Rubric for Constructed Response to Reading

Advanced
Introduction
*Lead/grabber
*Claim/Thesis

Body
*Reasons/details
*Evidence
(Text Support)
Justification

Style and
Fluency

Conclusion

Proficient

Lead is a grabber or offers

background information
Includes all necessary titles
and names, referenced
correctly

More than 3 specific reasons

support the claim
Specific, compelling text
evidence for each reason
Provides justification for how
the reasons and text evidence
support the claim and
elaborates beyond the obvious
Maintains clear order, logic
and high-level transition
words between reasons
Advanced, precise vocabulary
appropriate for audience and
purpose
Lots of descriptive language:
active verbs, figurative
language, imagery, effective
adjectives
Fluent variety of sentence
beginnings, structures, length
Legible, neat, and error-free
Ties the claim to a larger idea:
self, the world, other literature

Partially Proficient

Includes a lead
Claim is clear and answers the
prompt
Includes titles

3 specific reasons support the

claim
Specific text evidence is provided
for each reason
Provides justification for how the
reasons and text evidence support
the claim
Maintains order, logic and/or
transition words between reasons

Vocabulary appropriate for

audience and purpose
Some descriptive language: active
verbs, figurative language,
imagery, adjectives
Some variety of sentence
beginnings, structures, and length
Mostly legible, neat, and error-free

Ties the claim to a larger idea but

is clumsy or forced.

Claim just repeats the prompt, no clear

claim, or does not answer the prompt
Does not include titles
Includes reasons or evidence in the
claim, pronouns, I think statements
Less than 3 specific reasons support
the claim
Specific text evidence not provided for
each reason
Little or no justification for how the
reasons and text evidence support the
claim
Maintains little or no order, logic or
transition words between reasons

General word choice; occasional

errors in word usage
Mostly common or dead verbs (is, did,
go), imprecise or colorless verbs or
adjectives, common phrases
Little variety of sentence beginnings,
structure, or length; contains run-on or
incomplete sentences
Legible but sloppy or full of errors
Repeats the claim statement or
supports
No conclusion