How did the Islamic empire get into West Africa?

Question

A score of 0 may be given in any category for compositions that are entirely illegible or otherwise unscorable:

blank responses, responses written in a foreign language, restatements of the prompt, responses that are off-

topic or incoherent.

CATEGORY 24 - Above

Standards

20 - Meets

Standards

16 - Approaching

Standards

12 - Below

Standards

0 or No Score

Focus or Thesis

Statement

The thesis

statement names

the topic of the

essay and outlines

the main points to

be discussed.

The thesis

statement names

the topic of the

essay.

The thesis

statement outlines

some or all of the

main points to be

discussed but does

not name the

topic.

The thesis

statement does

not name the topic

AND does not

preview what will

be discussed.

See above

Support of the

thesis

Support

information is

related to and

supportive of the

topic/subject.

Support

information has

minor weaknesses

in relatedness to

and/or support of

the topic/subject.

Support

information has

major weaknesses

in relatedness to

and/or support of

the topic/subject.

An attempt has

been made to add

support

information, but it

was unrelated or

confusing.

See above

Evidence &

Examples

All of the evidence

and examples are

specific, relevant,

and explanations

are given that

show how each

support the thesis

and support for

the thesis.

Most of the

evidence and

examples are

specific, relevant

and explanations

are given that

show how each

support the thesis

and support for

the thesis.

At least one of the

pieces of evidence

and examples is

relevant and has

an explanation

that show how

each support the

thesis and support

for the thesis.

Evidence and

examples are NOT

relevant and/or

are not explained

in a way that add

to the support of

the thesis.

See above

Elaboration Elaboration

consists of specific,

developed details.

Elaboration

consists of some

specific details.

Elaboration

consists of general

and/or

undeveloped

details, which may

be presented in a

list-like fashion.

Elaboration is

sparse; almost no

details.

See above

Sequencing Arguments and

support are

provided in a

logical order that

makes it easy and

interesting to

follow the author's

train of thought.

Arguments and

support are

provided in a fairly

logical order that

makes it

reasonably easy to

follow the author's

train of thought.

A few of the

support details or

arguments are not

in an expected or

logical order,

distracting the

reader and making

the essay seem a

little confusing.

Many of the

support details or

arguments are not

in an expected or

logical order,

distracting the

reader and making

the essay seem

very confusing.

See above