Grade 7 Instructional Writing Rubric* (Last Revised 11/1/2012) Aligned to Next Generation West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives for English Language Arts and Literacy Smarter Balanced Claim 2: Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of purposes and audiences. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY Organization Statement of Purpose/Focus 4 Exemplary – Exceeds Standard 3 Proficient – Meets Standard 2 Partial – Approaches Standard 1 Minimal – Begins Standard The writer effectively and consistently focuses on a clearly identified purpose and topic throughout The writer adequately focuses on an identified purpose and topic The writer somewhat focuses on an identified purpose and topic The writer seldom focuses on purpose and topic, and response may be very brief, confusing or ambiguous effectively considers the audience’s knowledge of the topic The writer uses a clear and effective organizational structure that effectively and logically presents ideas, concepts and information, using strategies such as definition classification comparison/contrast cause/effect includes formatting (e.g. headings), graphics (e.g. charts and tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension effectively and consistently uses a variety of transition words, phrases and clauses, along with varied syntax, to: o effectively create cohesion o effectively clarify relationships among ideas and concepts provides an effective introduction provides a powerful conclusion that follows from and effectively supports the information or explanation presented adequately considers the audience’s knowledge of the topic shows some consideration of the audience’s knowledge of the topic does not consider the audience’s knowledge of the topic The writer uses an evident organizational structure that adequately presents ideas, concepts and information, using strategies such as definition classification comparison/contrast cause/effect The writer uses an inconsistent organizational structure that partially presents ideas, concepts and information with some evident flaws The writer uses little or no discernible organizational structure to present ideas, concepts and information uses some formatting, graphics and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension uses little or no formatting, graphics or multimedia inconsistently uses basic transition words, phrases or clauses with little variety and simple syntax to o somewhat create cohesion o partially clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts uses few or no transition words, phrases or clauses (limited language structures) with frequent extraneous ideas that may intrude provides a limited introduction provides a conclusion that partially supports the information or explanation presented provides a minimal or no introduction does not provide a conclusion that adequately supports the information or explanation presented includes formatting (e.g. headings), graphics (e.g. charts and tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension adequately uses appropriate transition words, phrases and clauses, along with some variation in syntax, to: o adequately create cohesion o adequately clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts provides an adequate introduction provides a conclusion that follows from and adequately supports the information or explanation presented Development: Elaboration of Evidence Language and Vocabulary Conventions The writer supplies thorough and convincing support/evidence with many relevant: o facts o definitions o concrete details o quotations or other information o strong examples effectively uses a variety of elaborative techniques effectively uses evidence from sources that is smoothly integrated, comprehensive and concrete The writer clearly and effectively expresses ideas, using precise words, phrases and clauses to elaborate the information/explanation uses academic and domain-specific vocabulary that is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose effectively establishes and maintains a formal style The writer demonstrates an effective command of conventions: o demonstrates effective use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, with insignificant errors that need little or no editing: comma to separate coordinate adjectives o demonstrates few, if any, errors in grammar and usage: phrases and clauses with no or very few misplaced or dangling modifiers o demonstrates few, if any, errors in sentence formation: much variety in use of simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences The writer supplies significant and relevant support/evidence with sufficient relevant o facts o definitions o concrete details o quotations or other information o sufficient examples adequately uses some elaborative techniques adequately uses some evidence from sources that is integrated, though citations may be general or imprecise The writer adequately expresses ideas, employing a mix of precise with more general words, phrases and clauses to convey the information/explanation uses domain-specific vocabulary that is generally appropriate for the audience and purpose adequately establishes and maintains a formal style The writer demonstrates an adequate command of conventions: o demonstrates adequate use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, with few errors that need editing but do not detract from the information/explanation: comma to separate coordinate adjectives o demonstrates some minor errors in grammar and usage: phrases and clauses with few misplaced or dangling modifiers o demonstrates some minor errors in sentence formation that do not obscure meaning: some variety in use of simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences The writer supplies some relevant support/evidence: o facts o details o examples The writer provides little or no relevant support/evidence: o facts o details o examples uses weak or uneven elaborative techniques uses evidence from sources that is weakly integrated, and citations, if present, are uneven The writer unevenly expresses ideas, using simplistic words, phrases and clauses to support the information/explanation uses domain-specific vocabulary that may at times be inappropriate for the audience and purpose partially establishes a formal style The writer demonstrates a partial command of conventions: o demonstrates inconsistent use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, with frequent errors that need editing to clarify the information/explanation: comma to separate coordinate adjectives o demonstrates frequent errors in grammar and usage: phrases and clauses with some misplaced or dangling modifiers o demonstrates frequent errors in sentence formation that may obscure meaning: little variety in use of simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences uses little or no elaborative techniques uses little or no evidence from sources or evidence that is erroneous or irrelevant The writer expresses vague, unclear or confusing ideas, rarely using words, phrases and clauses that support the information/explanation uses limited language or domainspecific vocabulary rarely establishes a formal style The writer demonstrates a lack of command of conventions o demonstrates incorrect use of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, with frequent and severe errors that need editing to convey the information/explanation: comma to separate coordinate adjectives o demonstrates frequent and severe errors in grammar and usage: phrases and clauses with frequent misplaced or dangling modifiers o demonstrates frequent and severe errors in sentence formation that often obscure meaning: mostly simple sentences *This instructional writing rubric is designed as an instructional tool for teachers and students to use as they begin implementation of the Next Generation WV Content Standards and Objectives in the classroom. The existing WV Writing Rubric, aligned to the 21st Century WV Content Standards and Objectives, will continue to be used to assess student writing produced for WESTEST 2 Online Writing, a component of WESTEST 2, through 2014. Classroom teachers, schools and school systems implementing the Next Generation Content Standards prior to 2014 should use this instructional rubric to assess student growth in writing relevant to the expectations set forth in the Next Generation Standards prior to 2014-15 when the SMARTER Balanced Assessment is scheduled to be administered as the state summative assessment.