Informative Speech Grading Rubric
Introduction
NotPresent (2points) / Attempted(3 points) / Average (4 points) / Excellent (5 points)Attentiongetter / No attentiongetteris
used / Attentiongetteris
present,butlimited / Attention-gettergets
theaudience involved / Attentiongetter
grabstheaudience andcreates informationhunger
Backgroundand
audiencerelevance / No background
information,topic significance,or audiencerelevance statementispresent / Somebackground
informationor vague reasonsforwhythe topicis significant andrelevantare given,butthe audienceis notleft
witha clearreason
forwhythistopicis important / Somebackground
informationonthe topicisprovidedand anattemptismade
to establishthe significanceofthe topicandits
relevanceto the
audience,butthe justificationis not especially compelling / Relevant
background informationonthe topicisprovided,the socialsignificance
ofthetopicisclearly established,andthe
audienceis given
clear,compelling reasonsforwhythis topicisrelevantto them;thespeechis clearlyadaptedfor thisparticular audience
Speaker credibility / Thespeakermakes
no attemptto sharea personalconnection to thetopic / Thespeakergivesa
somewhatvague reasonforwhy he/sheisconnected to thisparticular topic / Thespeaker
establishesa clear connectionbetween himselfor herselfand thetopic,butdoes notgivea reasonfor personallycaring aboutthetopic / Thespeakerclearly
disclosesa connectionbetween himselfor herselfand thetopicand givesa
reasonforpersonally caringaboutthe
topic
Thesis / No clearthesis
statementispresent / A noticeablethesis
statementispresent, but mightbe vague or statedasan incompletesentence orquestion / Anacceptablethesis
ispresentedina completesentence andclearlyindicates thecentralideaof thespeechto the audience / A strong thesis sets
the tone and direction for thespeech,isexpressed ina complete declarativesentence, andisbothclearand creative
Preview / No previewof main
pointsisused / Previewalludesto
themainpoints / Previewtells
audiencewhichmainpointswillbe covered,buteither failstousesignposts or usessomewhat
confusing phrasing / Previewuses
signpostsand states themainpoints usingclear,concise phrasing
Body
NotPresent(2 points) / Attempted
(3 points) / Average
(4 points) / Excellent
(5 points)
MainPoints / No clearmains
point / Mainpointsarepresent
butdoesnotsupport thethesis,isunclear, oris notfully supported / Mainpointsareclear,
buteitherweakly supportsthethesisor is notadequately developedusing supportingmaterials / Mainpoints areclearly
stated,supportsthe thesis,iswell- developedusinga varietyofsupporting materials,and includes appropriately organizedsub points
Sources / Sourcesare not
orallycited / Fewerthanthree
sourcesarecited,or sourceswere
missingseveralparts ofthecitation / Atleastthreehigh-
qualitysourcesare citedorally,but citationsaremissing atleastone componentofa good
citation / Atleastthreehigh-
qualitysourcesare citedorally, includingthe publication,date, person,and
credentialswhen
possible
Transitions / No cleartransitions
used / Partialtransitions
arepresent,butare missingatleastone component / Sometransitions
haveeffective review,signpost, andpreview / Alltransitionshave
effectivereview, signpost,and preview
Visual aids / No visual aids
presentationwas used / Visual aids
presentationisused, butdistractsfrom
the speechrather than supporting it / Visual aids
presentation effectivelysupports the speechbuthas elementsthatdo not followtheguidelines outlinedinthe assignment / Visual aids
presentation effectivelysupports the speechand followsthe guidelinesoutlined intheassignment
Delivery
NotPresent(2 points) / Attempted
(3 points) / Average
(4 points) / Excellent
(5 points)
Extemporaneousand
Enthusiastic / Studentshowsno
enthusiasmanddoes notattemptto
engagetheaudience / Studentrelies
heavilyonoutline and showslittle enthusiasm
orenergy / Studentexplains
outlineadequately and showssome excitementabout speechtopic / Studentisvery
conversational, visiblyexcitedabout speechtopic,and clearlyengagesthe audience
VocalDelivery:
Volume,Rate,Other / Speakercannotbe
heardor understood / Speakeris somewhat
audible,useslittle vocalvariety,is monotone,or speaks muchtoo slowlyor quickly / Speakerismostly
audible,uses some vocalvariety,and onlyoccasionally speakstooquickly ortoo slowly / Speakeriseasyto
understandanduses vocalvarietyina waythatclearly enhancesthe speech
NonverbalDelivery:
Gestures/Body Movement/Facial Expression / Speakermakesno
attemptstouse gesturesorchange facialexpression / Speakeroccasionally
attemptsgestures andfacial
expression,butbody movementisrarely purposeful(i.e., leaning,swaying) / Speakerusessome
appropriategestures andfacial
expression,andbody movementisusually purposefulwithonly occasionalswaying, rocking,etc. / Speakeruses
appropriategestures, facialexpressions, andbodymovement thatclearlyenhance themessage
EyeContact / Speakerreadsentire
speechfrom manuscriptand makeslittleto no eyecontactwith audience / Speakerfrequently
readsfromnotesand makesoccasional
eyecontactwith class / Speakeroccasionally
refersto notesand makessomeeye contactwithvarious membersofthe audience / Speakermaintains
eyecontactwithall partsofroomand onlyoccasionally glancesat notecards
Overall Effectiveness
NotPresent( 2 points) / Attempted
(3 points) / Average
( 4 points) / Excellent
(5 points)
Topic / Topicis notapparent / Topicisacceptable,
buthaslittle significanceor impact / Topicisappropriate
fortheassignment, buthas moderate significance / Topicis vitaland
appropriateforthis assignment
Purpose / No clearpurpose / Speechis somewhat
informative,but wouldbemore appropriatefora persuasivespeech
assignment / Speechismostly
informative / Speechisclearly
informative
Overallorganization / Speechhasno clear
patternof organization / Mainpointsare
present,buttheydo notsupportthe thesisoroverlap / Mainpointsare
distinctand support thethesis,butdo not followa clearor effectivepatternof organization / Speechclearlyuses
anappropriate patternof organizationforthe topic(e.g.,time sequence,spatial relations,topical,
etc.)and supports
thethesis
Conclusion
NotPresent(2 points) / Attempted
(3 points) / Average
(4 points) / Excellent
(5 points)
Signalstransitionto
theconclusion / No signalispresent
to indicatethatthe conclusionis beginning / A vagueattemptis
madeto indicatea transitionto the conclusion / Thespeaker
indicatesa transition to theconclusion throughwords, gestures,or movement,butthe transitionblendsinto therestofthe speech orisa bitrushed / Speakerclearly
indicatesthe beginningof conclusionthrough theuseofa signpost andthroughvocal tone,gestures, movement,and/ora briefpause
Restatesthesis / No attemptto restate
thethesis / Thesisortopicis
mentioned / Thesisisrestated / Thesisisclearly
restatedwithimpact
Reviewsmainpoints / No reviewofmain
pointsispresent / Reviewalludesto
someofthemain points / Reviewrefersto all
mainpointsbutdoes notrestatethem / Reviewuses
appropriate
signpostsandclearly restatesallofthe mainpoints
Memorablecloser / No closerispresent
or speakersimply ends with “that’sall” or somethingsimilar thatdoesnot summarizethe
speech / Thereisaweak
attemptto closethe speech,butthe
closerdoesnotbring a senseofclosure
andimpactto the endofthespeech / Thecloser
effectivelyendsthe speechbut has averageimpact / Thecloserreferred
backto theattention gettereffectivelyand memorablyended
the speech