Writing Rubrics A Workshop on Assessment of Student Written Work

Writing RubricsWriting Rubrics

A Workshop on Assessment of A Workshop on Assessment of Student Written WorkStudent Written Work

Writing RubricsWriting Rubrics

Overview of workshopOverview of workshop Talk about writing problems, use of Talk about writing problems, use of

handbookhandbook Discussion of use of rubricsDiscussion of use of rubrics Practice grading papers with a rubric Practice grading papers with a rubric

Rubric for EssaysRubric for Essays Possible PointsPossible Points Earned Earned

PointsPoints

PurposePurpose 15 15 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-1514-15Thesis and conclusion are clear and engage reader’s Thesis and conclusion are clear and engage reader’s

interest; purpose is interest; purpose is addressed consistently throughout essay.addressed consistently throughout essay. CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13

Thesis and conclusion are clear and fairly interesting; Thesis and conclusion are clear and fairly interesting; purpose is addressed in most of the essay. purpose is addressed in most of the essay.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11Thesis and conclusion are present but difficult to Thesis and conclusion are present but difficult to

pinpoint; pinpoint; writer strays from purpose frequently.writer strays from purpose frequently.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Thesis and/or conclusion are not discernible or are Thesis and/or conclusion are not discernible or are

inappropriate or inappropriate or unworkable; writer frequently wanders unworkable; writer frequently wanders from point of essay. from point of essay.

Rubric for Essays Rubric for Essays (continued)(continued)

Organization and DevelopmentOrganization and Development 15 15 ____________

ExemplaryExemplary 14-1514-15All parts of essay flow logically in sequence; transitions are clear and All parts of essay flow logically in sequence; transitions are clear and appropriate; essay is a united and interesting entity. appropriate; essay is a united and interesting entity.

CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13Most parts of essay flow logically in sequence; transitions are usually Most parts of essay flow logically in sequence; transitions are usually clearclearand appropriate; for the most part, essay is not disjointed. and appropriate; for the most part, essay is not disjointed.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11Parts of essay are apparent but not well sequenced; transitions are Parts of essay are apparent but not well sequenced; transitions are sometimes sometimes missing or inadequate; essay is disjointed in several areas.missing or inadequate; essay is disjointed in several areas.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Parts of essay are missing or so ill-sequenced that reading is difficult; Parts of essay are missing or so ill-sequenced that reading is difficult; transitionstransitionsnot used and/or are inadequate; essay is a jumble of ideas with little not used and/or are inadequate; essay is a jumble of ideas with little organization. organization.


Content/Quality of IdeasContent/Quality of Ideas 40 40 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 36-4036-40Paper addresses writing assignment engagingly, Paper addresses writing assignment engagingly,

using interesting and using interesting and appropriate details and appropriate details and examples.examples. CompetentCompetent 32-3532-35

Paper addresses prompt, but with uneven Paper addresses prompt, but with uneven supportive detail and supportive detail and examples. examples. AcceptableAcceptable 28-3128-31

In most instances, paper addresses prompt, but In most instances, paper addresses prompt, but support detail and support detail and examples are sometimes inadequate. examples are sometimes inadequate.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-270-27Paper does not address prompt and/or shows little Paper does not address prompt and/or shows little

or no supportive or no supportive detail and examples. detail and examples.


Thought and StyleThought and Style 1515 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15 Quality of ideas and evidence is excellent and Quality of ideas and evidence is excellent and

sometimes original; sometimes original; vocabulary is appropriate and diverse; vocabulary is appropriate and diverse; tone is appropriate.tone is appropriate. CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13

Quality of ideas and evidence is very good; vocabulary Quality of ideas and evidence is very good; vocabulary is appropriate is appropriate and usually diverse; tone is appropriate.and usually diverse; tone is appropriate. AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11

Quality of ideas and evidence is mediocre; vocabulary Quality of ideas and evidence is mediocre; vocabulary is sometimes is sometimes repetitive and/or inappropriate; tone is repetitive and/or inappropriate; tone is sometimes inappropriate.sometimes inappropriate. UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9

Ideas and evidence are passé or incomplete; Ideas and evidence are passé or incomplete; vocabulary is repetitive vocabulary is repetitive and/or lacking in academic and/or lacking in academic appropriateness; tone is often inappropriate. appropriateness; tone is often inappropriate.


Mechanics, Usage, and FormatMechanics, Usage, and Format 1515 ____________ ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15

Few if any errors in mechanics, grammar, Few if any errors in mechanics, grammar, and/or usage. and/or usage. Format is adhered to exactly. Format is adhered to exactly. CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13

Some errors in mechanics, grammar, and/or Some errors in mechanics, grammar, and/or usage. Format usage. Format is usually adhered to.is usually adhered to. AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11

Errors are systematic and detract from the Errors are systematic and detract from the sense of the sense of the essay. Format incorrect.essay. Format incorrect.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9

Errors occur almost sentence by sentence. Errors occur almost sentence by sentence. Format is Format is incorrect in numerous instances.incorrect in numerous instances.


AudienceAudience 1515 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15 Vocabulary and examples reflect a thorough knowledge Vocabulary and examples reflect a thorough knowledge

of audience. of audience. CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13

Vocabulary and examples usually reflect an adequate Vocabulary and examples usually reflect an adequate knowledge of knowledge of audience.audience.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11 Inconsistent use of language level and examples for Inconsistent use of language level and examples for

audience. audience.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Inconsistent use of language level and examples reflects Inconsistent use of language level and examples reflects

little or no little or no knowledge of audience.knowledge of audience.


ObjectivityObjectivity 1515 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15 Evidence is presented without bias or inappropriate Evidence is presented without bias or inappropriate

emotion in every emotion in every circumstance. circumstance.

CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13Evidence is usually presented without bias or Evidence is usually presented without bias or

inappropriate emotion.inappropriate emotion.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11In three or more instances, evidence is presented with In three or more instances, evidence is presented with

bias or inappropriate bias or inappropriate emotion.emotion.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Evidence is consistently presented in a biased or Evidence is consistently presented in a biased or

inappropriately inappropriately emotional tone.emotional tone.


ProcessProcess 1515 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15

Assigned process is followed exactly. Assigned process is followed exactly.

CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13 Assigned Assigned process is followed as prescribed with just one or two process is followed as prescribed with just one or two deviations.deviations.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11 Assigned Assigned process is followed as prescribed in three to four process is followed as prescribed in three to four deviations. deviations.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Deviation from assigned process occurs consistently.Deviation from assigned process occurs consistently.

Journal 2: Introduction to Literature

Due Date: Monday, January 21 Choose one of the following poems and explicate it in a paper

of 500-750 words. Include a title page, a typed copy of the poem, your explication (with your own title), the text of your paper, and a works cited page. The 500-750 words required are not to include the words in the poem or the words on the works cited page. Print a word count at the end of the text of your paper. If you are caught plagiarizing on this paper, you will receive a 0 for the assignment.

George Herbert. “The Pulley,” pp. 884-85 Yeats, William Butler. “The Wild Swans at Coole,” p. 1023 Hardy, Thomas. “The Darkling Thrush,” pp. 969-70 Edwin Arlington Robinson. “Richard Cory,” p. 996 George Herbert. “Redemption.” (Not in your text—I will supply a

copy if you wish to review it) John Donne. “Death, be not proud,” p. 892 John Crowe Ransom. “Bells for John Whiteside’s Daughter,” p.

990

Journal 2: Introduction to Literature (continued)

Read the poem several times. Pick out words and phrases that you are unfamiliar with and look them up. You may be able to find the information you need in a dictionary, but you may have to go to an encyclopedia or the Oxford English Dictionary. Consider etymology as well as meaning. Also, remember the meaning of a word may have been different in the historical period in which the poem was written.

It will help you to paraphrase the poem before you start writing about it so you have a good grasp of what is happening in the poem.

In class we talked about imagery and figurative language. Think about these elements of poetry and how they work in the poem of your choice if they are of importance in the poem. Include this information in your paper.

Read about the author to see whether his or her life may have some significance in the poem. Remember, though, that poetry is usually not autobiographical, so you may find no apparent relationship between the poem and the author’s life. If you include biographical information in the paper, use it only briefly and only to shed further light on a particular part of the poem. Do not make it a major part of your paper.

You may use critical sources if you wish, but you are not required to. If you choose to do this, you must properly document your materials. Use MLA style.


Here are some other things you can do to help understand the poem you have chosen.

Pay close attention to the title. Often the title is a key to the meaning of the poem.

Select striking images that seem crucial to the sense of the poem. Categorize them and try to analyze why they are important. Notice repetitions.

Notice dramatic conflict or the relationship between contradictory ideas, characters, moods, images.

Focus on points in the poem that intimate character transformation, change of attitude, different moods. Analyze the process leading up to a transformation and explain the reason for the change.

Notice contradictions, juxtaposition of opposites (characters, images, moods), areas of tension, differing sounds.


Some things to remember: Use present tense as you discuss incidents in a piece of literature. When citing poetry, indent and put in poetry form if the quote is over

three lines long. If it is fewer than three lines long, quote the poetry within your text; use a space, a slash, and another space to show where lines begin and end, e.g., “I’ve eaten a bag of green apples, / Boarded the train there’s no getting off.”

Include a title (not in all caps, not in italics, not underlined). The title should be your title; do not use the author’s title, although you may incorporate the author’s title into your title if you wish, e.g., “An Explication of ‘The Road Not Taken’ ” (try to be more creative than that, though).

When referring to the title of a short poem, place it inside quotation marks (see my usage in the list of choices of poems); longer works such as books are italicized.

Rules for capitalization of titles follow: 1) Capitalize the first letter of the first and last words; 2) Capitalize the first letter of all other words except articles (a, an, the), prepositions, the to in infinitives, and coordinating conjunctions—unless they are the first or last words (Scott Foresman Handbook 593-94).

It is wise to refer to the title of the poem you are discussing in the first or second sentence of your paper—don’t assume that your reader knows the poem or your purpose.


Chapter I in your text discusses writing the literary paper. You may need to read the chapter, or portions of it, in preparation for writing your paper. Portions that are especially apropos to your needs are pages 7-16. If you have forgotten how to use quotations or summaries within a paper, pages 16-23 will help you with that problem.

Your journal must be typed. Simply staple the paper and turn it in with no binder or covering. Use 1-inch margins on the sides, top, and bottom of the paper. Double-space. Do not justify margins on the right side. Use MLA style for documentation.

The third page of your syllabus shows pictures of what the paper should look like. If you do not use outside sources, the only entry on your works cited page will be the poem you are discussing. Following is a sample of the entry form to use for the entries from an anthology:

Donne, John. “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.” Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. 9th edition. Eds. Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson. Boston: Thomson, 2006. 729-30.

Death, be not proudby John Donne

Death, be not proud, though some have called theeMighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrowDie not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow;And soonest* our best men with thee do go,

*readiestRest of their bones and soul’s delivery.Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate

men,And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,And better than thy stroke. Why swell’st thou then?One short sleep passed, we wake eternally,And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

Rubric for EssaysRubric for Essays Possible PointsPossible Points Earned Earned

PointsPoints

PurposePurpose 15 15 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-1514-15Thesis and conclusion are clear and engage reader’sThesis and conclusion are clear and engage reader’s

__ref to __ref to poem’s titlepoem’s title interest; purpose is addressed interest; purpose is addressed consistently consistently and author in intro and author in intro

throughout essay.throughout essay. CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13

Thesis and conclusion are clear and fairly interesting; Thesis and conclusion are clear and fairly interesting; purpose is addressed in most of the essay. purpose is addressed in most of the essay.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11Thesis and conclusion are present but difficult to pinpoint; Thesis and conclusion are present but difficult to pinpoint; writer strays from purpose frequently.writer strays from purpose frequently.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Thesis and/or conclusion are not discernible or are Thesis and/or conclusion are not discernible or are

inappropriate or inappropriate or unworkable; writer frequently wanders from unworkable; writer frequently wanders from point of essay. point of essay.


Organization and DevelopmentOrganization and Development 1515 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-1514-15All parts of essay flow logically in sequence; All parts of essay flow logically in sequence; __explication __explication

follows follows transitions are clear and appropriate;transitions are clear and appropriate; logical order logical order essay is a united and interesting entity. essay is a united and interesting entity.

CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13Most parts of essay flow logically in sequence; transitions are Most parts of essay flow logically in sequence; transitions are

usually clearusually clearand appropriate; for the most part, essay is not disjointed. and appropriate; for the most part, essay is not disjointed.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11Parts of essay are apparent but not well sequenced; transitions Parts of essay are apparent but not well sequenced; transitions

are sometimes are sometimes missing or inadequate; essay is disjointed in several areas.missing or inadequate; essay is disjointed in several areas.

UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9Parts of essay are missing or so ill-sequenced that reading is Parts of essay are missing or so ill-sequenced that reading is

difficult; transitionsdifficult; transitionsnot used and/or are inadequate; essay is a jumble of ideas with not used and/or are inadequate; essay is a jumble of ideas with

little little organization. organization.


Content/Quality of IdeasContent/Quality of Ideas 4040 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 36-40 36-40Paper addresses writing assignment Paper addresses writing assignment __identification __identification

of apostropheof apostrophe engagingly, using interesting and engagingly, using interesting and __identification of __identification of

personificationpersonification appropriate details and examples.appropriate details and examples. __explication is __explication is

thoroughthorough CompetentCompetent 32-3532-35

Paper addresses prompt, but with uneven Paper addresses prompt, but with uneven supportive detail and examples. supportive detail and examples.

AcceptableAcceptable 28-3128-31In most instances, paper addresses prompt, but support In most instances, paper addresses prompt, but support

detail and detail and examples are sometimes inadequate. examples are sometimes inadequate. UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-270-27

Paper does not address prompt and/or shows little or no Paper does not address prompt and/or shows little or no supportive supportive detail and examples. detail and examples.


Thought and StyleThought and Style 1515 ______ ______

ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15 Quality of ideas and evidence is excellent and Quality of ideas and evidence is excellent and

sometimes original; sometimes original; vocabulary is appropriate and diverse; vocabulary is appropriate and diverse; tone is appropriate.tone is appropriate. CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13

Quality of ideas and evidence is very good; vocabulary Quality of ideas and evidence is very good; vocabulary is appropriate is appropriate and usually diverse; tone is appropriate.and usually diverse; tone is appropriate. AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11

Quality of ideas and evidence is mediocre; vocabulary Quality of ideas and evidence is mediocre; vocabulary is sometimes is sometimes repetitive and/or inappropriate; tone is repetitive and/or inappropriate; tone is sometimes inappropriate.sometimes inappropriate. UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9

Ideas and evidence are passé or incomplete; Ideas and evidence are passé or incomplete; vocabulary is repetitive vocabulary is repetitive and/or lacking in academic and/or lacking in academic appropriateness; tone is often inappropriate. appropriateness; tone is often inappropriate.


Mechanics, Usage, and FormatMechanics, Usage, and Format 1515 ______ ______ ExemplaryExemplary 14-15 14-15

Few if any errors in mechanics, Few if any errors in mechanics, __use of documentation if __use of documentation if needed needed

grammar, and/or usage. grammar, and/or usage. __title is used and is __title is used and is interesting interesting

Format is adhered to exactly. Format is adhered to exactly. __word count is adequate __word count is adequate __present tense used when __present tense used when

referring to referring to incidents in poem incidents in poem

CompetentCompetent 12-1312-13Some errors in mechanics, grammar, Some errors in mechanics, grammar, and/or usage. Format and/or usage. Format is usually adhered to.is usually adhered to.

AcceptableAcceptable 10-1110-11Errors are systematic and detract from the sense of the Errors are systematic and detract from the sense of the essay. essay.

Format Format incorrect.incorrect. UnacceptableUnacceptable 0-90-9

Errors occur almost sentence by sentence. Format is Errors occur almost sentence by sentence. Format is incorrect in incorrect in numerous instances.numerous instances.

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Writing Rubrics A Workshop on Assessment of Student Written Work