Adequate: But some problems. Somewhat limited word choice, sentence patterns safe but nothing more, voice inconsistent or bland.

5 pts

Very strong: Intelligent and probing. Perhaps even original and stimulating.

Voice

(style, sophistication, appropriateness)

1 pt

Unacceptable: Distracting or inappropriate. Faulty or inadequate vocabulary, simplistic and monotonous sentence patterns, pretentious or inappropriate tone. Awkward shifts in level of language.

3 pts

Adequate: But some problems. Somewhat limited word choice, sentence patterns safe but nothing  more, voice inconsistent or bland.

5 pts

Very strong: Polished. Rich but suitable word choice, artful and even daring sentence patterns, an authentic voice.

Organization

(unity, progression, consistency, overall and in paragraphs) 

1 pt

Unacceptable: Too loose, no apparent single, controlling main idea or an inarguable main idea; no sense of beginning, middle, end; paragraph divisions show little or no logic; nonexistent or inappropriate transitions; no controlling paragraph topics.

2 pts

Adequate: Some weakness in thesis or some straying from it.  A sense of beginning, middle,  and end, though one of the three may be insufficiently developed; some attempt at transitions; some paragraphs may not have clear topics.

3 pts

Very Strong; Tight. Main idea quite clear—holds entire essay together well; intro and conclusion fully developed; paragraphs develop progressively with smooth transitions; paragraphs internally well organized.

Development

(focus, sufficiency, substantiality, appropriateness of support)

1 pt

Unacceptable: Feeble or diffuse. Mostly vague, unsupported generalizations, clichés, or  stereotypes, repetitious assertions. Narrowly partisan. Does not address the issues.

2 pts

Adequate: But some problems. Adequate support of main idea, though to which some middle paragraphs may not clearly relate; some use of reliable data/opinions, though there may be occasional (but not frequent) logic flaws, such as irrelevance, unsupported opinion, clichés, fallacies, etc.

3 pts

Very Strong: Substantive and pointed. Evidence fully supports argument with reason, substance, even  imagination. Variety of evidence and sense of context (for issue being addressed).

Form

(syntax, punctuation, grammar, mechanics)

1 pt

Unacceptable: Confusing or grossly careless. Consistent interference (real and potential) with meaning, or seriously distracting accumulation of minor errors.

2 pts

Adequate: But some problems.  Isolated interference with peripheral meaning, or somewhat distracting accumulation of minor errors.

3 pts

Very Strong: Clean. Only rare and  minor technical errors.