Scoring

Guide

for

Writing

Criteria

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Points

Idea Development/Details

Ideas show little or no development. Details are either lacking or irrelevant. Reader is not engaged and is forced to make inferences.

Ideas are basic and weak, and details fail to support topic fully. The reader is not completely engaged.

Ideas are well to moderately developed with relevant details. The reader comprehends the main ideas, but may not be entirely engaged.

Ideas are well developed, relevant, and keep the reader fully engaged.

Organization

Little or no organization exists. The reader is frequently confused.

Organization is rudimentary and weak. The reader is occasionally confused.

Organization is evident and the reader is able to move through the piece with little or no confusion.

Careful and/or subtle organization is evident. The text moves along so smoothly that the reader is fully engrossed.

Language/ Style

Language is overly simplistic and rudimentary.

Language shows some variety; however it tends to be simplistic.

The language is appropriate and functional, occasionally exuding a unique voice. Most importantly, it delivers the main ideas effectively.

Effective and appropriate use of language lends to an expressive and appealing piece that is a pleasure to read.

Conventions

Little control over many basic standard English conventions exists. Errors seriously interfere with communication.

Limited control and mastery over some basic standard English conventions is evident. Errors interfere somewhat with communication.

Competence with most standard English conventions is evident. Few errors relative to length or complexity exist.

Control and mastery over a wide range of standard English conventions is evident.

Scoring Sheet Some possible criteria that may be used for assessing Idea Development/Details.

Idea Development/Details

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MCAS commendations: ✓ Topic or idea development is effective and appropriate. ✓ Topic or idea development is original. ✓ Details are carefully chosen and relevant. ✓ Details support the topic. Palmer High School Rubrics Team – Summer 2002

Ideas show little or no development. Details are either lacking or irrelevant. Reader is not engaged and is forced to make inferences. Writer shows little or no awareness of audience or task. The main topic lacks focus and clarity. Missing, incomplete or unrelated details require the reader to make assumptions. Support is too general and presented in what seems to be an arbitrary manner. It is clear that the writer has not fully explored and/or comprehended topic.

Ideas are basic or weak, and details fail to support topic fully. The reader is not completely engaged. Writer shows a limited understanding of topic, audience or task. Support is far too general; it lacks depth, analysis or discussion. Simplistic supporting details are prevalent. Writer’s own ideas are limited or not evident. Writer may simply list facts in lieu of well-developed ideas.

Ideas are well to moderately developed with relevant details. The reader comprehends the main ideas, but may not be entirely engaged. Details provide a clear overview of topic, but more specific and/or relevant details are needed for clarity and reinforcement of main points. Writer’s own unique insight and perspective is present, but is not fully developed. Well-focused details are blended with repetitions, trivia or generalities. Writer seems to understand audience and purpose.

Ideas are well developed, relevant, and keep the reader engaged. Details are carefully chosen and lend to a thought-provoking piece. Support is balanced with the writer’s own individual insight and perspective. The piece is not too vague, nor too overwhelming. Details provide a strong focus and expand the main topic or storyline. Writer understands audience an purpose exceptionally well.

Some possible criteria that may be used for assessing Organization.

Organization

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MCAS commendations: ✓ Writing shows evidence of planning ✓ Writing is consistently focused from beginning to end. ✓ Use of paragraphs clarifies organization and/or ideas. Writing Rubric # 2 Palmer High School

Little or no organization exists. The reader is frequently confused. The paper does not have a clear direction or focus. Transitions are either missing or inappropriate. Introduction fails to establish a focus, purpose or lead. The body may not support the thesis or main ideas. The conclusion is either nonexistent or it fails to wrap up discussion by touching upon main points presented in the paper. It may even present new ideas. Paragraph structure is weak or nonexistent.

Organization is rudimentary and weak. The reader is occasionally confused. Sequencing is more arbitrary; some details seems to be placed without much thought or direction. Transitions are occasionally used, but are not entirely effective or appropriate. The writer may jump from one idea to the next creating noticeable gaps. The piece is structurally unsound. The paper’s introduction, body or conclusion may be missing or clearly underdeveloped. Paragraph structure is weak.

Organization is evident and the reader is able to move through the piece with little or no confusion. Sequencing of main ideas is appropriate. Information is presented logically. Transitions are used, but at times they may seem forced and unnatural. The piece is structurally sound; there is a clear beginning, middle and end, but one or more of these components may be somewhat underdeveloped, and/or stray from focus. Overall paragraph structure is good; however, at times, topic sentences may not be supported well enough, and/or paragraphs/passages may be too lengthy and needlessly merged.

Careful and/or subtle organization is evident. The reader is compelled and fully engaged. The entire piece has balance and direction. Planning and a clear focus are evident throughout. Introduction is interesting and inviting; supporting details in the body are well placed and relevant; conclusion wraps up main points and compels the reader to think further on the subject. Main points stand out clearly. Proper paragraph structure is evident throughout. Pacing is natural and effective. Transitions are strong and natural.

Some possible criteria that may be used for assessing Language/Style.

Language/Style Sentence Fluency Word Choice Voice

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MCAS commendations: ✓ Word choice adds clarity and richness. ✓ Language used creates a distinctive voice, tone, or style. Writing Rubric #3 Palmer High School

Language is overly simplistic and rudimentary. Writing lacks enthusiasm; it does not engage the reader. The tone is inappropriate for the purpose and audience. Short, choppy sentences are predominant. The reader must frequently reread for meaning. Words are used incorrectly. Word choice is too vague.

Language shows some variety; however it tends to be simplistic. The writing communicates on a basic level, but does not engage the reader entirely. The tone could better fit the purpose and audience. Repetition of sentence structure occasionally causes the reader to lose focus. The reader must occasionally reread for meaning. Word choice could be more varied, and is frequently too vague.

The language is appropriate and functional, occasionally exuding a unique voice. Most importantly, it delivers the main ideas effectively. Occasionally, the text is engaging and inspiring. The tone is appropriate for the audience and purpose. There is a fair variety of sentence structures, but more variety would improve fluency. Word choice is correct and precise, but could be more colorful. The writer’s own voice is occasionally apparent.

Effective and appropriate use of language lends to an expressive and appealing piece that is a pleasure to read. The writing is uniquely original, clearly reflecting the writer’s own voice. The tone fits the topic, purpose, and audience well. Words are chosen well and appropriately. Effective word choice resonates in the reader’s mind. Sentences are varied and well crafted, making the reading natural.

Some possible criteria that may be used for assessing Conventions, Structure, Grammar and Usage, Mechanics.
Conventions Structure Grammar and Usage Mechanics	1	2	3	4
MCAS commendations: ✓ Sentence structure is correct. ✓ Grammatical rules are applied correctly. ✓ Writing shows control over vocabulary and word usage. ✓ Good use of punctuation enhances understanding. ✓ Challenging words are spelled correctly. Writing Rubric # 4 Palmer High School	Little control over many basic standard English conventions exists. Errors seriously interfere with communication. Extensive editing would be required to prepare text for publication. The paper reads like a rough first draft. Errors hinder readability and seriously interfere with communication.	Limited control and mastery over some basic standard English conventions is evident. Errors interfere somewhat with communication. Errors are frequent enough that they interfere with clarity and communication. The paper reads much like a second rough draft. Moderate editing is required for a polished publishable piece.	Competence with most standard English conventions is evident. Few errors relative to length or complexity exists. Errors may distract a conscientious reader, but do not seriously interfere with communication. Some polishing and greater attention to detail is needed during final editing stage.	Control and mastery over a wide range of standard English conventions is evident. Errors are so few or so minor that they can easily be overlooked, and do not interfere with communication. The text is final edited, clean and polished. All grammatical rules are applied correctly, and the writing shows control ever usage.

Palmer Public Schools

Ann M. Kelley

1/12/2004

Scoring Sheet