iRubric: All-About Essay rubric

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All-About Essay

The culmination of a "Writing to Teach" unit, students wrote an all-about style essay exploring a topic of their choice.

Rubric Code: MXX59WB

By petersensnyder

Draft

Public Rubric

Subject: English

Type: Writing

Grade Levels: 6-8

Enter rubric title Enter rubric description
	Novice 1 pts	Intermediate 2 pts	Proficient 3 pts	Above Proficient 4 pts
Introduction Enter description	Novice * Jumps directly into the sections of the text - no introduction.	Intermediate * Attempts to provide a context for the topic, but the context provided is tangential to the sections of the text, unrelated, or serves to confuse rather than clarify the context for the topic.	Proficient * Introduces the topic by explaining background information that provides the context for the topic. * This context may be provided through a summary of the topic, an angled anecdote, a quick accounting of related facts/statistics, etc.	Above Proficient * Introduces the topic by explaining background information that provides the context for the most crucial elements of the topic. * Writer may use a combination of writing techniques to create context - e.g. begins with a hook (1-2 sentences or a whole paragraph) to build interest in the topic an then moves into a quick summary of background information or accounting of background facts/statistics.
Organization Enter description	Novice * Jumps back and forth between ideas creating a sense of disorganization, or * Text has no discernible sections - information about the topic seems to be presented in a random order.	Intermediate * Attempts to organize concepts and information into distinct sections with a cohesive structure, but may lose focus, and wander off topic in sections, or sections may not make logical sense with each other, or sections are essentially variations of the same concept, etc.	Proficient * Organizes ideas, concepts, and information into distinct sections with a cohesive structure and logical order. * Elaboration of each section is relatively balanced based on importance (more crucial sections are more elaborated than less important sections).	Above Proficient * Organizes ideas, concepts, and information into distinct sections with a cohesive structure and logical order. * Elaboration of each section is relatively balanced based on importance (more crucial sections are more elaborated than less important sections). * Sections represent a thorough consideration of the major aspects of the topic.
Formatting Enter description	Novice * Uses formatting and/or graphics that are inappropriate to the genre, or * Formatting and/or graphics are unrelated to the primary text.	Intermediate * Some formatting and/or graphics support the primary text, others are unrelated, or * Some features contradict information in the primary text, or * Number of features dwarfs the primary text resulting in a text that is primarily graphics.	Proficient Uses text features when appropriate to the genre: * Formatting - headings, sub-headings, or definitions of domain-specific vocabulary, etc. * Graphics - charts, tables, illustrations, diagrams.	Above Proficient Uses text features when appropriate to the genre: * Formatting - Moves beyond the literal to create headings by referencing a key concept that can only be fully understood by reading the section. * Graphics - Uses captions to link the graphic with the primary text, and/or graphics clearly convey major points of the text or extend the primary text. * May include insets - text boxes with information to extend the primary text, crucial quotes, etc.
Details	Novice * Few or not details from credible text(s), or * Evidence reveals significant confusion on the topic, or * Very little of the evidence supports the section.	Intermediate * Develops each section with a limited repertoire of relevant details repeating the same kinds over and over, or * Some details support and clarify the section, others are tangential, or unrelated, or * Details are presented in a list without explanation, analysis, or interpretation.	Proficient * Develops each section with repertoire of relevant details and varies details within each section. Details might include: relevant facts, definitions, quotations, examples, statistics, descriptions, angled anecdotes, interpretations/ conclusions, comparisons to more familiar topics to provide clarity. * Uses informal citation - references the author, title of text, and may include publication name.	Above Proficient * Develops each section with repertoire of relevant details and varies details within each section. Details might include: relevant facts, definitions, quotations, examples, statistics, descriptions, angled anecdotes, interpretations/ conclusions, comparisons to more familiar topics to provide clarity. * Details reveal a thorough understanding of each section. * Uses informal citation or may attempt parenthetical citation.
Transitions	Novice * Lacks transitional phrases.	Intermediate * Intermittent use of transitions, or repeats the same transition throughout, or misuses several transitions so that the relationships between ideas is not clear.	Proficient * Consistent use of varied transitions to clarify the relationship among ideas and concepts.	Above Proficient * Consistent use of varied transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. AND * Links non-adjacent sections of the text to clarify relationship.
Language & Formal Style	Novice * Uses colloquialisms, may sound more like an oral conversation than academic writing.	Intermediate * Some attempts at formal style but is inconsistent or may have inaccurately used several pieces of domain-specific vocabulary.	Proficient * Maintains a formal style by using the domain-specific vocabulary, using varied sentence structures, precise verbs, and literary turns of phrase vs. colloquial turns of phrase.	Above Proficient * Extensive use of sophisticated domain-specific vocabulary, varied sentence structure, sophisticated precise verbs, and literary turns of phrase.
Conclusion	Novice * No conclusion, or introduces a different topic that was not explored in the body of the text.	Intermediate * Provides a concluding statement or section, but may focus on one section of the text instead of the text as a whole, or may introduce unrelated information.	Proficient * Provides a concluding statement or section that follows from the information presented - quickly recaps the major sections.	Above Proficient * Provides a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented - quickly recaps the major sections, or explains the implications of the information presented, or draws a conclusion about the information presented, etc.
Conventions	Novice Several text errors impede reader's ability to even guess at the meaning.	Intermediate Text contains errors that may impede reader's understanding.	Proficient Text is relatively free of errors in sentence structure, punctuation, grammar and spelling.	Above Proficient Text is free of errors in sentence structure, punctuation, grammar and spelling.

Keywords:

essay, all-about, writing to teach

Subjects:

English

Types:

Writing

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