Beginning (1) Emerging (2) Developing (3) Proficient (4) Strong (5) Exemplary (6) Score

Ideas & Content ● Lacks central idea; ● Purpose and main ● Main idea is ● Clear main idea ● Clear, focused, ● Exceptionally clear,
● main theme Development is idea may be unclear unclear because with some support interesting ideas focused,
● supporting minimal or and/or cluttered by supporting details which may be with appropriate engaging with
non-existent irrelevant detail are too general or general or limited detail relevant, strong
details
off-topic supporting detail

Organization ● Lack of coherence; ● Lack of structure; ● Attempts at ● Organization is ● Strong order and ● Effectively
● structure confusing disorganized and organization, may appropriate, but structure organized in
● introduction ● No identifiable hard to follow be a “list” of conventional ● Inviting intro and a logical and
introduction or ● Missing or weak events ● Attempt at satisfying closure creative manner
● conclusion
conclusion intro and ● Beginning and introduction and ● Creative and
conclusion ending not conclusion engaging intro
developed and conclusion

Voice ● Writing lacks ● Writing tends to be ● Voice may be ● Evident ● Appropriate to ● Expressive,
● personality character or tone flat or stiff inappropriate or commitment to audience and engaging, sincere
● sense of ● No hint of the writer ● Little or no hint of non-existent topic purpose ● Strong sense of
writer behind the ● Writing may seem ● Inconsistent or dull ● Writer behind the audience
audience
words mechanical personality words comes ● Shows emotion,
through humor, honesty,
suspense or life

Word Choice ● Limited range of ● Monotonous, often ● Words may be ● Language is ● Descriptive, broad ● Precise, carefully
● precision words repetitious correct but functional and range of words chosen
● effectiveness ● Some vocabulary ● Sometimes mundane appropriate ● Word choice ● Strong, fresh, vivid
misused inappropriate ● No attempt at ● Descriptions may energizes writing images
● imagery
deliberate word be overdone at
choice times

Sentence Fluency ● Difficult to follow or ● Often choppy ● Some awkward ● Generally in ● Easy flow and ● High degree of
● rhythm, flow read aloud ● Monotonous constructions control rhythm craftsmanship
● variety ● Disjointed, sentence patterns ● Many similar ● Lack variety in ● Good variety in ● Effective variation
confusing, rambling ● Frequent run-on or patterns and length and length and in sentence
fragment sentences beginnings structure structure patterns

Conventions ● Numerous errors ● Frequent significant ● Limited control of ● Control of most ● Strong control of ● Exceptionally
● spelling distract the reader errors may impede conventions writing conventions strong control of
● capitalization and make the text readability ● Frequent errors do conventions ● Errors are few and standard
difficult to read not interfere with ● Occasional errors minor conventions of
● punctuation
understanding with high risks writing
● grammar

Total (36)