HWA CHONG INSTITUTION

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

RUBRICS FOR ASSESSING THE FEATURE ARTICLE

LANGUAGE / CONVENTIONS
Band 1
(14 – 15) / -Effective and accurate use of language
-Always appropriate to the content / context
-Wide and precise range of vocabulary employed for specific effects
-Descriptive detail or literary devices used are vivid and effective
-Sentence structures are varied for particular effects
-Paragraphs have unity, are linked and show evidence of planning
-Tone and register are completely appropriate for context and audience / Demonstrates excellent understanding of the background and task with clear awareness of context and audience
Entirely appropriate tone, register and format
Well-crafted elaboration with skillfullyselected examples / statistics / quotes information to enhance persuasive impact.
Ideas are cogently arranged, showing unity and evidence of planning
Band 2
(12 – 13) / -Accurate language with occasional slips
-Wide and appropriate range of vocabulary
-Descriptive detail or literary devices used are quite effective
-Some variation in sentence structure, including confident use of complex sentences to create some natural fluency
-Paragraphs show some evidence of planning, have unity and are usually appropriately linked
-Tone and register are generally appropriate for context and audience / Demonstrates good understanding of the background and task with clearawareness of context and audience
Fairly appropriate tone, register and format
Relevant elaboration with credible and authentic examples/ statistics/ anecdotes/ information
Ideas are effectively arranged, showing overall coherenceand sufficient planning
Band 3
(10 – 11) / -Errors may occur but they do not affect meaning
-Simple but largely appropriate range of vocabulary
-Descriptive detail or literary devices used are interesting but weak
-Sentence structures may show some variety but there is a tendency to repeat sentence types
-Paragraphs are used, have some unity but links may be inappropriate or absent
-Tone and register are generally appropriate for context and audience, despite some slips in register / Demonstrates an understanding of the background and of the task. There is awareness of context and audience
There is genuine effort to achieve tone and register with appropriate format
There are a series of relevant ideas and a clear attempt is made to develop some of them. These ideas are relevant, straightforward, and logical/ coherent
Some relevant elaboration with sufficient examples / statistics / quotes / information
Ideas are appropriately arranged, showing some evidence of coherence and planning
CONVENTIONS
Band 4
(8 – 9) / -Numerous errors, causing distraction and some confusion
-Vocabulary range is limited but largely adequate to convey meaning
-Descriptive detail or literary devices are used, but not particularly ineffective
-Some variety in sentence structure but may not be appropriate
-Paragraphs are used and have little unity
-Tone and register are inappropriate at times / Demonstrates some understanding of the background and the task. There is some awareness of situation and audience
Tone is usually appropriate although there may be slips of register with some unsuitable vocabulary. Format is generally appropriate but may not be completely so.
Many relevant ideas are made and developed partially and with some effectiveness
Limited / brief elaboration with some relevant but superficial supporting details.
Ideas are arranged in a simplistic way, showing some coherence which may not always be effective
Band 5
(6 – 7) / -Critical errors which affect meaning
-Range of vocabulary is limited and inaccurate
-Minimal or absent descriptive details / literary devices
-Sentences are simple and repetitive in nature
-Paragraphs are used but may lack unity or are used haphazardly
-Tone and register are mostly inappropriate / Demonstrates incomplete understanding of the background and task. Some confusion with context and audience.
Uneven tone and register and inappropriate format / structure
A few relevant ideas are made and expanded into paragraphs but development is very simple and not always logical
Sketchy or missing elaboration / irrelevant or inappropriate examples
Ideas are listed without any link to each other
Band 6
( 1 – 5) / -Serious errors resulting in incoherence
-Vocabulary range is extremely limited with use of inappropriate words that hinders understanding
-Absence of descriptive detail and literary devices
-Sentences are simple with many structural or linguistic errors
-Paragraphing is absent
-Tone and register are almost completely inappropriate / Demonstrates little or no understanding of the background and / or the task. There is confusion with context and audience
No knowledge of tone and register. Little evidence of any attempt to adopt a specific format / wrong text type altogether
A few ideas are discernible but any attempt to develop them is limited.
Almost no elaboration or examples given
Ideas are arranged in an haphazard way, showing a lack of logical progression

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Adapted from Language Arts Rubrics for Free Writing 2011