Download Timed Writing Rubric

Name______________________________ Date___________________
Essay Grading Guide
Excellent Essays – 9-8- 100-95
Central Idea:
is significant, original, and mature and supported with
substantial, insightful, relevant detail and analysis.
Organization/Development
is handled so that the essay conveys a sense of controlling purpose and
orderly progression; the thought moves – clearly, coherently, and with
compelling logic toward a conclusion; paragraphs are developed with
substantial support and suitable proportion and emphasis; transitions
between paragraphs are explicit and graceful.
Sentence Structure
is skillfully constructed and displaying fluency, economy, and effective
variety; together with diction, sentence structure is the best evidence of
style, the distinctive, natural display of a good mind at work.
Diction
is everywhere appropriate to the writer’s subject, purpose, audience, and
occasion; distinctive in precision, economy, illustrating wit, imagery,
irony, and/or metaphor – all with unusual freshness and vividness.
Mechanics
is notable for the consistent use of conventional English grammar,
punctuation, and spelling; what few errors there are do not detract from
the generally high quality of the essay as a whole.
Good Essays – 7-6 – 94-85
Central Idea:
is clearly defined, supported with less substantial, concrete, or relevant
detail.
Organization/Development:
conveys a sense of controlling purpose, but may lack some orderly
progression; paragraphs are developed with sufficient support but
occasional disproportionate or inappropriate emphasis; transitions are
clear but sometimes abrupt, mechanical, or monotonous. Analysis is
less thorough or insightful than 9-8 papers.
Sentence Structure:
is generally well-constructed with indication of fluency, economy, and
variety; diction and sentence structure reflect appropriate voice.
Stylistically less mature than 9-8 papers.
Diction:
is appropriate to the writer’s subject, purpose, audience, and occasion;
occasionally distinctive in precision, economy, and the use of general
English.
Mechanics:
Generally uses conventional English grammar, punctuation, and spelling;
few, if any errors that detract from the overall quality of the essay as a
whole.
Fair essays – 5 – 84-80
Central Idea:
is apparent but may be trite, trivial, general, or self-evident; the idea is
supported with some concrete detail, but detail is occasionally
repetitious, irrelevant, or sketchy.
Organization/Development:
Plan and method of the essay is apparent, but not consistently fulfilled;
not as much support for the central idea than that found in 7-6 papers;
contains some analysis, but rather simplistic. Some transitions are
present, but they may be inappropriate or monotonous.
Sentence Structure:
is rather immature; generally correctly structured, but lacking in variety,
economy, and/or forcefulness.
Diction:
is generally appropriate to the subject, purpose, audience, and occasion;
generally the words are clear, but not distinctive; some misuse of words
may appear.
Mechanics:
Generally uses conventional English grammar, punctuation, and spelling;
some errors occur, but do not detract from the overall quality of the
essay as a whole.
Developing Essays – 4-3 – 79-70
Central Idea:
is vague or confused or too large and general; unsupported by specific,
concrete, relevant detail; unpersuasive, or answers only part of the
prompt.
Organization/Development:
Plan and purpose of the essay is somewhat flawed; either the
generalizations are left undeveloped, or they are developed by detail that
is irrelevant, redundant, or inconsistent; paragraphs lack unity,
coherence, or support; if there are transitions, they may be unclear,
misleading, or ineffective; thought and planning may display illogic or
insufficient effort. These essays may be either all assertions with no
specific references, or plot summary and/or paraphrasing with no
analysis. Some misinterpretations of the text may be present.
Sentence Structure:
Some sentences are lacking in unity or coherence; run-ons, comma
splices, or fragments may appear; some expression is marked by
awkwardness, incompleteness, ambiguity, redundancy, or immaturity.
Diction:
is sometimes inappropriate in being vague, imprecise, immature, too
colloquial, or substandard; frequent misuse of words may appear.
Mechanics:
Clarity of meaning is obscured by some departures from conventional
general English grammar, punctuation, and/or spelling.
Poorly Written Essays – 2-1 – 69-50
Central Idea:
is very vague or confused; unsupported by relevant detail; may address
very little of the prompt.
Organization/Development:
Compounds the weaknesses of 4-3 papers and may be unacceptably
brief; plan and purpose of the paper not apparent; little or no relevant
detail is provided. Significant misinterpretations of the text may be
present
Sentence structure:
Many sentences structure errors occur. The weaknesses of 4-3 papers
is compounded.
Diction:
There is little clarity in either sentence structure or choice of diction.
Mechanics:
Clarity of meaning is seriously obscured by departures from conventional
English grammar
Essays that do not respond to prompt/Very little writing in evidence – 0 – <50