ARKANSAS WRITING RUBRIC

DOMAINS

/ CONSISTENT CONTROL
4 / REASONABLE CONTROL
3 / INCONSISTENT CONTROL
2 / LITTLE OR NO CONTROL
1

CONTENT

Central Idea / ·  clear central idea
·  apparent to reader
·  adhered to throughout
piece / ·  clear central idea
·  basically adhered to
·  may have slight digression-but
will come back to central idea / ·  unclear central idea
·  may have more than one central
idea
·  may shift focus and not return to
central idea / ·  no or unclear central idea
·  not sure what the message of
the piece is
·  may have many central ideas
Elaboration / ·  writer has included details so that reader
gets a clear idea of message
·  elaboration for a narrative fills in the steps
in the sequence
·  even elaboration (not just one of the ideas
elaborated) / ·  elaboration may not be as
complete as in a “4”
·  uneven elaboration : may
elaborate some ideas but not
others / ·  writer highlights the important
points or steps in a narrative-may
look like a plot summary
·  writer does not stop to give more
details
·  listy
·  repetitive / ·  if there is a central idea,
elaboration may be unrelated
·  repetitive
Unity / ·  all elaboration focused on central idea
·  presence of closure
·  more mature writers will close the entire
piece (less mature writers will close their
last thought)
·  consistent point of view
·  piece hangs together / ·  may have slight digression but
reader returns to central idea
·  some sense of closure
·  may have slight shift in point of
view / ·  elaboration may digress
·  writer loses focus and does not
return
·  no closure or closure may be
simplistic (“then I went to bed”)
·  inconsistent point of view / ·  many digressions from central
idea
·  may have no closure
Organization / ·  clear organization
·  can tell there is a plan in effect
·  sequential for a narrative piece
·  writers may clump ideas in expository
pieces
·  clear progression of ideas / ·  may have some lapses in
organization
·  may have some repetitive
information in different sections
of the piece
·  progression of ideas / ·  random organization
·  no apparent plan
·  can cut up sentences and where
they fall does not impact the
meaning
·  little progression of ideas / ·  little or no organization
·  without central idea or
elaboration, there is not much
to organize

DOMAINS

/ CONSISTENT CONTROL
4 / REASONABLE CONTROL
3 / INCONSISTENT CONTROL
2 / LITTLE OR NO CONTROL
1
STYLE
Selected
Vocabulary / ·  purposeful selection with audience in
mind
·  precise, specific
·  suits the writer’s purpose and topic
·  creates images for the reader
sustained throughout / ·  some purposeful selection
but spotty
·  some precise vocabulary
mixed with general
·  not sustained throughout / ·  general, mundane vocabulary
·  writer is not trying to affect
reader
·  may see an occasional
interesting word choice / ·  very functional and basic
Selected
Information / ·  purposeful selection of details to
affect reader
·  creates images for the reader
(“Dentyne” rather than “gum”)
·  sustained throughout
/ ·  some details selected to
affect reader but not
sustained
·  some general information / ·  repetitive and general
information
·  some information may be
confusing
·  writer does not have
audience in mind / ·  minimal, repetitive
information
·  writer does not control
information
Sentence
Variety / ·  sentences have a variety of
beginnings and lengths
·  different sentence structures create
an interesting reading / ·  some variety in sentence
structure and beginnings
·  presence of some choppier
sentences / ·  many short, simple
sentences which create a
choppy reading
·  sentence problems detract / ·  sentence problems detract
from Style
Tone / ·  an attitude is conveyed through
selected vocabulary and information
·  maintained throughout
·  tone does not shift
·  appropriate for the piece / ·  appropriate tone
·  tone may shift as information
is not as purposefully
selected (throwing in
irrelevant ideas may change
tone) / ·  generally flat when
vocabulary and information
are general and functional / ·  tone is generally absent-
vocabulary and
information
are not there to provide
tone
Voice / ·  strong writer’s voice
·  reader can get a picture of the writer / ·  can hear writer’s voice, but
not as strong as in a “4”
·  voice fades when information
and vocabulary are more
general / ·  voice is dim – cannot hear
the writer when vocabulary
and information are general
·  voice may emerge in a few
spots / ·  voice is flat due to little or
, no vocabulary and
information

DOMAINS

/ CONSISTENT CONTROL
4 / REASONABLE CONTROL
3 / INCONSISTENT CONTROL
2 / LITTLE OR NO CONTROL
1
SENTENCE FORMATION
Completeness
Non-enjambment
Expansion
through
standard coordination
and modifiers
Embedding through
standard subordination
and modifiers / ·  control of a variety of
sentence structures
·  ideas are combined and
embedded with skill
·  fragments may be used
for effect
·  does not have to be
perfect / ·  sentences not as skillfully
executed as in a "4"
·  may have some
weaknesses (i.e., run-ons,
fragments), but a majority
of well-constructed
sentences
·  may have no sentence
errors, but does not
display skill in combining
or subordinating / ·  may have too many
run-ons, comma splices,
and/or fragments in
relation to error-free
sentences to be
considered reasonable
·  a pattern of missing words
indicates a weakness / ·  often, there is one long
sentence with no
punctuation or
capitalization
·  periods may be placed so
arbitrarily it is clear the
writer has no knowledge of
how a sentence is
constructed
USAGE
Standard
inflections
Agreement
Word meaning
Conventions / ·  all the features are
handled well
·  does not have to be
perfect / ·  there are enough errors
in one or more features to
conclude the control is
reasonable, not consistent / ·  significant weakness is
shown in several features
·  reading is interrupted due
to errors / ·  preponderance of errors
·  reading and
understanding are
impeded
MECHANICS
Capitalization
Punctuation
Formatting
Spelling / ·  all the features are
handled well
·  does not have to be
perfect / ·  some errors in one or
more features may be
present, and the control is
considered reasonable for
this grade level / ·  many errors across all
features / ·  serious errors across all
features