Rubric for Final Essay
Rubric for Final Essay
| Attributes | Not Acceptable | Emerging | Developing | Proficient |
| Title | Insignificant. | Logical, but dull. | Indicative or suggestive of content of paper. | Interesting, powerful and suggestive of content of paper. |
| Thesis statement/Controlling event or issue | Lacks a thesis statement or clear controlling event or issue. | Has a weak thesis statement or vague controlling event or issue. | Establishes a thesis statement but strays from controlling event or issue at times. | Has a strong thesis statement and clearly focuses on controlling event or issue. |
| Support of main thesis/controlling ideas | Fails to support thesis/ideas with details, examples, analysis or generalization. | Limited, inconsistent or very weak support of thesis/ideas. | Adequate support of thesis/ideas with details, examples, analysis or generalization. | Thoughtfully supports thesis/ideas with details, examples, analysis or generalization. |
| Variety & appropriateness of information sources selected | Sources selected did not represent a reasonable variety. Criteria for selection not mentioned. | Criteria for selection were superficial. Choices weak. | Choices logical. Only partially or superficially explained criteria in terms of perspective, purpose, tone or discipline. | Excellent choices. Fully articulated criteria in terms of perspective, purpose, tone or discipline. |
| Demonstrated level of understanding of different perspectives in sources | Does not demonstrate an understanding of different perspectives in sources & often misinterprets or misrepresents perspectives. | Demonstrates some understanding of different perspectives in sources, but occasionally misinterprets or misrepresents perspectives. | Demonstrates a fair grasp of the different perspectives in sources. | Demonstrates a consistent, deep and broad understanding of all perspectives represented by sources. |
| Discussing connections & relationships among the information sources | Does not make connections or discuss relationships among the sources. | Makes some attempt at connecting and relating the sources, but overall effort is ineffective or lacking in clarity. | Discusses multiple connections and relationships among the sources, but with minor weaknesses or limitations in arguments or conclusions. | Discusses multiple connections and relationships, drawing interesting conclusions with supporting evidence. |
| Relating book/biography reading to research discoveries | Does not make any connections. | Makes some connection but not in a substantive or meaningful way. | Makes a good attempt at connecting book/biography and research discoveries. | Connection between book/biography and research discoveries is clear & meaningful. |
| Organizing argument logically into coherent paper | Reader cannot follow. Paper is not coherent or logically organized. | Evidence of overall plan, but lacks either clear transitions or coherence. | Clear overall plan but some minor problems with either coherence or transitions. | Coherent argument, logically organized with clear smooth transitions. |
| Syntactic control and style | Serious problems with clarity, diction, vocabulary, syntax, grammar and/or mechanics. | Some problems with clarity, diction, syntax, grammar and/or mechanics. Little variety. | Control of syntax, grammar and diction but lacking in precision and variety. | Precision of diction with syntactic variety and complexity. |
|
Effective academic voice |
Voice is inappropriate or inconsistent, too formal or informal; often overly vague or preachy. | Voice sounds like a “skool” essay, written to fulfill an assignment, proficient and fluent but not engaged or unique. May sound canned, arrogant or close-minded. | Voice is a good attempt at being fair and open-minded, ethically-aware, questioning, intellectually hard-working, engaged. | Voice is curious, fair and open-minded, ethically-aware, questioning, intellectually hard-working, engaged. |
| Integrating sources | No evidence or misuse of quotation, paraphrase and/or summary to support main argument. | Problems with using quotation, paraphrase and/or summary to support main argument. | Demonstrates competence in using quotation, paraphrase and summary. | Makes sophisticated use of quotation, paraphrase and summary to support main arguments. |
| Citing sources in MLA style | Source list incomplete, errors are major and numerous. | All sources cited but there are numerous and major errors. | All sources cited but there are numerous minor errors. | Source list is complete and only minor errors. |
Jill Goodman-Gould, Gail Gradowski 9 June 2011