This rubric is designed as a tool to assess activities aimed at student gains in the following learning outcome(s) for the Humanities General Education Category:
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to formulate a thesis related to a specific topic in the humanities and to support the thesis with evidence and argumentation
Criteria and performance descriptions for the review of student work
Formulates a thesis
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Presents a precise, focused, and defendable thesis that is appropriate to the source material and field; takes into account evidence and opposing viewpoints or judgements; suggests the arguments that will follow |
Presents a coherent, debatable thesis appropriate to the source material and field |
Presents a declarative statement that begins to connect facts and cohere as a thesis |
No appropriate thesis; mere statement of fact or opinion |
Marshals use of texts (primary and/or secondary) in support of thesis
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Supports thesis with organized layers of relevant and meaningful text analysis; provides sophisticated argumentation; demonstrates insightful and independent thought |
Supports thesis with texts in a manner that considers their value in substantiating the argument; demonstrates some independent thought and initiative |
Supports thesis with texts in a simplistic, obvious manner, often using direct quotations in place of argumentation |
No use of texts to support thesis |
Provides context/milieu
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Provides an in depth analysis of historical, environmental, social and/or intellectual factors through which the text(s) should be examined |
Provides some historical, environmental, social and/or intellectual background through which the text(s) should be examined |
Provides superficial connections between events/environments and the text(s) |
No context is advanced for interpreting the text(s) |
Presents a conclusion
| Advanced | Proficient | Beginning | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Presents a conclusion that supports the thesis, logically and persuasively derives from the arguments, and establishes its significance |
Provides a conclusion with reasonable links to the arguments presented |
Provides a conclusion with only weak links to the arguments presented |
Does not provide a conclusion or provides one that is not relevant to the thesis |
The Humanities Rubric was developed by the Humanities Faculty Board, supported by the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment with the Humanities instructors upon review of the AAC&U VALUE rubrics and according to standards determined by the Humanities Faculty Board for student performance in the General Education Humanities courses. The rubric defines the standards for student performance in Humanities courses at the University of Maryland.