ORATORY RUBRIC

CATEGORY / 1
WEAK/POOR / 2
MARGINAL / 3
ACCEPTABLE/
AVERAGE / 4
COMPETENT/
GOOD / 5
VERY GOOD / 6
EXCELLENT / *7
DISTINGUISHED/
OUTSTANDING

Content

Grasp of subject and/
or evidence of research / Content lacks an apparent purpose or central theme / Content requires extensive inferences by audience. Not suited to audience or purpose. / Content clear and appropriate to audience and purpose. Support is present but lacks development / Content clear, focused and appropriate to audience and purpose. Support is present but limited. / Content clear, focused and appropriate. Main ideas stand out and developed by strong details. / Content always clear, focused and appropriate. Main ideas draw audience’s attention and developed by compelling details.

Form and Style

Cohere ness, soundness of reasoning, clarity of outline, organization of ideas / Lacks structure, no evidence of organizational devices. Extremely difficult to follow or too brief. / Lacks structure. Few organizational devices. Difficult to follow. Ineffective introduction and/or conclusion. / Organization beginning to be seen. Some transitional devices. Some evidence of planning. / Organization easy to follow. Transition present and predictable. Conclusion is present but mechanical. / Organization enhances main ideas and development. Creative introduction and conclusion. / Organization enhances main ideas. Introduction hooks audience. Development strong and creative. Powerful conclusion.

Vocabulary

Choice and command of language, appropriate English usage / Language extremely limited. Meaning obscure / Language awkward, repetitive or misused / Language ordinary, lacking precision, variety and clarity / Language original, functional and appropriate to audience and purpose / Language original. Variety of carefully selected words. / Language original. Words carefully selected for maximum impact.
Effectiveness of Speaker
Sincerity, ability to engage listener – conviction. Uses some rhetorical devices such as anecdotes, questions, repetition, emphatic sentences etc. / Makes no attempt to engage audience, Wants to get speech over with as quickly as possible. / Audience distracted by problems in delivery / Delivery not entirely smooth, but information is delivered / Shows some enthusiasm for topic. Some use of rhetorical devices. / Shows more enthusiasm. Rhetorical devices used effectively / Interesting and enthusiastic. Speaks to the topic as if from long reflection or acquaintance.

Poise

Body posture, eye contact / Slouches over the lectern, or appears noticeably tense. Avoids eye contact. / Frequently slouches over the lectern. Appears tense. Limited eye contact. / Stands somewhat appropriately. Some eye contact. / Stands appropriately. Eye contact. Some appropriate body movement. / Stands appropriately. Generally uses eyes and body movement to engage audience. / Stands appropriately. Effectively uses eyes and body movement to engage audience.

Voice

Enunciation, volume, clarity / Voice not clear, volume low, monotonous / Voice not clear, mostly monotonous / Voice sometimes clear, not always. Some attempt to very volume / Voice generally clear. Some attempt to adopt appropriate volume and tone. / Voice clear. Adopts appropriate tone. Volume appropriate, uses pauses effectively. Tone appropriate. / Voice always clear. Tone and volume always appropriate to ideas. Pauses used to enhance ideas. /

Voice

Enunciation, volume, clarity

*This category is reserved for the truly remarkable performance, rarely seen.