ESSAY RUBRIC

Essay Grading Rubric

Thesis

Argument

Content/
Ideas

Organizati
on
Sentence
Structure

4
Expert
-Thesis is
clear
-Clearly states
argument
-Stands on
one side of
the issue
-Proposes a
solution to the
issue
-Shows
original
analysis
-Shows critical
thinking that
teaches the
reader
something
-Shows
mastery in
content
knowledge

Overall Score: ______________________

3
Accomplished
-Thesis is
appropriate

-Takes a side of
the argument
but does not
propose a
solution

-Good analysis
-Interesting
ideas with
appropriate
detail
-Outstanding
content but
could have add
more ideas

-Information is -Information
well-organized somewhat
organized
-None or very -Few spelling
few spelling,
and
punctuation
punctuations
or
errors, minor
grammatical
grammatical
errors
errors

2
Capable
-Thesis ignores
the rules

-Argument is
confusing to
understand or
unclear

1
Beginner
-Lacks thesis

-Does not say

what side of
the argument
stands

-Analysis is
clear but
general or
obvious
-Main idea is
not clear
-Supporting
detail is offtopic

-Lacks
analysis
-Lacks central
idea
-Development
is minimal

-Information
poorly
organized
-A number of
spelling,
punctuation or
grammatical
errors

-Information
very poorly
organized
-Many
spelling,
punctuation
and
grammatical
errors that
interferes with
the meaning

Word
Choice
and new
vocabular
y

-Precise and
clear use of
language
-New
vocabulary
used carefully
-All accents
are marked
correctly

-Almost clear
use of language
-New
vocabulary
used correctly
-Most accents
are marked
correctly

-Use of
language not
very clear
-Not enough
new vocabulary
used
-Accents are
not marked
correctly

-Unclear use
of language
-No new
vocabulary
used
-Words that
need accents
are not
marked