Essay Rubric B – For Essays Involving Research —2015
Student Name: __________________________________________________________
Content
(30%)
Critical thinking,
development,
originality,
creativity, use of
examples, title.
Provides significant and
relevant development that
thoroughly explains the
topic.
Reflects significant depth of
thought.
Thoroughly and effectively
meets the content
requirements of the
assignment.
Provides development that
sufficiently explains the
topic.
Reflects depth of thought.
Effectively meets the
content requirements of the
assignment.
Provides development
that explains the topic.
Reflects some depth of
thought.
Meets the content
requirements of the
assignment.
Has one or more of the
following issues:
o Partially develops the topic.
o Reflects little depth of
thought.
o Meets some of the content
requirements of the
assignment.
Has one or more of the
following issues:
o Contains inappropriate or
inadequate development.
o Does not reflect depth of
thought.
o Does not meet several of
the content requirements
of the assignment.
Content does
not meet the
requirements of
the assignment
and/or does not
convey a clear
point.
Organization
(25%)
Introduction,
conclusion,
thesis, clarity of
purpose, topic
sentences,
concluding
sentences,
transitions,
coherence,
structure.
Thorough and effective
introduction leads to the
thesis; engaging and
effective conclusion
provides context/
significance for the topic.
Thesis provides an effective
overview of the essay, the
essay’s purpose, and the
essay’s intended structure.
Ideas are thoroughly and
effectively linked
throughout the essay.
Meets the organizational
guidelines required by the
assignment with effective
placement of all essay
components.
Effective introduction leads
to the thesis; effective
conclusion provides context/
significance for the overall
topic.
Thesis provides a clear
overview of the essay, the
essay’s purpose, and the
essay’s intended structure.
Ideas are clearly linked
throughout the essay.
Meets the organizational
guidelines required by the
assignment with strong
placement of all essay
components.
Introduction leads to the
thesis, and conclusion
provides a context/
significance for the topic.
Thesis provides an
overview of the essay,
the essay’s purpose, and
the essay’s structure.
Ideas are linked
throughout the essay.
Meets the organizational
guidelines required by
the assignment with
appropriate placement of
all essay components.
Has one or more of the
following issues:
o Introduction lacks
effectiveness and does not
lead in to the thesis.
o Conclusion provides minimal
context/significance for the
overall topic; thesis provides
no overview in terms of
purpose and/or intended
structure.
o Ideas are vaguely linked.
o Meets most of the
organizational guidelines
required by the assignment
but may have inappropriate
placement of components.
Has two or more of the
following issues:
o Introduction lacks an
effective thesis.
o Conclusion provides
minimal significance for the
overall topic.
o Ideas are not linked
throughout the essay.
o Text does not meet some
of the organizational
guidelines required by the
assignment because some
essay elements are placed
inappropriately.
Organization
has many
weaknesses.
Style
(10%)
Word choice,
writing skills.
Words, phrases, and
sentence structure
effectively contribute to the
communication of ideas.
Uses vivid, scholarly
vocabulary for an academic
audience.
Level of diction is highly
effective.
Does not shift in point of
view (first, second, and third
person)
Words, phrases, and sentence
structure appropriately
contribute to the
communication of ideas.
Uses academic vocabulary.
Level of diction is effective for
the assignment.
Does not shift in point of view
(first, second, and third
person)
Words, phrases, and
sentence structures
contribute to the
communication of ideas.
Uses appropriate
vocabulary.
Level of diction is
appropriate for the
assignment.
Has no more than one
shift in point of view
Has one or more of the
following issues:
o Some words, phrases, and
sentence structures do not
enhance communication.
o Occasional inappropriate
vocabulary and/or diction.
o Has two or more shifts in
point of view.
Has one or more of the
following issues:
o Some words, phrases, and
sentence structures detract
from communication.
o Uses inappropriate
vocabulary.
o Level of diction is
inappropriate for the
assignment.
o Has excessive shifts in point
of view.
The writing
style is
inappropriate
for a formal
writing
assignment/
academic
audience.
Paper is written
in the incorrect
point of view.
Text uses correct grammar
and mechanics.
Text uses generally correct
grammar and mechanics with
only a few minor errors.
Text uses mostly correct
grammar and mechanics,
but the paper has several
minor errors & no more
than three major errors.
Texts uses mostly correct
grammar and mechanics, but
the paper has several minor
errors and more than three
major errors.
Text has frequent grammatical
and mechanical errors.
The frequency
of grammatical
and mechanical
errors obscures
meaning.
Uses correct MLA/APA
formatting.
Has one error in MLA/APA
formatting.
Has two-three errors in
MLA/APA formatting.
Has four errors in MLA/APA
formatting.
Has five errors in MLA/APA
formatting.
Has more than
five errors in
MLA/APA
formatting.