Rubrics+Galore!

Rubrics Galore!

Below, you will find the different rubrics I use for various assignments. Match your assignment with the rubric.


 * Assignment: Interactive Discrimination PSA **
 * Instructor: Mr. Sheehan **


 * Student Name: **


 * Points Earned: __/ **


 * Criteria: || Excellent || Good || Satisfactory || Poor ||
 * Message and purpose: || Message is clearly indicated and applicable to the target audience. Message is purposeful in that it encourages more than just consideration. || Message is clearly indicated and applicable to the target audience. Message is somewhat purposeful because it may be oversimplified. || Message may be difficult to discern and/or not relevant to the target audience. Message lacks purpose because it is oversimplified or off target. || Message is unclear and not relevant, lacking any purpose with the target audience. ||
 * Writing: || Text is free from all mechanical errors. Written at a level appropriate for the target audience. Engaging and informative to read. || Text is free from all mechanical errors. Written at a level appropriate for the target audience. Provides information but not in an engaging manner. || Mechanical errors in the text. May be written at an appropriate level for the target audience. Provides information in an unclear or confusing manner. || Mechanical errors abound. Not written for the target audience. Provides information in a confusing manner. ||
 * Graphic Design: || Font sizes, types, and colors are pleasing to the audience and appropriate to the message. Photos and other graphics are relevant and understandable. Page structure enhances the message. || Font sizes, types, and colors are pleasing to the audience and appropriate to the message. Photos and other graphics are relevant and understandable. Page structure neither enhances nor detracts from the message. || Font sizes, types and colors are chosen without the audience or message in mind. Photos and other graphics may lack relevance to the message or clear explanations. Page structure detracts from the message. || Font sizes, types and colors detract from the message. Photos and other graphics may lack relevance or clear explanations. Page structure is haphazard rather than well-planned. ||
 * Interactive Features: || Pages are linked together allowing easy movement around the PSA. Internal Links are in the same location on each page. Purpose of external links and widgets is clear to the audience. All features work properly, purposefully guiding the audience to useful information. || Pages are linked together allowing easy movement around the PSA. Internal Links may not be in same location from page to page. Purpose of external links and widgets is clear to the audience. Features work properly but they may guide the audience to useful information. || Pages may only be linked on the home page or internal links do not exist. External links and widgets are used but purpose is unclear. Features work but they guide the audience to confusing or ineffective information. || One page only with several links and widgets, which are not clearly labeled. Features may or may not work properly; guide the reader to confusing or ineffective information. ||
 * Effectiveness: || Audience is engaged in the site, interested in spending time reading, watching, listening to the message presented because there are no distractions to interrupt their interaction with the material. Site materials are cohesive. || Audience is engaged in the site because the material is interesting. However, occasional distractions interrupt their interaction with the material because the site is not entirely cohesive. || Audience is minimally engaged because the material on the page is not cohesively put together causing multiple distractions. || Audience is not engaged because the material seems haphazard and random rather than purposeful. ||

Argument Paper Total Points Earned: Essay Rubric x3 180 points Grade: Points: /180

10 or 9.5 points || Clearly stated; effectively placed in consideration of the subject and the audience. Develops a definitive position on the subject that is engaging and original. A perfect thesis will also suggest, reflect, or anticipate the author’s purpose. || 8.5 points || Clearly stated; placement may not be effective considering subject and audience. Develops a definitive position on the subject that may be unoriginal and/or not engaging. Points the reader in a clear direction. || 7.5 points || Position is oversimplified or merely states supporting points to be developed. Placement is traditional rather than effective considering the subject and audience. May or may not point the reader in a clear direction. || 6 points || Thesis is unclear or is missing. Does not develop a position upon which to build the argument. ||
 * || ** Thesis ** ||
 * Excellent:
 * Good:
 * Satisfactory:
 * Poor:

Comments:

10 or 9.5 points || Reasons (claims), evidence and explanations are arranged in paragraphs purposefully and effectively to move the reader through the text. There is cohesion in the argument that moves beyond transition words and phrases. Rhetorical strategies such as comparison, contrast, cause and effect, etc. are used effectively to shape the flow of information. || 8.5 points || Reasons (claims), evidence and explanations are arranged effectively to prove thesis, although a sense of purposefulness may be absent in the creation of paragraphs. Cohesion between paragraphs includes appropriate transition words and phrases but does not exist in regards to reasoning and content. Rhetorical strategies such as comparison, contrast, narrative, etc. may be used to shape the flow of information. || 7.5 points || Reasons (claims), evidence and explanations are arranged in paragraphs formulaically with little sense of purpose or effectiveness. Essay is not cohesive and may lack simple transitions. Rhetorical strategies may be present. || 6 points || Reasons (claims), evidence and explanations are arranged in a confusing manner that is ineffective. Essay is not cohesive and may lack simple transitions. ||
 * || ** Arrangement ** ||
 * Excellent:
 * Good:
 * Satisfactory:
 * Poor:

Comments:

10 or 9.5 points || Insightful, sophisticated claims develop the argument, moving it towards a larger purpose that indicates why this topic matters to the audience. Purpose is developed throughout the argument rather than just at the end, effectively guiding the reader to the conclusion. Purpose is insightful and engaging, targeted at a specific audience. || 8.5 points || Overall, claims and reasoning guide the argument, although at times the evidence will take precedence and the paper will become more report-like. Paper hints at a larger purpose, but it is most likely not revealed until the final paragraph and may come as a surprise to the audience. Purpose is insightful and engaging. || 7.5 points || Claims and evidence compete for precedence – the author’s thoughts and reasoning do not guide the argument because the paper mostly reports on a topic. Paper may or may not build to a larger purpose; purpose may be “tacked on” to the conclusion and not grow naturally out of the argument. Purpose may not be very original or engaging. || 6 points || Few claims that do not develop the argument. Paper lacks a purpose. || 10 or 9.5 points || Author writes with a specific audience in mind. This audience shapes the argument in terms of content, style, arrangement and persona. This decision-making process is evident throughout the majority of the paper as the author appeals to specific objections, interests, habits, and details of the audience. || 8.5 points || Author writes with a specific audience in mind which shapes aspects of the argument such as content, style, arrangement and persona. There will also be aspects of the argument that are not directly targeted at the audience, but seem too generalized and unfocused. Certain objections and needs of the audience may be overlooked by the author. || 7.5 points || Author writes with a specific audience in mind but has difficulty appealing to that audience through choices of content, style, arrangement and persona. Moments may address the objections and needs of the audience, but overall, the paper presents ideas and information independent from the audience. || 6 points || Author may write with a specific audience in mind but there is little to no evidence of this decision-making process in the selection of content, style, arrangement and persona. Ideas and information are presented with little consideration to the audience’s needs and objections. ||
 * || ** Purpose ** ||
 * Excellent:
 * Good:
 * Satisfactory:
 * Poor:
 * || ** Audience ** ||
 * Excellent:
 * Good:
 * Satisfactory:
 * Poor:

Comments:

10 or 9.5 points || Ample evidence has been offered to support thesis and purpose. Evidence is effective in supporting and developing the thesis because it is credible and authoritative. Author effectively explains the connection between the evidence and the claims by addressing the “So What?” Includes multiple types of evidence (including but not limited to quotes, paraphrases, statistics, anecdotes, charts, pictures, illustrations, examples, etc.) to defend reasoning. Evidence is fluidly incorporated into the essay, supporting the overall writing. **All evidence is cited properly in the text with page numbers at the end of the sentences in parentheses. A Work Cited List is provided at the end of paper.** || 8.5 points || Sufficient evidence has been offered to support thesis and purpose, but there are holes in the reasoning that needed more supporting evidence. Evidence is effective in supporting and developing the thesis, although the credibility/authority is questionable at times. Author establishes the connection between the evidence and the claims by addressing the “So What?” Includes multiple quotes and paraphrases to defend reasoning, but types of evidence may be limited. Evidence may be incorporated into the essay in a clunky manner that interrupts the overall flow of the writing. **All evidence is cited properly with page numbers at the end of the sentences in parentheses. A Work Cited list is provided at the end of paper.** || 7.5 points || Amount of evidence is adequate in supporting and developing the thesis but its credibility is questionable and its connection to the claims is weak. Includes at least one quote or paraphrase to support each reason. Evidence may be incorporated into the essay in a clunky manner that interrupts the overall flow of the writing. **Most evidence is cited properly with page numbers at the end of the sentences in parentheses. A Work Cited list is provided at the end of the paper.** || 6 points || Evidence inadequately supports thesis. Insufficient amount of evidence to support reasoning. Included evidence may be incorporated into the essay in a clunky manner that interrupts the overall flow of the writing. **Failure to cite evidence with page numbers. A Work Cited list may not be provided at the end of the paper.** ||
 * || ** Evidence ** ||
 * Excellent:
 * Good:
 * Satisfactory:
 * Poor:

Comments:

10 || Engaging, sophisticated writing that not only effectively communicates with the audience but also aesthetically pleases them with a rich variety of rhetorical and stylistic devices used purposefully to advance the argument. || 9.5 points || Sophisticated writing style that clearly and effectively communicates with the audience. Use of rhetorical strategies such as contrast, comparison, cause and effect, etc to shape information. Use of stylistic devices such as repetition, dash, colon, rhetorical question, etc. Sentence variety – simple to complex, long to short, varied beginnings, etc. – is present throughout to engage the reader. Minimal errors in punctuation, spelling, and mechanics. || 8.5 points || Clear, concise writing style that effectively communicates with the audience. Use of rhetorical strategies such as contrast, comparison, cause and effect, etc. to shape information. Uses stylistic devices such as repetition, dash, colon, rhetorical question, etc., but may do so ineffectively or incorrectly. Sentence variety – simple to complex, long to short, varied beginnings, etc. – is present throughout to engage the reader. Several errors in punctuation, spelling and mechanics are present, but do not impact clarity of the writing. || 7.5 points || Clear, concise writing that effectively communicates with the audience. May use rhetorical strategies such as contrast, comparison, cause and effect, etc. Incorrect or non-existent use of stylistic devices. Sentence variety is limited and therefore impacts how the reader engages the text. Multiple errors in punctuation, spelling and mechanics are present, but do not impact overall clarity of writing. || 6 points || Awkward, confusing writing that does not communicate clearly with the audience. Little to no use of rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices. Sentence variety is limited and therefore impacts how the reader engages the text. Multiple errors in punctuation, spelling, and mechanics impact overall clarity of writing. ||
 * || ** Writing ** ||
 * Superior:
 * Excellent:
 * Good:
 * Satisfactory:
 * Poor:

Comments:

=Essay Question= __ The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn __ by Mark Twain 100 points

Consider the two different incidents involving the Arkansas town and the Wilks family and friends. In both episodes, Twain uses satire to criticize society – albeit different aspects of society. Compare and contrast the two episodes to determine which presents the sharper criticism. Your analysis should not consist of plot summary. Using your knowledge of literary elements, techniques, strategies, etc., consider how Twain creates each episode and shapes his satire.

Rubric:
 * || Excellent || Good || Unsatisfactory || Poor ||
 * Thesis || Explicit thesis that states clearly which episode is the harsher criticism and why. Reason reveals insightful understanding of the text. || Explicit thesis that states clearly which episode is the harsher criticism and why. Reason moves beyond “because it does” thinking but does not reveal great insight or understanding || Explicit thesis that states clearly which episode is the harsher criticism. Does not move beyond “because it does” thinking or does not indicate at all why one episode is more critical than the other. || No Thesis or a thesis that does not indicate which episode is the harsher criticism. ||
 * Analysis || Explicit reference to and understanding of literary elements, etc. Ongoing compare and contrast of Twain’s choices || Explicit reference to but limited understanding of literary elements, etc. Ongoing compare and contrast of Twain’s choices. || Perhaps explicit reference to literary elements, etc., but a tendency towards plot summary rather than analysis. Compare and Contrast may falter in parts. || No references to literary elements, etc. Plot summary dominates. Compare and Contrast may be non-existent or limited to plot. ||
 * Evidence || Effective choice of examples and quotations that demonstrate a superior/subtle knowledge and understanding of text. || Effective choice of examples and quotations that demonstrate a solid/correct knowledge and understanding of text. || Somewhat effective choice of examples that demonstrate weaknesses in knowledge and understanding of text. Quotations are mostly ineffective. || Ineffective choice of examples that demonstrates major mistakes in understanding of text. Quotations not present. ||
 * Writing || Sophisticated use of language and syntax. Few to no errors || Clear, concise use of language and syntax. Few errors. || Clear, concise use of language and syntax. Multiple errors that may not affect understanding. || Errors affect understanding of composition. ||