TVFT 548-01: Creating Characters and Writing Dialogue

Cal State Los Angeles

Winter, 2015
grading rubric for portrait assignments
Choice of Subject
Minimal

Emerging

Its unclear why you chose this person.

Insight
Minimal

Emerging

You dont observe or understand any aspects of

this person except the obvious ones.

Level of Detail
Minimal

Emerging

You include so few details that this subject is hard

for the reader to picture and understand.

Writing Style
Minimal

Emerging

Your writing is halting, imprecise, or wordy,

showing a lack of experience or confidence.

Developing

Adequate

This is an appropriate choice of subject, someone

recognizably possessing the traits in the
assignment.

Developing

Adequate

You make statements that are mostly inarguable,

but occasionally point out something deeper.

Developing

Adequate

You include some good details about appearance,

style of speaking, and attitude, but the portrait is
incomplete.

Developing

Adequate

Your writing is free of obvious wordiness or

vagueness, but has some lapses in diction.

Effective

Outstanding

Your choice of subject is appropriate without being

obvious, and you show good powers of observation
in explaining how this person fits.

Effective

Outstanding

You draw clever inferences from what you observe,

and make a convincing case about the persons
underlying psychology.

Effective

Outstanding

Your portrait of this person is so vivid that you

could return to it years from now, as the basis of a
fictional character.

Effective

Outstanding

You write like a professional: terse, confident, and

with appropriate word choice.

Writing Mechanics
Minimal

Emerging

Your portrait contains numerous errors in spelling,

grammar, and punctuation.

Developing

Adequate

Your portrait has one or two errors in spelling,

grammar, or punctuation.

Effective

Outstanding

Your writing is free of mechanical errors.