5 4 3 2 Score

COMPONENTS (Excellent) (Good) (Fair) (Poor)

Introduction Introduces the Introduces the Introduces the Introduces the

topic, issue or topic, issue or topic, issue or topic, issue or
subject directly subject directly subject directly subject poorly and
and specifically, and specifically, and somewhat not specific, and
and has a clear and has a vague broad, and has a has an unclear
thesis statement. thesis statement. vague thesis thesis statement.
CONTENTS statement.
Body Discusses the
Discusses the Discusses the Discusses the
topic, issue or topic, issue or topic, issue or topic, issue or
subject and thesis
subject and thesis subject vaguely, subject poorly,
statement with
statement with and thesis and thesis
specific quality
vague quality and statement is fairly statement is
and timely
narrow discussed. poorly discussed.
information. information.
Conclusion Conclusions of
Conclusions of Conclusions of Conclusions of
the topic, issue or
the topic, issue or the topic, issue or the topic, issue or
subject are clearly
subject are subject are stated subject are stated
stated, thesis
somewhat stated fairly, thesis poorly, thesis
statement clearly, thesis statement statement
concluded with
statement concluded with concluded with
major points, and
concluded with vague points, and poor points, and
create a well-
few points, and create a fair- create a confusing
crafted create a good- crafted perspective about
perspective about
crafted perspective about the topic, issue or
the topic, issue or
perspective about the topic, issue or subject.
subject. the topic, issue or subject.
subject.
Example Chosen examples Chosen examples Chosen examples Chosen examples
 are very specific, are very specific, are not specific, are not related to
timely, clearly but not timely, not timely, the topic, issue or
explained, clearly explained, confusedly subject, not even
relevant to the but somewhat explained, timely, confusedly
topic, issue or relevant to the somewhat explained,
subject and topic, issue or relevant to the irrelevant and it
supported many subject and topic, issue or doesn’t supported
insights to supported few subject and insights to
expound the insights to supported fair expound the
thesis statement. expound the insights in thesis statement.
thesis statement. expounding the
thesis statement.
Word of Choice Language is well- Language is Language is fairly Language is
executed neutrally somewhat executed, and poorly executed,
and clearly, and executed neutrally rarely uses and it doesn’t use
uses political and clearly, and political correct political correct
CONVENTIONS correct terms. uses few political terms. terms.
correct terms.
Language Excellent level Good level Fair level Poor level
(Grammar, appropriate appropriate appropriate appropriate
punctuation, and spelling, grammar spelling, grammar spelling, grammar spelling, grammar
spelling) and punctuation, and punctuation, and punctuation, and punctuation,
and there are no and contains few and contains few and contains
errors. errors, if any, it errors, but it many errors and
doesn’t interfere somewhat it interferes with
with the reader’s interfere with the the reader’s
understanding. reader’s understanding.
understanding.
Style and Extremely fluent Reasonable fluent Fairly fluent and Poorly fluent and
Organization and articulate and articulate articulate relation incoherent
relation of ideas; relation of ideas; of ideas; relation of ideas;
effective, powerful effective, attempt somewhat not effective, not
tone; quotes, at tone; quotes, effective, not so powerful tone;
paraphrases and paraphrases and powerful tone; quotes,
summaries summaries quotes, paraphrases and
expertly woven somewhat paraphrases and summaries poorly
into own writing; expertly woven summaries fairly woven into own
structural design into own writing; woven into own writing; structural
versatile and ideas partially writing; structural design poorly
complex. A variety disconnected; design fairly versatile and not
of thoughtful repetitive and versatile and even
transitions show formulaically somewhat complex. Many
how ideas are transitions. Pacing complex. A few confusing
connected. Pacing is well-controlled, confusing transitions, and
is well-controlled.  but there are lack of transitions, and ideas are
elaboration.  ideas are disconnected.
somewhat Pacing is poorly-
disconnected. controlled. 
Pacing is fairly-
controlled.