| Scoring Scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Struggles to understand the topic and main ideas. | Shows some understanding of the topic and main ideas. | Demonstrates good understanding of the topic and main ideas. | Shows excellent understanding of the topic and main ideas. |
| Thesis | Thesis is unclear or missing. | Thesis is somewhat clear. | Thesis is clear and focused. | Thesis is clear, focused, and engaging. |
| Organization | Writing lacks logical order and structure. | Attempts to organize ideas but may be confusing. | Organizes ideas in a clear sequence. | Effectively organizes ideas with a strong structure. |
| Evidence Analysis | Does not provide relevant evidence or analysis. | Provides some relevant evidence but lacks analysis. | Includes relevant evidence with basic analysis. | Provides strong evidence with detailed analysis. |
| Citations and Sources | Does not cite sources or includes inaccurate citations. | Attempts to cite sources but may have some inaccuracies. | Includes proper citations for sources used. | Includes accurate citations and a variety of reliable sources. |
| Writing Conventions and Craft | Many errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. | Some errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. | Few errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. | Almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. |
| MLA Format | Used properly and consistently throughout the paper. | Used properly and somewhat consistently throughout the paper. | Many of the aspects of the MLA format are used improperly, and the use of the MLA format is inconsistent. | The essay is not written in MLA format. |