Judging Essays - Comparing 6th Grade Research Paper Topics

Judging Essays - Comparing 6th Grade Research Paper TopicsEvery year, 6th graders across the country submit their research papers to one of several national competitions for student essay awards. Some schools award only one competition; others offer more than one. Judging for these competitions can vary, but it's important to understand how to judge a research paper based on a variety of criteria.The most important criterion is 'originality.' What makes a paper unique? It must address a topic that hasn't been tackled before, or an area that hasn't been explored much in previous years. The competition for a paper or contest requires original research that goes beyond existing material, making this the most important criterion.Another criterion is the 'clarity' of its structure. In previous years, students were judged on their structure and style of argument. In recent years, however, judges are looking at how the essay flows, specifically how smoothly and clearly it presents its thoug hts. This criterion isn't easy to judge, and the judges may not feel as if they've given it the most importance. However, a clear flow is a hallmark of an original essay.Content and style are equally important, but they're much easier to judge when it comes to writing about recent topics. Judges are looking for the argumentative structure of an essay. Judges will also be looking for the structural components of the essay, including clarity of exposition, logical coherence, and an interesting combination of details and anecdotes.Finally, judges are judging the argument for its 'purpose,' and judging this portion of a research paper's purpose is often the most difficult part. Judges are looking for a cohesive point of view on a specific topic. This component of the research paper is much harder to judge than the structure or content, and judges may end up spending a lot of time trying to determine why a piece of writing, even a well-reasoned one, should be accepted for publication.Eac h school handles essay submissions differently. Most of the large districts award the same type of contests for essays. As a result, judges might consider how each class assesses its students' submissions, whether they are judged on research ideas or on the overall structure of the essays. Judging your own essays, though, isn't always an easy task.In order to make your essay strong enough to win, it has to make a point of addressing a specific idea. The problem is that when many students write on a specific topic, they forget that they need to offer a broader view to the essay, since what they're writing isn't focused on a single topic. Many writers overlook this critical concept and end up writing about a single, narrow topic. For students who're writing essays for a competition, this can be disastrous.Knowing how to judge your own essays will help you avoid these common mistakes and help you avoid low grades. It's important to know that these essays are judged against various crit eria in order to produce a well-reasoned essay that will stand out from all the rest.