Current Event Rubric Expanded (Rationale)

Category 1: Summary

·  25pts Superior: clear and impressive effort made to be completely thorough

·  22pts Above Avg.: more than typical effort has been made

·  18pts Average: serves the purpose only

·  15pts Present: approaching minimum requirements

·  5pts Failing: no evidence of desire to meet even minimum requirements

Category 2: Clear Position Taken

·  25pts Superior: clear and impressive effort made to be establish position

·  22pts Above Avg.: approaching superior

·  20pts Average: clear position cursorily established

·  15pts Present: attempt made to establish position, but no substantial clarity

·  5pts Failing: no evidence of desire to clearly establish position

Category 3: Position Justified and Supported

·  30pts Exemplary: far more than typical effort has been made to support/justify

support pulled from source(s) outside of personal experience

justification of position sheds provocative light on current event

·  27pts Superior: more than typical effort has been made to support/justify

support pulled from source(s) outside of personal experience

·  24pts Above Avg.: more than typical effort has been made to support/justify

support comes from personal experience only and contains conviction

AND/OR support comes from article only and contains conviction

·  20pts Average: support/justification serves the purpose only

support comes from personal experience only

AND/OR support comes from article only

·  15pts Pres/Apprch: cursory or very little support; lacks conviction

·  10pts Pres/Smmry: devolves into summary; summary only

·  5pts Pres/Failing: no evidence of desire to meet even minimum requirements

Category 4: Grammatical/Syntactical

·  Minus two points first major mechanics/syntactical error

·  Minus one point first minor mechanics/syntactical error

·  Minus ten points if mechanical and/or syntactical errors are so egregious that natural flow of reading is impeded

·  No double-jeopardy for errors of similar type

Category 5: Presentation

·  10pts Superior: articulate; informed; appropriate eye contact and volume

·  7pts Average: presented; body language reflects lack of confidence

·  5pts Below Avg.: minimum assignment reqs met; presentation lacks quality

·  0pts Failing: minimum assignment reqs not met, therefore did not present

Score Calculation for Non-Presenters

·  Multiply score (from categories 1-4 only) by 1.12 for final assignment score