A Note to Teachers: This checklist covers all the requirements for research essay and shows the relative weights that I wanted to attach to each.  The grading scale, however, is a bit odd and awkward to apply; percentages that add up to 100 would probably serve to show weights just as well as a point scale that adds up to a maximum around 400 points.  A plus (+) marked on a line indicates that the student did exceptionally well with that feature.  No mark implies adequate work.  A minus (-), when used, would flag a source of trouble in the student's paper and often lead to revision.  The total grade, and a wrap-up comment, often what I liked most about the paper, would appear on the final page of the paper itself.  Most of my markings have been removed from this sample, but I asked permission to save it and use it as a source for future papers and other instructional uses because I was impressed with Maureen's blending of source material within paragraphs and because of the clarity of her analysis between biographical fact and fiction.