• Cover memo critiques clearly and specifically the status of research so far
• Cover memo indicates clearly and specifically areas successfully researched and those areas still in need of research
• The schedule offers a reasonable and thoughtful procedure for approaching the next stages of research
• The entries are helpfully and thoughtfully organized and annotated
• The bibliography focuses on texts useful for writing a textual history
• The bibliographic entries are highly accurate, conforming to MLA guidelines.

B: Moderately Professional Presentation

• Cover memo critiques clearly and coherently the status of research so far.
• Cover memo indicates clearly areas successfully researched and those areas still in need of research
• The schedule offers a reasonable procedure for approaching the next stages of research
• The bibliography is helpfully organized and annotated
• The bibliography includes texts useful for writing a textual history
• The bibliographic entries use MLA formats with a slight percentage of error

C: Adequate Presentation

• Cover memo's statements about the status of research may be more general than specific
• Cover memo's description of the areas researched may be more general than specific
• The schedule may be more prefunctory than thoughtful
• The bibliography provides general annotations in a clear organization
• The bibliography includes texts specific to the topic chosen, but may not be specifically useful to textual history
• The format of bibliographic entries may have a slight percentage of error.

D: Weak Presentation

• Cover memo talks generally, but not usefully, about the status of research
• Cover memo's discussion of areas researched may be weak or lacking
• The schedule is unreasonable or perfunctory, lacking the thoughtfulness indicative of higher grades.
• The bibliography offers weak or unclear annotations; its organization overall is weak.
• The bibliographic entries may not be clearly related to the specific text under examination.
• The format of bibliographic entries demonstrate a significant level of error or errors are distracting.

F: Poor Presentation

• Cover memo's discussion of the status of research is unclear or lacking
• The cover memo's discussion of the areas researched may be unclear, inaccurate, or lacking.
• The schedule is unreasonable or perfunctory, lacking the thoughtfulness indicative of higher grades.
• The bibliography offers poorly articulated annotations; its organization is weak or confusing
• Bibliography may have been turned in late or was incomplete on submission.
• The level of error in this bibliography would be professionally embarrassing.