Advanced -- 4

Proficient -- 3

Needs Improvement -- 2

Unacceptable -- 1

Focus/ Purpose

Thesis easily identifiable, original, sophisticated, insightful, and well-crafted, showing excellent understanding of purpose and audience.

Introduction grabs the reader's attention and eases her/him into what will follow.

Conclusion effectively unites ideas.

Purpose clear. Thesis well-developed.

Clear awareness of audience.

Strong introduction and conclusion.

Purpose and thesis present and fairly well developed. Some awareness of audience.

Meaningful introduction and conclusion.

Purpose and thesis vague.

Little or no awareness of audience.

Basic attempt to introduce and conclude.

No sign of a thesis or understanding of the paper’s purpose.

Little or no attempt to introduce or conclude.

Organization/ Topic Development

Organization careful, clear, and logical with effective and engaging transitions.

Paragraphs well-crafted with coherent, insightful topic sentences, ideas and details.

Purpose constantly identifiable.

References text effectively and skillfully when appropriate.

Organization logical, using strong transitions.

Paragraphs well-developed with strong topic sentences and meaningful supporting details and ideas.

Purpose regularly identified.

References text effectively when appropriate.

Organization evident, including the use of transitions.

Paragraphs fairly well-developed with topic sentences and adequate supporting details and ideas

Purpose frequently identified.

References text adequately when appropriate.

Organization unclear and lacks logic. Little use of transitions.

Weak topic sentences and few supporting details and ideas.

Purpose identified inadequately.

References text inadequately.

Little or no organization, supporting detail and ideas, or identification of purpose.

Does not reference text.

Content/ Accuracy

Facts and interpretation accurate and insightful.

They powerfully support and strengthen the thesis.

Facts and interpretation accurate and logical.

They support and strengthen the thesis.

Facts  and interpretation generally accurate.

Many inaccuracies in facts and/or interpretations.

Major inaccuracies in facts and/or interpretations.

Limited understanding of the content.

Style/ Expression

Word choice/vocabulary rich, stylish and polished.

Sentences well-crafted, showing variety, originality, and rich language.

Word choice/vocabulary strong and effective.

Sentences show variety and originality.

Word choice/vocabulary appropriate.

Sentences show some variety and originality.

Word choice/vocabulary simplistic.

Sentences show little variety and originality.

Weak vocabulary and lack of variety in sentences.

Conventions

Excellent sentence structure.

No errors in grammar or mechanics (spelling, punctuation, capitalization).

Strong sentence structure.

Few or no errors in grammar and mechanics.

Good sentence structure, grammar and mechanics.

Some errors, but they do not interfere with meaning.

Errors in sentence structure, grammar and mechanics interfere with the meaning.

Major problems with sentence structure and grammar.

Frequent and considerable errors in mechanics.