RUBRICS FOR ESSAY

Area Focus CONTENT ORGANIZATION STYLE CONVENTIONS

The single controlling The presence of ideas The order developed The choice, use and Grammar, mechanics,
point made with an developed through facts, and sustained within arrangement of spelling, usage and
awareness at tasks examples, anecdotes, and across paragraphs words and sentence sentence formation.
about a specific topic details, opinions, statistics, using transitional structures that create
Points reasons, and/or devices and including tone and voice.
explanations introduction and
conclusions
Sharp, distinct and Substantial, specific, and/or Sophisticated Precise, illustrative Evident control of
controlling point illustrative content arrangement of use of a variety of grammar, mechanics,
made about a single demonstrating strong content with evident words and sentence spelling, usage and
topic with evident development and and/or subtle structured to create sentence formation.
4
awareness of task sophisticated ideas. transitions. consistent writer’s
voice and tone
appropriate to
audience.
Apparent point made Sufficiently developed Functional Generic use of a Sufficient control of
about a single topic content with adequate arrangement of variety of words and grammar, mechanics,
with sufficient elaboration or explanation. content that sustains sentence structures spelling, usage and
3 awareness of tasks. a logical order with that may or may not sentence formation.
some evidence of create writer’s voice
transitions and tone appropriate
to audience.
No apparent point but Limited content with Confused or Limited word choice Limited control of
evidence of a specific inadequate elaboration or inconsistent and control of grammar, mechanics,
topic. explanation. arrangement of sentence structures spelling, usage and
2
content with or that inhibit voice and sentence formation.
without attempts at tone.
transition.
Minimal evidence of a Superficial and/or minimal Minimal control of Minimal variety in Minimal control of
topic content. content word choice and grammar, mechanics,
1
arrangements. minimal control of spelling, usage and
sentence structure. sentence formation.