1. ARGUMENT/ANALYSIS WRITING RUBRIC
Writing Feature Unscorable Lacking Limited Approaching Proficient Above Average Exemplary
(Score Point 0) (Score Point 1) (Score Point 2) (Score Point 3) (Score Point 4) (Score Point 5) (Score Point 6)
FOCUS The writing is The response lacks The response includes The response The response includes The response includes The response includes well-
illegible, written in a precise claims and fails claims and/or is generally precise claims and well-established, precise, established, precise, and
language other than to maintain a unifying inconsistent in introduces claims maintains a unifying and knowledgeable claims knowledgeable claims and
English, or there is theme or central maintaining a unifying and maintains a theme or central and maintains a unifying clearly establishes the
not enough thesis. theme or central thesis. unifying theme or thesis. theme or central thesis significance of claims
information to score central thesis. throughout. throughout in a manner which
the response. strengthens the argument or
analysis.
ORGANIZATION The writing is The response lacks There is an attempt at The response is The response is The response represents a The response represents a
illegible, written in a organization and fails organization but overall generally purposefully organized purposeful organization of purposeful organization of
language other than to include a logical there exists some errors organized and and there exists a claims, clearly considers complex claims, clearly
English, or there is sequence of claims, in logic, sequence of includes a logical logical sequence of the intended audience, considers the intended
not enough counter-claims, claims, reasons, and/or sequence of claims, counter-claims, and there exists a logical audience, and represents an
information to score reasons, and/or evidence. claims, counter- reasons, and evidence; sequence of claims, appropriate sequence of claims,
the response. evidence. claims, reasons, concluding statement counter-claims, reasons, counter-claims, reasons, and
and/or evidence. or section follows and evidence; concluding evidence; concluding statement
from and supports the statement or section or section follows from and
argument. follows from and supports supports the argument.
the argument.
DEVELOPMENT The writing is There is little-to-no There is an attempt at The response The response The response The response demonstrates a
illegible, written in a attempt at development of claims generally demonstrates demonstrates consistent consistent and purposeful
language other than development of claims but there are demonstrates consistent development of claims development of claims and
English, or there is and the response lacks inconsistencies in consistent development of claims and counter-claims fairly counter-claims fairly and
not enough a fair introduction of development; the development of and counter-claims and thoroughly. thoroughly.
information to score counter-claims. response may or may claims and fairly and thoroughly.
the response. not introduce counter- counter-claims.
claims.
SUPPORT The writing is The response lacks key There is an attempt at The response The response includes The response includes the The response includes the most
illegible, written in a evidence in support of providing evidence but generally includes strong evidence in most relevant evidence in relevant evidence in support of
language other than claims and/or does support is weak and/or evidence in support of claims and support of articulated well-articulated claims while
English, or there is not fairly introduce counter-claims are support of claims counter-claims in a claims while pointing out pointing out the strengths and
not enough counter-claims. introduced but not and counter- manner that the strengths and limitations of claims and
information to score thoroughly addressed. claims in a manner anticipates the limitations of claims and counter-claims in a manner
the response. that begins to audience's knowledge counter-claims in a that anticipates the audience's
anticipate the levels and concerns. manner that anticipates knowledge levels, concerns,
audience's the audience's knowledge values, and potential biases.
knowledge levels levels, concerns, values,
and concerns. and/or potential biases.
LANGUAGE The writing is The response lacks There is an attempt at The response The response includes The response includes The response includes words,
illegible, written in a clear usage of words, including words, generally includes words, phrases, and words, phrases, clauses, phrases, clauses, and varied
language other than phrases, and clauses phrases, and clauses to words, phrases, clauses to link major and varied syntax to link syntax to link major sections of
English, or there is to link major sections link major sections of and clauses to link sections of the text, major sections of the text, the text, create cohesion, and
not enough of the text, create the text, create sections of text, create cohesion, and create cohesion, and clarify the relationships
information to score cohesion, and clarify cohesion, and clarify create cohesion, clarify relationships; a clarify relationships; a between claims; a formal style
the response. relationships; the relationships but with and clarify formal style and formal style and objective and objective tone are
response is informal obvious lapses; the relationships; a objective tone are tone are maintained maintained throughout and the
and lacks objectivity; response may lack a formal style and maintained throughout and the response follows the norms and
blatant or gross errors formal style and objective tone are throughout and the response follows the conventions of the English
in grammar and objective tone and maintained and response follows the norms and conventions of language.
conventions impede there are errors in the response norms and the English language.
understanding. grammar and generally follows conventions of the
conventions that may norms and English language.
impede understanding. conventions
Draft created 08/01/2012 (revised 08/20/12)