Basic Essay Writing Rubric  

  
           
           
   
Name: _________________ Teacher: Mrs. Hancock

Date: August 8, 2009 Class: English 7

Description: This rubric will help you know exactly what I am expecting to find in an essay.

5 / 4 / V E RY 3 / 2 / NEEDS 1 /
EXCELLENT GOOD AV E R A G E IMPROVEMENT U N A C C E P TA B L E

This paper is This paper The writer is Topic is not well- As yet, the paper has
clear and is mostly beginning to defined and/or no clear sense of
focused. It focused, define the there are too many purpose or central
holds the and has topic, even topics. theme. To extract
reader's some good though meaning from the
Ideas
attention. details and development is text, the reader must
Relevant details quotes. still basic or make inferences
and quotes general. based on sketchy or
enrich the missing details.
central theme.

The Paper (and The Sentences within The writing lacks a

organization paragraphs) organizational paragraphs make clear sense of
enhances and are mostly structure is sense, but the direction. Ideas,
showcases the organized, strong enough order of paragraphs details, or events
central idea or in order, and to move the does not. seem strung together
theme. The makes reader through in a loose or random
Organization
order, structure sense to the the text without fashion; there is no
of information is reader. too much identifiable internal
compelling and confusion. structure.
moves the
reader through
the text.

The writing has The writing The text hums The text seems The reader has to
an easy flow, mostly along with a choppy and is not practice quite a bit in
rhythm, and flows, and steady beat, easy to read orally. order to give this
cadence. usually but tends to be paper a fair
Sentences are invites oral more interpretive reading.
Sentence
well built, with reading. businesslike
Fluency
strong and than musical,
varied structure more
that invites mechanical
expressive oral than fluid.
reading.

Conventions The writer The write The writer The writer seems to Errors in spelling,
demonstrates a understands shows have made little punctuation,
good grasp of good writing reasonable effort to use capitalization, usage,
standard writing conventions control over a conventions: and grammar and/or
conventions and usually limited range of spelling, paragraphing
(e.g., spelling, uses them standard punctuation, repeatedly distract
punctuation, correctly. writing capitalization, the reader and make
capitalization, Paper is conventions. usage, grammar the text difficult to
grammar, easily read Conventions and/or read.
usage, and errors are sometimes paragraphing have
paragraphing) are rare; handled well multiple errors.
and uses minor touch- and enhance
 conventions ups would readability; at
effectively to get this other times,
enhance piece ready errors are
readability. to publish. distracting and
impair
readability.

The form and The format The writer's The writer's The reader receives a
presentation of only has a message is message is only garbled message due
the text few understandable understandable to problems relating
enhances the mistakes in this format. occasionally, and to the presentation of
ability for the and is paper is messily the text, and is not
Presentation reader to generally written. typed.
understand and easy to read
connect with and
the message. It pleasing to
is pleasing to the eye.
the eye.