Rubric for Argumentative Essay

Student’s Name:

Quality /

Strongest: 5

/ Adequate: 3 / Weakest: 1 / Score
FOCUS/ UNITY /
  • Paper is focused and doesn’t go off on tangents
  • Makes a point
/
  • Paper is mostly focused and does not go off on tangents
  • Attempts to make a point
/
  • Paper is not focused and goes off on tangents
  • Point uncertain

DEVELOPMENT/
INFORMATION /
  • Includes rich supporting details
  • Avoids redundancy
  • Addresses the best arguments of the opposition
  • Includes good quotes from packet texts and writer’s research
/
  • Some supporting details
  • Some repetition of story components
  • Addresses some of the best arguments of the opposition
  • Includes some good quotes from packet texts and writer’s research
/
  • Few or irrelevant supporting details
  • Redundancy
  • Addresses few or none of the best arguments of the opposition
  • Includes some quotes from packet texts and writer’s research

COHERENCE/
ORDER /
  • Follows through on thesis
  • The reader does not get confused
/
  • Mainly follows through on the thesis
  • The reader occasionally gets confused
/
  • Does not follow through on the thesis
  • The reader is generally confused

DEPTH /
  • Displays insight
  • Demonstrates significant reflection & awareness
  • Establishes significant connection to wider world
/
  • Surface understanding
  • Some reflection & awareness
  • Some reference to wider world
/
  • Minimal or no reflection or insight
  • Limited connection wider world

AUDIENCE/VOICE /
  • Character of writer is consistently conveyed
  • Tone fits narrative
  • Anticipates & answers readers’ questions
  • Engages readers’ interest
  • Active voice
/
  • Character of writer varies
  • Tone strays from narrative
  • Leaves some unanswered questions
  • Invites some interest
  • Moderate use of the passive voice
/
  • No character of writer
  • Few connections between narrative and tone.
  • Does not answer readers' questions
  • Invites little reader interest
  • Overuse of the passive voice

WORD CHOICE /
  • Precise terms
  • Avoids clichés
  • Varied words
  • No verb tense or sentence agreement problems
/
  • Some imprecision
  • Some clichés
  • Some repetition of words
  • Some verb tense or sentence agreement problems
/
  • Imprecise language
  • Many clichés
  • Much repetition of words
  • Repetitive
  • Many verb tense and sentence agreement problems

PARAGRAPHS /
  • Paragraphs have a main idea and a topic sentence
  • Paragraphs have limited scope
  • Paragraphs have examples
/
  • 2 or 3 parts
/
  • 0-1 of 3 parts

SENTENCES /
  • 0-1 errors in grammar per page
  • Varies sentence form
/
  • 2 errors per page
  • Repeats sentence form
/
  • 3+ errors per page
  • Boring sentence form

SPELLING /
  • 0-1 errors in spelling per page
/
  • 2 errors per page
/
  • 3+ errors per page

PRESENTATION /
  • Clean, clear
  • Businesslike
  • APA/MLA format
/
  • Not APA/MLA format
  • Readable
/
  • Unattractive
  • Unreadable

Comments: /

Total Points

Percentage

Grade