Essay Evaluation Rubric I

A: An essay in this category demonstrates clear and consistent mastery in each of the following categories:
  • Point of view: effectively and insightfully develops a single point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding, even surprising critical or creative thinking.
  • Reasoning: includes clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position (including textual evidence, if appropriate). The writer’s reasoning is logical, as well as fully and clearly explained.
  • Organization/Focus: is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas, including effective internal transitions.
  • Grace of expression: exhibits a distinctive voice, marked by a skillful use of language and a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary (i.e. word choice). Demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure.
  • Mechanics: Grammar, usage, and punctuation conform to accepted norms of Standard Written English.
______
B: An essay in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery, which is to say that the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
  • Point of view: develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates competent critical thinking.
  • Reasoning: includes adequate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position (including textual evidence, if appropriate). The writer’s reasoning is explained.
  • Organization: is generally organized and focused, demonstrating some coherence and progression of ideas
  • Grace of expression: exhibits adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of language, using generally appropriate vocabulary (i.e. word choice). Demonstrates some variety in sentence structure.
  • Mechanics: displays some lapses (in grammar, usage, and punctuation) from Standard Written English.
______
C: An essay in this category demonstrates developing mastery, and is marked by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:
  • Point of view: develops a point of view on the issue, demonstrating some critical thinking, but may do so inconsistently or rely upon cliché, commonplace, or borrowed ideas.
  • Reasoning: relies upon inadequate examples, reasons, or evidence to support its position(including textual evidence, if appropriate). The writer’s reasoning may be illogical and is not explained.
  • Organization: is limited in its organization or focus, or may demonstrate some lapses in coherence or in progression of ideas.
  • Grace of expression: displays developing facility in the use of language, but vocabulary may lack maturity or may employ inappropriate word choice. Sentences lack variety or demonstrate structural problems.
  • Mechanics: contains an accumulation of distracting lapses(in grammar, usage, and punctuation) from Standard Written English.
______
D: An essay in this category demonstrates very little or no mastery, and is severely flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses:
  • Point of view: develops no viable point of view on the issue.
  • Reasoning: provides little or no evidence, reasons, or examples to support its position. The writer’s reasoning is not explained.
  • Organization: is disorganized or unfocused, resulting in a disjointed or incoherent essay
  • Grace of expression: displays little facility in use of language. May display inappropriate vocabulary and/or word choice and severe structural flaws.
  • Mechanics: contains pervasive lapses (in grammar, usage, or punctuation) from Standard Written English that persistently interfere with meaning

Write a well-organized essay in response to the following question: How does a person’s environment shape his or her identity? Your answer to this question should include a clear thesis (which I’ll sometimes call “point of view”), a well-defined organizational structure (beginning, middle, end), and specific examples that are drawn from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.