8/13/2019 Essay Assessment Rubric -

1/2

Assessment Sheet for the Academic Essay

ENGL-101

Prepared by: Hala AbdElMoneim English Language and Rhetoric Program

Material for Teachers use only Fall 2013

5 4 3 2 1

Content/

Ideas

30%

Thesis is clear and on topic;

focus is maintained

throughout essay.

Thesis is clear and on topic,

and focus is generally well

maintained.

Thesis is on topic, but may

lack clarity, and/or essay

may lack focus in some

parts.

Thesis is on topic but unclear

and/or essay loses focus.

Thesis is off topic and/or

essay is much unfocused

throughout.

Ideas are clear,

knowledgeable, and

insightful.

Ideas are clear and

knowledgeable.

Ideas are generally clear

and sometimes

knowledgeable.

Ideas are sometimes unclear

and/or reveal lack of

knowledge.

Ideas are often unclear and/or

reveal lack of knowledge.

Content is very well

developed and supported

with relevant, concrete

details.

Content is generally well

developed and supported

with relevant, concrete

details.

Content is fairly well

developed but some

supporting details are too

general, irrelevant, and/or

repetitive.

Content development is

limited as supporting details

are often too general,

irrelevant, and/or repetitive.

Content development is very

limited as supporting details

are consistently too general,

irrelevant and/or repetitive.

27- 30% 22-26% 17-21% 13-16% 5-12%

Organization

20%

Strong overall organization

with compelling

introduction, coherent body

paragraphs, and focused

conclusion.

Very good overall

organization with

appropriate introduction,

coherent body paragraphs,

and focused conclusion.

Adequate overall

organization, but

introduction, body

paragraphs, and/or

conclusion may be

somewhat inadequate

and/or too brief.

Some attempt at overall

organization, but

introduction, body

paragraphs, and/or

conclusion are inadequate or

missing.

Poor overall organization

without clear division

between introduction, body

paragraphs and/or conclusion.

Logical sequencing with

mastery of transitions and

other connective devices

within and across

paragraphs.

Logical sequencing with

generally appropriate use

of transitions and other

connective devices within

and across paragraphs.

Incomplete sequencing,

with limited or formulaic

use of transitions and other

connective devices within

and across paragraphs.

Inadequate sequencing, with

very limited or formulaic use

of transitions and other

connective devices within

and across paragraphs

Poor sequencing and/or

continual shifts in focus, with

formulaic or no use of

transitions and other

connective devices.

18-20% 15-17% 10-14% 7-9% 3-6%

Vocabulary

20%

Vocabulary range is very

wide and varied.

Vocabulary range is wide

and varied.

Vocabulary range is

adequate but somewhat

lacking in variety.

Vocabulary range is limited

and lacks variety.

Vocabulary range is very

limited and lacks variety.

Word choice is very precise

and appropriate for the task.

Word choice is generally

precise and appropriate for

the task, with occasional

awkwardness.

Word choice is sometimes

awkward due to lack of

precision or

appropriateness, but

meaning is not obscured.

Word choice is often

awkward due to lack of

precision or appropriateness,

and meaning is sometimes

obscured.

Word choice is often

imprecise and inappropriate,

and meaning is often

obscured.

8/13/2019 Essay Assessment Rubric -

2/2

Assessment Sheet for the Academic Essay

ENGL-101

Prepared by: Hala AbdElMoneim English Language and Rhetoric Program

Material for Teachers use only Fall 2013

Mastery of word forms is

evident throughout.

Mastery of word forms is

evident, with very few

errors.

Occasional word form

errors are present.

A number of word form

errors are present.

Lack of mastery of word forms

is evident throughout.

18-20% 15-17 % 10-14% 7-9% 3-6%

Language

Use

25%

Mastery of sentence

structure and boundaries.

Very good control of

sentence structure and

boundaries with very few

errors of sentence

boundary punctuation.

Good control of sentence

structure and boundaries

with occasional fragments

and/or comma splices and

run-ons.

Incomplete control of

sentence structure and

boundaries, with some

sentence fragments, comma

splices, and run-ons.

Poor control of sentence

structure and boundaries,

with a number of fragments,

comma splices and run-ons.

Effective and varied use of

simple, compound, complex,

and compound/complex

sentences.

Generally effective and

varied use of simple,

compound, complex, and

compound/complex

sentences with very few

errors.

Simple, compound,

complex and

compound/complex

sentences generally used

correctly with few errors.

Simple sentences usually

used correctly but

exclusively; or a variety of

other types of sentences is

attempted but with some

errors.

Simple sentences are

sometimes used correctly and

exclusively; attempts to use

other types of sentences are

limited and often

unsuccessful.Almost no errors of

agreement; verb tense,

voice, and form; number;

word order; articles;

prepositions, etc. Syntax is

clear and supports meaning

very effectively throughout.

Very few errors of

agreement, verb tenses

and forms, number, word

order, articles,

prepositions, etc. Meaning

is not obscured by

grammar errors.

Occasional grammar errors

such as tenses and forms,

agreement, number,

articles, prepositions, etc.

Grammar errors are

distracting, but meaning is

generally not obscured.

Some grammar errors, such

as verb tenses and forms,

number, agreement, articles,

and prepositions. Grammar

errors are distracting, and

meaning is sometimes

obscured.

Consistent errors of verb

tenses and forms, number,

agreement, articles, and

prepositions. Meaning is

often obscured by grammar

errors.

23-25% 18-22% 13-17% 8-12% 3-7%

Mechanics

5%

Clear mastery of

conventions, with very few

spelling, punctuation, andcapitalization errors.

General mastery of

conventions, with few

spelling, capitalization, orpunctuation errors.

Adequate mastery of

conventions, with

occasional spelling,punctuation, capitalization,

and/or indentation errors.

Inadequate mastery of

conventions with frequent

spelling, punctuation,capitalization, and/or

indentation errors.

No mastery of conventions;

consistent spelling,

punctuation, capitalization,and/or indentation errors.

5% 4% 3% 2-1% 0%

Total Grade: