NAME________________________________________________PERIOD_________

OVERVIEW: This is an exercise in self evaluation. Below is the rubric you will use to evaluate your essay. This is the same rubric Mr.
Follman/Mr. Collins will use to evaluate your essay. Each essay should contain 20 components (e.g., hook, context, thesis, topic
sentence, etc.). For each component, a student can earn up to 5 points. As such, the total essay is worth 100 points.
DIRECTIONS: For each component (e.g., hook, context, thesis, topic sentence, etc.), provide your classmate a score: 0,1, 3, or 5.
Write this score in the far right column next to each piece. When you are finished evaluating an essay, there should be 20 numbers
between 0 and 5 on the far right column. Add these numbers together and write the sum where it says TOTAL_____/100.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD ESSAY RUBRIC

INTRODUCTION

Score

HOOK

there is no
hook

hook is somewhat present,

but does not draw the reader
in

hook is present, but does not fully

draw the reader in

hook is clearly present and draws

reader in

___/5

CONTEXT

there is no
context

there is some context, but it

does not adequately inform
the reader as to what book
the essay is about

there is some context, and it

somewhat informs the reader as
to what book the essay is about

there is sufficient context to

adequately inform the reader as to
what book the essay is about

___/5

THESIS

there is no
thesis

thesis contains at least a

claim

thesis contains a claim, but either

lacks 3 pieces of evidence or
significance

thesis clearly outlines: claim, 3

pieces of evidence, and
significance

___/5

BODY PARAGRAPH
#1

Score

TOPIC SENTENCE

there is no
topic
sentence

topic sentence somewhat

references claim but does
not adequately inform the
reader what the paragraph
will be about

topic sentence contains

claim/part of claim but does not
include evidence

topic sentence clearly contains

claim and one piece of evidence

___/5

EXPLANATION
(TOPIC)

there is no
explanation

there is some explanation,

but it is either off topic or
does not help the reader
understand the topic
sentence or provide a
context for the quote

there is adequate explanation,

but it is either off topic or does
not help the reader understand
the topic sentence or provide a
context for the quote

the explanation clearly connects

the topic sentence to the quote

___/5

EXAMPLE (QUOTE)

there is no
quote

the quote does not relate to

the topic sentence

the quote relates back to topic

sentence, but is too long

the quote is of sufficient length

AND clearly relates to topic
sentence

___/5

ANALYSIS

there is no
analysis

there is some analysis, but it

is either off topic or a
misrepresentation of the
quote

there is some analysis, but it

does not fully explain how the
quote supports the topic
sentence

there is a clear and convincing

explanation as to how the quote
supports the topic sentence.

___/5

SUMMARY

there is no
summary

there are concluding

remarks, but they do not
adequately articulate the
authors argument

the summary is exactly the same

as the topic sentence, word for
word

the summary is a rephrasing of

the topic sentence OR the
summary clearly states the claim
and one piece of evidence

___/5

BODY PARAGRAPH
#2

Score

TOPIC SENTENCE

there is no

topic sentence somewhat

topic sentence contains

topic sentence clearly contains

___/5

topic
sentence

references claim but does

not adequately inform the
reader what the paragraph
will be about

claim/part of claim but does not

include evidence

claim and one piece of evidence

EXPLANATION
(TOPIC)

there is no
explanation

there is some explanation,

but it is either off topic or
does not help the reader
understand the topic
sentence or provide a
context for the quote

there is adequate explanation,

but it is either off topic or does
not help the reader understand
the topic sentence or provide a
context for the quote

the explanation clearly connects

the topic sentence to the quote

___/5

EXAMPLE (QUOTE)

there is no
quote

the quote does not relate to

the topic sentence

the quote relates back to topic

sentence, but is too long

the quote is of sufficient length

AND clearly relates to topic
sentence

___/5

ANALYSIS

there is no
analysis

there is some analysis, but it

is either off topic or a
misrepresentation of the
quote

there is some analysis, but it

does not fully explain how the
quote supports the topic
sentence

there is a clear and convincing

explanation as to how the quote
supports the topic sentence.

___/5

SUMMARY

there is no
summary

there are concluding

remarks, but they do not
adequately articulate the
authors argument

the summary is exactly the same

as the topic sentence, word for
word

the summary is a rephrasing of

the topic sentence OR the
summary clearly states the claim
and one piece of evidence

___/5

BODY PARAGRAPH
#3

Score

TOPIC SENTENCE

there is no
topic
sentence

topic sentence somewhat

references claim but does
not adequately inform the
reader what the paragraph
will be about

topic sentence contains

claim/part of claim but does not
include evidence

topic sentence clearly contains

claim and one piece of evidence

___/5

EXPLANATION
(TOPIC)

there is no
explanation

there is some explanation,

but it is either off topic or
does not help the reader
understand the topic

there is adequate explanation,

but it is either off topic or does
not help the reader understand
the topic sentence or provide a

the explanation clearly connects

the topic sentence to the quote

__/5

sentence or provide a
context for the quote

context for the quote

EXAMPLE (QUOTE)

there is no
quote

the quote does not relate to

the topic sentence

the quote relates back to topic

sentence, but is too long

the quote is of sufficient length

AND clearly relates to topic
sentence

___/5

ANALYSIS

there is no
analysis

there is some analysis, but it

is either off topic or a
misrepresentation of the
quote

there is some analysis, but it

does not fully explain how the
quote supports the topic
sentence

there is a clear and convincing

explanation as to how the quote
supports the topic sentence.

___/5

SUMMARY

there is no
summary

there are concluding

remarks, but they do not
adequately articulate the
authors argument

the summary is exactly the same

as the topic sentence, word for
word

the summary is a rephrasing of

the topic sentence OR the
summary clearly states the claim
and one piece of evidence

___/5

CONCLUSION

Score

RESTATE THESIS

thesis is not
restated

thesis contains at least a

claim

thesis contains a claim, but either

lacks 3 pieces of evidence or
significance

thesis clearly outlines: claim, 3

pieces of evidence, and
significance

___/5

CONNECT TO
MODERN DAY

there is no
connection
to today

there is some discussion of

the importance of the
authors topic, but does not
mention specifics

there is some connection

between the authors topic and
something happening in the world

theres a clear connection

between the authors topic and a
relevant issue today

___/5

TOTAL _____/100

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: