At this point in your college journey, you’ve written many different types of essays and seem to have gotten the hang of things. Your grades have steadily improved, but like all essay writers, you want to bring your essay writing to the next level. You’ve thought to yourself, “If only I knew what most professors were looking for, I’d always get A’s.”
Well, now’s your chance to know!
As a former student and professor, I can tell you the major criteria that all professors look for in any type of essay. Keep reading to learn how to employ these criteria in your writing.
Criterion #1: Clear and Insightful Thesis and Argument
Any college professor worth his or her salt, no matter their discipline, will tell you that the most important part of any essay is presenting a clear and compelling thesis. This is because the thesis is the core of any essay, so if your thesis is poorly formulated and presented, then the rest of the essay will be equally as poor.
Let’s take a look at an example of a good thesis statement. You’ve been assigned to write an essay about the War of 1812. After doing your research, you’ve come to the conclusion that the War of 1812 established the United States as a legitimate nation in the eyes of the traditional European powers.
“The War of 1812 cemented the United States’ status as a true nation-state, as its victory in the war sent a signal to the European powers that Americans were not pushovers.”
Why This Is Good:
- This example is detailed and direct, and it tells the reader that the essay will focus on how Europeans viewed Americans after the war.
- This example is also catchy and “pops.” Catchy and engaging words are used (“cemented” instead of “made,” for example), and the overall flow is good.
With all of this in mind, it might help to look at your thesis statement as the foundation of your essay. All other aspects of your essay are built upon the thesis, so the clearer and more engaging your thesis statement is, the better your essay will be.
Criterion #2: Organization and Structure
Almost as important as writing a clear and insightful thesis is presenting your essay in a logical and coherent manner. Your readers shouldn’t have to guess where your essay is going because you’ll provide clear signposts, including words to start a paragraph in the essay. The format of essays can vary depending on what type of essay you’re writing, but there are some general rules you should follow.
Capture the Reader’s Attention with Your Intro Paragraph
The intro paragraph is the first paragraph your professors will read, so you need to make a good first impression. A good hook in the first sentence, followed by your thesis statement, works best.
Check out this hook for the thesis statement we discussed in criterion #1.
“Wars often shape the direction and natures of nations, and in the case of the United States, this was particularly true of the War of 1812.”
Why This is a Good Hook:
- It catches your reader’s attention.
- It lets your reader know what the essay will be about, without revealing the thesis statement.
After the intro paragraph, you’ll provide at least two paragraphs that support your thesis. You should use strong, logical arguments that are supported by evidence. We’ll get to the evidence in the next section. The final paragraph is the conclusion, where you use a secondary hook, restate your thesis, and wrap everything up.
Criterion #3: Evidence and Development
It should be no surprise that professors place a premium on how well you support and develop your thesis. Although many essays are written from a personal perspective where your opinion is on display, you still need to support your opinions with credible sources and evidence.
Let’s look at how this is done.
Each supporting paragraph in an essay is an argument that backs up your thesis statement. And each of those paragraphs should be bolstered by solid evidence. If we look at our hypothetical thesis statement about the War of 1812, there are a number of data points we can use to support it.
In the first paragraph, I’ll focus on how the European powers were quick to sign new treaties with the Americans. This can be supported by citing actual treaties that were signed. Citing secondary sources, in the form of modern historians, is also good because it gives your argument more authority.
In the next paragraph, I’ll look at the longer-term effects of the war, noting that throughout the 1800s Europeans abandoned their colonies in the Americas. It would also help to cite speeches and statements by European leaders of the era on why they chose to abandon their Western Hemisphere colonies.
Key Takeaway:
Professors like to see their students demonstrate a firm grasp of the subject matter. Using evidence that supports your thesis is a way to do this. Just remember to use your evidence in logical, appropriate places in your essays.
Criterion #4: Critical Thinking and Complexity
This criterion is unfortunately overlooked by many students today. The problem is that critical thinking skills are either not taught or undertaught at the high school and college levels. Critical thinking and complexity may seem self-evident, but in order to understand why they are so important to professors, they merit a detailed examination.
What Is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is the process whereby you question commonly held assumptions by considering opposing viewpoints. The inventor of this process is generally attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, which is why it’s sometimes called the “Socratic method.”
Examining and considering viewpoints that are opposed to your thesis shows your professors that you have a holistic view of your topic. It also shows that you can defend your thesis and are aware of potential arguments that can be used against it.
Complexity and Your Writing
Closely related to the employment of critical thinking in your writing is complexity. Complexity in writing refers to how “deep” and in-depth your thesis and supporting arguments are. It’s closely related to critical thinking because considering all viewpoints is an aspect of complexity.
When you’re writing one of your supporting points, try to think of all the possibilities that go along with it. Ideas are not linear, so consider how a supporting point can connect to multiple other supporting points. Obviously, you have word and time constraints with any essay, but the deeper you dive down the more impressed your professors will be!
Criterion #5: Style, Clarity, and Mechanics
Perhaps the most difficult criterion for essay writers to master is this one. It takes a lot of work to master proper syntax, style, and grammar to make your writing clearer, but it’s worth your while if you plan to score higher on your essays.
Let’s break down each of these important components.
Style:
Style refers to the tone you use in your writing. Because college-level essays are academic, professors usually want you to adopt an academic tone. This can vary from assignment to assignment, but there are generally a few rules you should follow.
- Avoid contractions unless otherwise stated:
Contractions are when you combine two words, usually a pronoun and a verb. It’s (“it is”), They’re (“they are”), and We’ve (“we have”) are all commonly used contractions. Bonus: “Its” is the possessive of “it” and is fine to use, but with the apostrophe before the “s,” it is a contraction. The possessive form of “it” is “its.”
- Write in third person:
This might not apply to every essay, but generally speaking, it’s best to write from a third-person perspective.
- Be Objective:
Although you are taking a stand with your thesis statement, don’t get too emotional in your defense of it. Keep a somewhat detached viewpoint.
Clarity:
This refers to the general flow of your essay. In my experience as a professor, one of the biggest problems I’ve noticed students often have with their essay writing is trying to do too much.
Therefore, you should learn how to write concisely. Sometimes, it’s better to say things in a short, grammatically correct sentence than in a long sentence that risks using improper punctuation and becoming a run-on sentence.
Mechanics:
Mechanics is how you bring your style and clarity together with proper syntax and grammar. I’ve read many essays that had good theses, were organized well, and used good evidence, only to be ruined by poor grammar. Mechanics is something that you can improve with practice. Write as much as you can and always proofread your work, and/or have friends proofread your essays before you submit them.
Criterion #6: Use of Sources and Citations
Because not every type of essay requires sources and citations, many students forget to do so when it’s required in an essay. You may think, “I don’t need to cite anything because this is such a short essay,” but if it’s required, believe me, your professor is looking for it.
Depending on the length of your essay, a citation may simply be mentioned as a source: “the census of 1825 noted that. . .” Or if it’s a longer, more in-depth essay, you may be required to use footnotes or parenthetical citations. The same is true for quoting sources. Mentioning your source and using a paraphrased, indirect quote is fine in most essays, but some will require you to use direct quotes.
Criterion #7: Holistic or Overall Impression
This criterion is a bit more abstract and intangible than the other criteria, but still very important. It’s true that professors break down your essays into their constituent parts for grading purposes, yet they also look at how all those parts mesh together. Professors like essays that flow nicely from paragraph to paragraph, which is where transition words to start a paragraph in an essay come in handy. I guarantee you, though, that if you hit all of the above criteria, then your professor will have a great overall impression of your essay.
Bringing It All Together: A Rubric-Based Study Guide
The final step to master the criteria your professors use to grade essays involves developing a rubric-based study guide. A rubric is a scoring tool that many professors use today to grade writing assignments. It examines each criterion, assigning it a value, often based on a percentage of the total grade. For example, a professor may assign Criterion #1 40% of the grade, Criterion #2 25% of the grade, and so forth.
Rubrics are a good way to make something that is otherwise very subjective a bit more objective. You can also make your own rubrics to grade your practice writing and that of your friends and colleagues.
Use this sample rubric as a starting point. The more you write and use rubrics, the more you’ll be able to develop more complex ones that can help bring your writing to the next level.
| Criterion | Below Average | Average | Above Average | Excellent |
| 1 | A thesis is present, but it’s unclear and difficult to follow | The thesis is coherent but lacks detail. | The thesis is cogent and well-written. | The thesis is sharp, catchy, and unique. It makes the reader want to see what’s next. |
| 2 | The paper is poorly organized and difficult to follow. | The paper follows a basic format, but lacks transitions. | The structure is easy to follow, and some transitions are used. | The paper is easy to follow, and the paragraphs seamlessly transition from one to another. The paper also has a great hook. |
| 3 | Very little evidence is used or developed. | The paper uses some evidence. | Evidence is used in a logical manner that relates to the thesis. | The student displays a firm grasp of the evidence and how it applies to the thesis. |
| 4 | The paper doesn’t consider alternate viewpoints or anything beyond the basic thesis. | The paper considers some alternative viewpoints but fails to ask relevant questions about them. | The paper considers alternate viewpoints, why they are important, and also considers different possibilities. | The paper considers multiple viewpoints, demonstrates complexity, and dives deep into why the thesis is important and the impact it has had. |
| 5 | The paper has poor flow; the grammar and syntax are bad. | The paper displays a basic level of style, grammar, and syntax. | The paper displays good style, grammar, and syntax, although with a few minor problems. | The paper has nearly flawless style, grammar, and syntax. |
| 6 | The paper doesn’t cite sources or does so improperly. | The paper cites sources, but is inconsistent. | The paper is generally good and consistent about citing sources, although there are one or two problems. | The paper perfectly cites all sources. |
| 7 | The paper is a poor read overall, leaving the reader wondering what they just read. | The reader will understand the paper’s message, but will be left with some questions about the topic. | The paper is generally a good read and leaves the reader with a better understanding of the topic. | The reader will truly enjoy reading this essay. The reader will also feel edified about the topic. |
Level Up Your Writing!
With this insider’s view of what criteria professors use to grade essays, you’ll be able to take your writing to the next level. As you practice your writing, be sure to use the sample rubric and adjust it accordingly.
Don’t be afraid to ask your professors for help or even some tips on what they consider the most important criterion. You might be surprised by how open they can be. After all, their primary job is to help you become a better student.
Good luck and have fun writing!
