Student:

Date:

Score

Focus

Organization

Evidence

Language

Conventions

4

A consistent and purposeful focus and a strong controlling idea make the writing very informative:

• is focused, clear, and well supported

• places the controlling idea in a solid context

An effective beginning, middle, and ending create completeness and unity:

• strongly connects ideas using transitions

• presents ideas in a logical progression throughout

• connects to the reader in the beginning and achieves the purpose by the ending

Thorough support for the controlling idea includes a variety of details from various sources:

• has complete, relevant, and well integrated support, giving credit to sources

• elaborates ideas effectively

Precise language makes the writing clear and effective:

• has appropriate vocabulary for the subject, audience, and purpose

A strong command of conventions makes the writing polished and clear:

• uses words well and forms sentences correctly

• has correct punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar

3

An adequate, general focus with a controlling idea makes the writing informative:

• is mostly maintained, but with some loosely related material

• provides adequate context for the controlling idea

A beginning, a middle, and an ending exist, making the writing complete, though some material may be loosely related:

• connects ideas with some transitions

• progresses through ideas

• adequately introduces ideas in the beginning, and adequately sums them up in the ending

Support for the controlling idea includes details from different sources:

• uses some support from sources, with general or imprecise credit

• elaborates on some ideas

Some precise and some general language adequately communicates

• has generally appropriate vocabulary for the subject, audience, and purpose

Adequate command of conventions makes the writing solid:

• has occasional usage or sentence errors, but they do not disrupt meaning

• has adequate punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar

2

A somewhat focused controlling idea is supported, with minor divergence from the topic:

• receives some support, but not enough

• may be somewhat unclear or unfocused

An inconsistent structure and obvious flaws make the writing uneven:

• has inconsistent transitions

• progresses unevenly through ideas from beginning to ending

• has a weak beginning or ending

Support for the controlling idea is uneven, needing more details from different sources:

• has little support from sources, with unclear or missing credit

• elaborates on few ideas

Simplistic vocabulary unevenly expresses ideas:

• has vocabulary that is sometimes inappropriate for the subject, audience, and purpose

Uneven use of conventions makes the writing somewhat difficult to read:

• has frequent usage and sentence errors, which can obscure meaning

• does not consistently use punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar

1

Little or no focus makes the writing uninformative:

• might be brief

• might have major divergence from the topic

• might be confusing or ambiguous in focus

Little or no structure exists, making the writing incomplete or confused:

• uses few transitions

• has off-topic ideas

Few or no details from sources support the controlling idea:

• includes little or no support from source material, with no credit

• does not elaborate on ideas

Vague, unclear vocabulary creates confusion:

• has limited vocabulary that does not connect to subject, audience, or purpose

Incorrect conventions make the writing difficult to read:

• makes many errors, which often obscure meaning

0

A category receives no credit when performance falls below the level indicated in row 1.

Student:

Date:

Score

Focus

Organization

Evidence

Language

Conventions

4

The entire narrative* is clearly focused and well maintained:

• establishes a clear setting

• includes well drawn characters

• uses a strong narrator with a clear point of view**

An effective plot creates unity and completeness:

• uses a variety of effective transitional strategies

• sequences events logically from beginning to ending

• includes a beginning and an ending that connect to the audience and achieve the purpose

Description, dialogue, and details fully and effectively elaborate the narrative:

• uses various narrative techniques to vividly bring the experience to life

The language effectively expresses the experience:

• uses sensory, concrete, and figurative language to effectively achieve the narrative’s purpose

Strong adherence to conventions makes the narrative clear:

• effectively forms sentences

• has correct usage

• uses correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

3

The narrative* is mostly focused and generally maintained:

• establishes a setting

• includes characters

• has a narrator with a point of view**

A plot helps create a sense of unity and completeness, though some parts may be loosely connected or flawed:

• uses a variety of adequate transitional strategies

• sequences events adequately from beginning to ending

• includes a beginning and an ending that relate to audience and purpose

Description, dialogue, and details adequately elaborate the narrative:

• includes an assortment of narrative techniques that generally give life to the story

The language adequately expresses the experience:

• has sensory, concrete, and figurative language that adequately advance the narrative’s purpose

The narrative adequately adheres to conventions:

• forms most sentences correctly

• has generally correct usage

• has adequate punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

2

The narrative* is somewhat focused and maintained, with some divergence:

• has an inconsistent setting

• has little characterization

• has an inconsistent narrator and point of view**

An inconsistent plot makes for some obvious flaws:

• uses a few basic transitional strategies

• sequences events unevenly from beginning to ending

• includes a beginning and an ending

• has weak connection among ideas

Partial descriptions, uneven dialogue, and scant details provide cursory elaboration:

• uses uneven and inconsistent narrative techniques

The language unevenly expresses the experience:

• includes uneven sensory, concrete, or figurative language, which partially advance the purpose

A number of conventions errors mar the narrative:

• forms sentences unevenly

• includes usage errors that impede understanding

• has inconsistent punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

1

The narrative* has little focus and is poorly maintained:

• is confusing, ambiguous, and brief

• has no clear characters

• has no narrator

• has considerable divergence

Little or no plot is discernible:

• uses few or no transitional strategies

• contains no clear sequence

• has no beginning or ending

• has jumbled ideas

Little or no description, dialogue, or details leave the narrative unelaborated:

• includes few if any narrative techniques that advance the story

Vague, confusing language makes the experience confusing:

• has little or no sensory, concrete, or figurative language, leaving the purpose unrealized

Numerous conventions errors make the narrative confusing:

• has frequent, severe conventions errors that obscure meaning

0

A category receives no credit when performance falls below the level indicated in row 1.