Focus / develops and maintains clear thesis; discusses pertinent issues fully; maintains a consistent point of view; sustains focus throughout; shows higher level thinking; shows understanding of the subject; writes appropriately for the occasion, audience, and purpose / thesis developed and maintained throughout; discusses pertinent issues, but discussion not fully developed or completely convincing; writes appropriately for the occasion, audience, and purpose / develops thesis; discusses appropriate issues; explains points, but explanation is superficial or overly generalized; incomplete understanding of occasion, audience, and/or purpose / thesis not developed, overuses plot summary; discusses appropriate subject but ineffectively, unconvincingly, misguidedly, or perfunctorily; some obvious points omitted or misinterpreted; does not consider occasion, audience, or purpose
Organization/ Structure / clear organizational pattern; explains points clearly and logically; shows the contribution of parts to the whole; manages transitions effectively / evident pattern of organization; uses transitions adequately / somewhat organized; has clarity and coherence; limited use of transitions / ideas presented at random; no controlling idea or pattern; ineffective or no use of transitions
Support and Elaboration / uses clear and appropriate evidence and examples to support ideas; uses effective blend of specific detail and commentary; reaches complex, connected, and meaningful conclusions; shows ability to follow through a sequence of ideas and draw plausible inferences / uses pertinent evidence; uses adequate balance of evidence, examples, and commentary / uses sketchy evidence; insufficient or inappropriate details to support ideas; details out of balance with commentary / uses little evidence and commentary and few examples
Style and Voice / has full control over language, controls a wide range of elements of effective writing; uses sensory or figurative language; uses literary elements and techniques; varies sentence structure inventively; shows awareness of effective diction; uses language appropriate for situation; uses words in appropriate context and connotation / language usage less mature than top papers, but shows writer’s ability; may have a few errors in diction or structure / inconsistent control; mostly correct, but immature writing; writing is sufficient to convey ideas, but may have several errors in diction or structure / weak control over diction, syntax, and grammar
Originality and Insight / characterized by original thought; makes new connections; looks at a subject a new way; shows preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification / uses fresh approach to subject; shows original ideas and considerable insight / contains some original ideas and insight / contains little originality or depth of insight
Poetry Project Thematic Paragraph Rubric – 80 points Name: ______Per.: ______