Essay #3 Rubric

R1A Migrations - Goldblatt - May 2014

FORMATTING/PROOF-READING: _____(out of 3)
The essay is visually clear. You have proof-read well. There are no spelling mistakes or typos.
Quotations are correctly formatted; long passages are presented, correctly, as block-quotes.
There are page numbers, a title, a correct date, et cetera. The Question precedes your thesis.
You have underlined the complete thesis.
WRITING CLARITY: ____ (out of 5)
[sentence-level structure]
The writing is free of grammar mistakes. Sentences are straightforward, and, generally, concise.
There is no unnecessary repetition. The Passive Voice appears only occasionally. Gold stars for
correct use of semi-colons and colons.
THESIS: _____ (out of 4)
- It logically responds to the question, and that question appears provoked by your genuine
curiosity to figure something out.
- It is (thus) an argument-provoking claim. A reasonable reader could disagree with you.
- It is internal to the text (for example, your thesis does not claim that the novel explains history).
- It is clear and consists of at least five sentences.
- It contains what, how, and why components.
LOGICAL ORGANIZATION: _____ (out of 8)
[paragraph- and essay-level structure]
- The Introduction presents both the text, your question, and your claim, accurately and
completely. It consists of two paragraphs. Consult previous rubrics and hand-outs for detail
regarding introductions.
- Body paragraphs, and their sequence, follow logically from the thesis. Think about paragraph
order.
- A topic sentence begins each paragraph; these topic sentences are mini-claims which
present the role of that paragraph in the essay's argument. A topic sentence thus relates clearly
to the thesis and introduces the unifying, central idea of its paragraph.
- The Conclusion makes sense in relation to the preceding argument. It does not merely restate
the Introduction. It builds upon your original claim and further articulates the stakes of your
argument for an interpretation of the text.
- Your analysis reflects a thorough and careful engagement with the text. The passages you
choose, and how you interpret them, shows that you have read with that depth and attention.
TOTAL POINTS: ______ (out of 20); GRADE: _______