iRubric: "Cask of Amontillado" Explication rubric

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"Cask of Amontillado" Explication

Poetry Explication Essay, Final Draft

An in-depth examination of a brief passage from Edgar Allan Poe's "Cask of Amontillado."

Rubric Code: WX7BC33

By chrissandifer

Ready to use

Public Rubric

Subject: English

Type: Writing

Grade Levels: 9-12

Explication Paper
	Excellent 5 pts	Good 4 pts	Fair 3 pts	Poor 2 pts	Unacceptable 1 pts
Thesis	Excellent The paper has an excellent thesis. The thesis explains the story in sophisticated terms, demonstrating an excellent understanding of the story and advancing original thought about the story and its meaning.	Good The paper has a good thesis. The thesis explains the story in competent terms, demonstrating a good understanding of the story and advancing original thought about the story and its meaning.	Fair The paper has a basic thesis. The thesis explains the story in basic terms, demonstrating a simplistic understanding of the story.	Poor The paper has a poor thesis. The thesis explains the story in the most basic of terms, without any original thinking.	Unacceptable The paper does not have a clear and compelling thesis. The thesis does not explain the story.
Development and Thematic Discussion	Excellent This paper presents an excellent understanding of the themes of the story and integrates those themes into the thesis and the line-by-line explication, demonstrating an excellent level of mastery over the story's form, content, and meaning.	Good This paper presents a good understanding of the themes of the story and integrates those themes into the thesis and the line-by-line explication, demonstrating a good level of mastery over the story's form, content, and meaning.	Fair This paper presents a basic understanding of the themes in the story and uses these themes as a general guide for the line-by-line explication, demonstrating a fair level of mastery over the story's form, content, and meaning. .	Poor This paper misinterprets the major themes of the story.	Unacceptable This paper does not discuss the major themes of the story.
Passage Explication	Excellent This explication demonstrates a good understanding of the elements of literature (character, setting, themes, etc). The paper has an excellent explication of the passage, explaining the meaning of the passage in sophisticated and interesting terms. This explication is sophisticated and deep.	Good This explication demonstrates a good understanding of the elements of literature (character, setting, themes, etc). The paper has a good explication of the passage, explaining the meaning of the passage in competent terms. This explication is good overall, but lacks some depth and sophistication.	Fair This explication demonstrates a basic understanding of the elements of literature (character, setting, themes, etc). The paper has a fair explication of the passage, explaining the meaning of the passage in basic terms. This explication lacks sophistication and depth.	Poor This explication demonstrates a poor understanding of the elements of literature (character, setting, themes, etc). The paper has a poor explication of the passage, explaining the meaning of the passage in basic terms that are sometimes confusing and lack coherence. This explication lacks sophistication and depth.	Unacceptable The paper does an unacceptable job of discussing the passage.
Use of Quotations	Excellent This paper makes excellent use of quotations as textual evidence.	Good This paper smoothly integrates quotations and analysis in support of the paper's thesis.	Fair This paper makes satisfactory use of quotations as textual evidence.	Poor This paper either makes use of too many quotations without fully explaining and analyzing them or does not include enough quotations as textual evidence.	Unacceptable This paper does not make effective use of textual citation.
Quote Embedding & Style	Excellent Quoted evidence is properly woven into a smooth sentence as shown below. I provide the page number is provided after the quote in this format: [Context for scene of the quote], [speaker’s] [observes/realizes/comments] “quote” (Line 12). The author’s last name is used at least once in each paragraph. “Commentary verbs” are used frequently to add to the sophistication of each paragraph: suggests, symbolizes, signifies, illustrates, highlights, reveals.	Good (1) Quoted evidence is attempted to be woven into a sentence, but that sentence is not smooth (the verbs don’t agree, etc.). CORRECT FORMAT: [Context for scene of the quote], [speaker’s] [observes/realizes/comments] “quote” (Line 12). (2) The author’s last name is not used at least once in each paragraph. (3) “Commentary verbs” are used, but not frequently to add to the sophistication of each paragraph: suggests, symbolizes, signifies, illustrates, highlights, reveals.	Fair (1) Quoted evidence is not attempted to be woven into a sentence; the student may just begin a sentence with the quote, but fail to produce proper context for that quote. CORRECT: [Context for scene of the quote], [speaker’s] [observes/realizes/comments] “quote” (Line 12). (2) The author’s last name is not used at least once per paragraph. (3) “Commentary verbs” are not used at all to add to sophistication: suggests, symbolizes, signifies, illustrates, highlights, reveals.	Poor (1) Quoted evidence is not attempted to be woven into a sentence; the student may just begin a sentence with the quote, but fail to produce proper context for that quote. CORRECT: [Context for scene of the quote], [speaker’s] [observes/realizes/comments] “quote” (Line 12). (2) The author’s last name is not used at least once per paragraph. (3) “Commentary verbs” are not used at all to add to sophistication: suggests, symbolizes, signifies, illustrates, highlights, reveals.	Unacceptable (1) Quoted evidence is not used at all. CORRECT FORMAT: [Context for scene of the quote], [speaker’s] [observes/realizes/comments] “quote” (Line 12). (2) The author’s last name is not used at least once in each paragraph. (3) “Commentary verbs” are not used at all to add to the sophistication of each paragraph: suggests, symbolizes, signifies, illustrates, highlights, reveals.
MLA Style	Excellent The paper uses proper citations and cites correctly with no errors when outside sources are used. Paper uses all MLA layout conventions correctly.	Good The paper uses proper citations and cites correctly with only a few minor errors. Some layout errors.	Fair The paper uses proper citations sporadically.<BR> Many layout errors	Poor The paper does not use proper citations consistently or cites incorrectly or uses wrong layout.	Unacceptable The paper does not use proper citations or cites incorrectly.
Grammar & Mechanics	Excellent This paper has been proofread and is flawless. There are no errors in grammar or mechanics.	Good This paper has been proofread. There are very small errors in grammar and mechanics.	Fair This paper has been proofread, however, there are errors in grammar and mechanics.	Poor This paper has many errors in grammar and mechanics. The paper demonstrates poor control over academic American English.	Unacceptable The paper has so many errors in grammar and mechanics that it lacks fluency.

Keywords:

Explication

Subjects:

English

Types:

Writing

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