| Criteria | 5 Points | 4 Points | 3 Points | 2 Points | 1 Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content | The student’s exploration of the topic is insightful and imaginative.
The student’s purpose, whether stated or implied, is deliberate. The ideas presented by the student are perceptive and/or carefully chosen. Supporting details are precise and/or original. The writing is confident and/or creative and holds the reader’s interest. |
The student’s exploration of the topic is adept and/or plausible.
The student’s purpose, whether stated or implied, is intentional. The ideas presented by the student are thoughtful and/or sound. Supporting details are specific and/or apt. The writing is considered and/or elaborated and draws the reader’s interest. |
The student’s exploration of the topic is clear and/or logical.
The student’s purpose, whether stated or implied, is evident. The ideas presented by the student are appropriate and/or predictable. Supporting details are relevant and/or generic. The writing is straightforward and/or generalized and occasionally appeals to the reader’s interest. |
The student’s exploration of the topic is tenuous and/or simplistic.
The student’s purpose, whether stated or implied, is vague. The ideas presented by the student are superficial and/or ambiguous. Supporting details are imprecise and/or abbreviated. The writing is uncertain and/or incomplete and does not appeal to the reader’s interest. |
The student’s exploration of the topic is minimal and/or tangential.
The student’s purpose, whether stated or implied, is insubstantial. The ideas presented by the student are overgeneralized and/or underdeveloped. Supporting details are irrelevant and/or scant. The writing is confusing and/or lacks validity and does not interest the reader. |
| Organization | The introduction is engaging and skillfully establishes a focus that is consistently sustained.
Events and/or details are developed in a judicious order, and coherence is maintained. Transitions, either explicit or implicit, fluently connect events and/or details within sentences and/or between paragraphs. Closure is effective and related to the focus. |
The introduction is purposeful and clearly establishes a focus that is capably sustained.
Events and/or details are developed in a sensible order, and coherence is generally maintained. Transitions, either explicit or implicit, clearly connect events and/or details within sentences and/or between paragraphs. Closure is appropriate and related to the focus. |
The introduction is functional and establishes a focus that is generally sustained.
Events and/or details are developed in a discernible order, although coherence may falter occasionally. Transitions, either explicit or implicit, tend to be mechanical and are generally used to connect events and/or details within sentences and/or between paragraphs. Closure is related to the focus and is mechanical and/or artificial. |
The introduction lacks purpose and/or is not functional; any focus established provides little direction and/or is not sustained.
The development of events and/or details is not clearly discernible, and coherence falters frequently. Transitions, either explicit or implicit, are lacking and/or indiscriminately used to connect events and/or details within sentences and/or between paragraphs. Closure is abrupt, contrived, and/or unrelated to the focus. |
The introduction, if present, is obscure and/or ineffective; any focus established provides no direction and/or is undeveloped.
The development of events and/or details is haphazard and/or incoherent. Transitions, either explicit or implicit, are absent and/or inappropriately used to connect events and/or details within sentences and/or between paragraphs. Closure is ineffectual or missing. |
| Sentence Structure | Sentence structure is effectively and consistently controlled.
Sentence type and sentence length are consistently effective and varied. Sentence beginnings are consistently varied. |
Sentence structure is consistently controlled.
Sentence type and sentence length are usually effective and varied. Sentence beginnings are often varied. |
Sentence structure is generally controlled, but lapses may occasionally impede meaning.
Sentence type and sentence length are sometimes effective and/or varied. Some variety of sentence beginnings is evident. |
Sentence structure often lacks control, and this may impede meaning.
Sentence type and sentence length are seldom effective and/or varied; syntactic structures are frequently awkward. There is little variety of sentence beginnings. |
Sentence structure generally lacks control, and this often impedes meaning.
There is essentially no variation in sentence type or sentence length; syntactic structures are unintelligible. There is essentially no variety of sentence beginnings. |
| Vocabulary | Words and expressions are used accurately and deliberately.
Precise words and expressions are used to create vivid images and/or to enrich details. The voice/tone created by the student is convincing. |
Words and expressions are often used accurately.
Specific words and expressions show some evidence of careful selection and/or some awareness of connotative effect. The voice/tone created by the student is distinct. |
Words and expressions are generally used appropriately.
General words and expressions are used adequately to clarify meaning. The voice/tone created by the student is discernible but may be inconsistent or uneven. |
Words and expressions are often used inexactly.
Imprecise words and expressions predominate; specific words, if present, may be improperly used. The voice/tone created by the student is not clearly established or is indistinct. |
Words and expressions are generally used inaccurately.
Ineffective words and expressions predominate; specific words, if present, are frequently misused. The voice/tone created by the student is not evident or is indiscreet. |
| Conventions | The quality of the writing is enhanced because it is essentially error-free.
Any errors that are present do not reduce clarity and/or do not interrupt the flow of the response. |
The quality of the writing is sustained because it contains only minor convention errors.
Any errors that are present rarely reduce clarity and/or seldom interrupt the flow of the response. |
The quality of the writing is sustained through generally correct use of conventions.
Errors occasionally reduce clarity and/or sometimes interrupt the flow of the response. |
The quality of the writing is weakened by the frequently incorrect use of conventions.
Errors blur clarity and/or interrupt the flow of the response. |
The quality of the writing is impaired by the consistently incorrect use of conventions.
Errors severely reduce clarity and/or impede the flow of the response. |