Scoring Guides for World History Essays

The following generic Scoring Guides have been closely adapted from the College Board web site which uses a score scale of 0 to 9 points.

HINT:
Think of the BASIC CORE as an objective checklist that your reader is using. Think of the EXPANDED CORE as a subjective way that a essay can be awarded extra points as it demonstrates the information listed.

Scoring Guide for the Comparative Essay

BASIC CORE		EXPANDED CORE
Points		Points
1) Has acceptable thesis. (Compares specified issues and themes.)	1	Expands beyond basic core of 1 to 6 points. A student must earn 6 points in the basic core area before earning points in the expanded core area. Examples: Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis. Addresses all relevant parts of the question: comparisons, chronology, causation, connections, themes, interactions, content. Addresses all parts of the question evenly. Shows ability to relate comparisons to a larger global context. Provides ample historical evidence to substantiate the thesis. Shows appropriate ability to analysis similarities and differences Makes direct comparisons consistently between societies	0-3
2) Addresses all parts of the question (though not necessarily evenly or thoroughly)	2
Addresses most parts of the question	(1)
3) Substantiates thesis with appropriate historical evidence	2
Partially substantiates thesis with appropriate historical evidence	(1)
4) Makes at least one relevant, direct comparisons between societies.	1
Subtotal	6	Subtotal	3
TOTAL			9

Scoring Guide for the Change over Time Essay

BASIC CORE		EXPANDED CORE
Points		Points
1) Has acceptable thesis. (Addresses the global issues and the time period specified.)	1	Expands beyond basic core of 1 to 6 points. A student must earn 6 points in the basic core area before earning points in the expanded core area. Examples: Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis. Addresses all relevant parts of the question: global issues chronology, causation, change, continuity, content. Addresses all parts of the question evenly. Shows careful and insightful analysis of the documents. Provides ample historical evidence to substantiate the thesis. Provides connections with relevant ideas, events, and trends in an innovative way.	0-3
2) Addresses all parts of the question (though not necessarily evenly or thoroughly)	2
Addresses most parts of the question	(1)
3) Substantiates thesis with appropriate historical evidence	2
Partially substantiates thesis with appropriate historical evidence	(1)
4) Uses historical context effectively to show change over time and/or continuities.	1
Subtotal	6	Subtotal	3
TOTAL			9

Scoring Guide for the Document Based Question Essay

BASIC CORE		EXPANDED CORE
Points		Points
1) Has acceptable thesis.	1	Expands beyond basic core of 1 to 6 points. A student must earn 6 points in the basic core area before earning points in the expanded core area. Examples: Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis. Uses all or almost all documents. Uses documents persuasively as evidence. Shows careful and insightful analysis of the documents. Analyzes bias or point of view in at least four documents cited in the essay. Analyzes documents in additional ways — additional groupings or other. Brings in relevant "outside" historical content.	0-3
2) Uses a majority of documents.	1
3) Supports thesis with appropriate evidence from documents.	1
4) Understands the basic meaning of documents cited in the essay. (May misinterpret one document.)	1
5) Analyzes bias or point of view in at least two or three documents.	1
6) Analyzes documents by grouping them in one (or two or three) ways, depending on DBQ question.	1
Subtotal	6	Subtotal	3
TOTAL			9