Assessing a comparative essay
  "Winter Dreams" and "A Wagner Matinee"

1. Does the writer state clearly a point of comparison between the two stories?
2. Is the point nontrivial? Does it matter?
3. Does the writer talk in enough detail about both stories for a reader to fully understand the point that is being made?
4. Is the writing organized, so that it doesn’t jump between thoughts too quickly, without developing the insights? Is the writing organized, so the writer doesn’t keep returning to the same insights at different points, repeating things rather than developing them?
5. Is the writing graceful--is every sentence easy to read and understand?
6. Are all the sentences complete (no fragment and no run-ons)?
7. Is the punctuation (including capitalization and apostrophes) perfect? Are all the words spelled correctly?