Addresses Writing Task / Thoroughly addresses all parts of the writing task. / Addresses all parts of the writing task. / Addresses only parts of the writing task. / Addresses only one part of the writing task. / Does not address the writing task.
Thesis / Clearly and effectively states the thesis. Identifies the theme and the literary devices used to communicate the theme in the novel, play, short story, etc. / Clearly states the thesis. / Has a main idea or thesis. / Has an unclear thesis or main idea. / Has an illogicalor no thesis.
Content / Demonstrates a thorough, thoughtful, comprehensive grasp of the text and a clear understanding of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the text. Accurately and coherently provides specific topic sentences and textual details and examples to support the thesis and main ideas. Provides thoughtful analysis and commentary, explaining how the literature terms helped the reader understand the theme. / Demonstrates a comprehensive grasp of the text, and general understanding of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the text. Accurately and coherently provides general topic sentences and textual details and examples to support the thesis and main ideas.Provides analysis and commentary, explaining how the literature terms helped the reader understand the theme. / Demonstrates a limited,comprehensive grasp of the text, andlimited, or nounderstanding of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the text. Provides few, if any, specific topic sentences and textual details and examples to support the thesis and main idea. Provides some analysis and commentary, explaining how the literature terms helped the reader understand the theme. / Demonstrates little, if any comprehensive grasp of the text, and demonstrates no understanding of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the text. Provides no topic sentences or details and examples to support the thesis and main ideas. Provides very little analysis and commentary, to explain how the literature terms helped the reader understand the theme. / Lacks a comprehensive grasp of the text, and demonstrates no understanding. Provides no details. Does not provide analysis and commentary, to explain how the literature terms helped the reader understand the theme.
Organization/
Structure / Effectively organizes information and ideas accurately and coherently, and incorporates the sophisticated use of transitional devices and analysis. / Effectively organizes information and ideas accurately and coherently, and incorporates an elevated use of transitional devices and analysis. / Organizes the essay through the development of topic sentences, concrete details, and commentary. / Lacks the organization and development of topic sentences, concrete details, and commentary. / Structures ideas and arguments in an illogical fashion.
Devices/Style / Effectivelyaddresses readers’ potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations. Clearly demonstrates an awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices. / Anticipates and addressesreaders’
potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations.Demonstrates an awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices. / May address the readers’ potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations, but in a limited manner. May demonstrate awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices. / Does not address readers’ potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations. Does not demonstrate any awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices / Has no awareness and does not address the potential misunderstandings of the reader. Does not demonstrate any awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices
Mechanics and
Writing
Conventions / Includes a variety of sentence types and precise, descriptive language.
Contains few, if any, errors in the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling). These errors do not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the writing. / Includes a variety of sentence types, and some descriptive language.
Contains some errors in the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling). These errors do not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the writing. / Provides few types of sentences and uses basic, predictable language. Containsseveralerrorsin the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling).
These errors may interfere with the reader’s understanding of the writing. / Includes no sentence variety and uses limited vocabulary. Contains serious errorsin the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling). These errors interfere with the reader’s understanding of the writing. / Includes incomplete sentence structure. Contains serious errorsin the conventions of the English language (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling). These errors create confusion or make the essay nearly unintelligible.
MLA Format / MLA format is correct. Contains few, if any, errors. Cited concrete details begin with a descriptive signal phrase. / MLA format contains some errors. Cited concrete details begin with a signal phrase. / MLA format contains multiple errors. Concrete details are cited but do not begin with a descriptive signal phrase. / Includes serious errors with MLA format. Borders on plagiarism. Errors with the citations. May be missing signal phrases. / Contains no MLA format. Does not include cited concrete details. Does not included signal phrases.
Grading Rubric for Response to Literature Essay
(Critical Literary Response)
Student Name: ______Period: ______Date: ______