Mahurin Honors College CET Third Reader Role Overview

Mahurin Honors College CE/T Third Reader Role

Overview Description of Third Reader Role Day of Defense Responsibilities to the student defending Responsibilities to the Mahurin Honors College Rubric for Grading Defense

Third Reader Role As third reader you serve as a representative of the Mahurin Honors College on the Capstone Experience/ Thesis Committee. Your duty is to ensure fairness and facilitate a defense of the caliber expected of a Mahurin Honors College Graduate. Ensure that the CE/T Final Evaluation Form is returned to the Mahurin Honors College immediately following the defense.

Day of the Defense On the Day of the Defense, you will need to bring along a final evaluation form accessible here. Each student should have the form with them, but it is always good to have a back up plan in place, just in case nerves get the better of the student.

Responsibilities to Student Facilitate the scheduling of the defense by responding to any email communication or poll in a timely manner Review the draft the student will submit to you prior to the defense Participate in the defense by asking questions

Responsibilities to the Mahurin Honors College Determining the honors designation for thesis. As third reader you will lead the discussion with input from the first and second readers. (Designations are: Fail/Pass with Honors/ Pass with Distinction) To do this adequately the third reader should attend several defenses prior to serving in this role. Defense dates/venues are announced on the Honors College Calendar.

Responsibilities to the Mahurin Honors College Ensuring the Final Evaluation Form is returned to the Mahurin Honors College either by self or by primary, or secondary readers. Ensuring the Mahurin Honors College CE/T expectations are met, according to rubric.

Rubric for the CE/T Scholarly/ Intellectual/ Creative Merit (50%) POOR/FAIL Rationale no clear rationale or a weak rationale for the project PASS WITH HONORS some rationale presented, provides and discusses a begins to motivate the work suitable rationale Complexity in Framing frames complex questions as invests question with some reasonable balance Topic simple ones complexity, may over simplify or between focus and over extend complexity Approach/ not clear what was done or why, approach is generally clearly described and Methodology or an inappropriate method appropriate and properly justified, well-chosen and executed appropriate, and wellexecuted Scholarly Content author does not demonstrate author demonstrates a author demonstrates broad awareness of appropriate reasonable awareness of awareness and situates scholarship, may over rely on too appropriate scholarship own work within the few sources appropriate scholarship Position Argument Use of Data/ Evidence Insight, Seeing Patterns and Connections PASS WITH DISTINCTION persuasive and creative rationale frames the topic with a full appreciation of its complexity while retaining appropriate focus creative and sophisticated methods author demonstrates a broad awareness of appropriate scholarship, situates own work within the appropriate scholarship, and makes contributions to the field, or identifies a new direction for investigation does not take a clear or clearly describes, or begins to thoroughly and effectively develops a clear and defensible position or draw a support, test, extend, or critique supports, tests, extends, or of his/her own, draws a significant clear conclusion a position that is already in critiques a position that is conclusion previous scholarship already in previous scholarship weak, invalid, or no argument, Some arguments valid and well- main arguments valid, arguments both well supported and perhaps a simple assertion supported, some not systematic, genuinely compared to conflicting and well supported explanations draws on little or no evidence, some appropriate use of feasible evidence fully exploits the richness of the mostly relies on assertions or evidence but uneven appropriately selected and data/evidence/ideas, and is sufficiently opinions, or evidence not clearly not over interpreted persuasive presented treats related ideas or data as begins to establish connections brings together related develops insightful connections and unrelated, or draws weak or and perceive implications of the data or ideas in productive patterns that require intellectual creativity simplistic connections material ways, thoroughly discusses implications of material

Rubric for the CE/T Writing Style and POOR/FAIL Quality (30%) PASS WITH HONORS PASS WITH DISTINCTION Grammar and Spelling, Usage Organization numerous errors some errors a few minor errors structure is of inconsistent quality, may have choppy transitions and/or redundancies or disconnections gets in the way of reading for style is inconsistent or content uneven structure supports the argument, clearly ordered sections fit together well structure enhances the argument, strong sections and seamless flow good, easy to follow and read for content exceptional, including elegant style, transparent argument structure POOR/FAIL PASS WITH HONORS PASS WITH DISTINCTION Clarity, Style, Readability as Appropriate to Genre and Discipline Follows Guidelines of Honors College (10%) significantly impairs readability author does not demonstrate awareness of the scholarly literature, may over rely on too few sources Size of Project equivalent to less than the (Treat as a work for one three hour Continuum—Mark course Your Estimate of Where This Project Falls) POOR/FAIL CE/T Defense PASS equivalent of one and a half equivalent of two three equivalent of two or more three hour courses PASS WITH HONORS PASS WITH DISTINCTION a weak oral presentation, unclear at times, difficulty answering questions a solid, but not great oral presentation a superior defense, took the presentation beyond the written work; handled questions well, showed poise and confidence. (10%) Oral Presentation very weak or poor oral presentation (disorganized and difficult to follow)

Thank you for your willingness in representing the Mahurin Honors College!