Grade 9 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
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 a clear and effective
organizational structure that
effectively and logically presents
complex ideas, concepts and
information to analyze important
connections and distinctions,
creating unity and completeness
 includes formatting (e.g.
headings), graphics (e.g. figures
and tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension
 effectively and consistently uses a
variety of transitional strategies
(efficient and meaningful words,
phrases and clauses, as well as
varied syntax) to:
o link major sections of text
o create cohesion
o clarify relationships
among complex ideas
and concepts
 provides an effective introduction
The writer
 uses an evident organizational
structure that adequately presents
complex ideas, concepts and
information to make important
connections and distinctions,
creating a sense of completeness
The writer
 uses an inconsistent
organizational structure that
partially presents ideas, concepts
and information, partially making
connections but with some
evident flaws
The writer
 uses little or no discernible
organizational structure to present
ideas, concepts and information,
seldom making connections

includes formatting (e.g.
headings), graphics (e.g. figures
and tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension
adequately uses transitional
strategies (words, phrases and
clauses, as well as varied syntax)
with some variety to:
o link major sections of text
o create cohesion
o clarify the relationships
among complex ideas
and concepts

uses some formatting, graphics
and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension

uses little or no formatting,
graphics or multimedia

inconsistently uses basic
transitional strategies (some
words, phrases or clauses) with
little variety and simple syntax to
o link major sections of text
o create cohesion
o clarify the relationships
among complex ideas
and concepts

uses few or no transitional
strategies (limited language
structures) with frequent
extraneous ideas that may intrude

provides an adequate introduction

provides a limited introduction



provides a conclusion that follows
from and adequately supports the
information or explanation
presented (e.g. articulating
implications or the significance of
the topic.)

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
provides a powerful conclusion
that follows from and effectively
supports the information or
explanation presented (e.g.
articulating implications or the
significance of the topic.)

Development: Elaboration
of Evidence
Language and
Vocabulary
Conventions
The writer
 supplies thorough and convincing
support/evidence:
o facts
o extended 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
 supplies significant and relevant
support/evidence
o facts
o extended definitions
o concrete details
o quotations or other information
o strong examples
 adequately uses some elaborative
techniques
 adequately uses some evidence from
sources that is integrated, though
citations may be general or imprecise
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


The writer
 clearly and effectively expresses
ideas, using precise words, phrases
and clauses to manage the
complexity of 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 and objective tone
The writer
 demonstrates a strong command of
conventions:
o demonstrates effective use of
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling, with insignificant errors
that need little or no editing
o effectively demonstrates correct

use of a semicolon (and
perhaps a conjunctive
adverb) to link two or more
closely related independent
clauses

use of a colon to introduce a
list or quotation
o demonstrates few, if any, errors
in usage and sentence formation
o demonstrates effective use of
parallel structure
o demonstrates effective use of
various types of phrases and
clauses
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
The writer
 unevenly expresses ideas, using
simplistic words, phrases and clauses
to support the information/explanation


adequately establishes and maintains
a formal style and objective tone
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 distract from the
information/explanation
o adequately demonstrates correct

use of a semicolon (and
perhaps a conjunctive
adverb) to link two or more
closely related independent
clauses

use of a colon to introduce a
list or quotation
o demonstrates some minor errors
in usage and sentence formation
that do not obscure meaning
o demonstrates adequate use of
parallel structure
o demonstrates adequate use of
various types of phrases and
clauses


uses weak or uneven elaborative
techniques
uses evidence from sources that is
weakly integrated, and citations, if
present, are uneven
uses domain-specific vocabulary that
may at times be inappropriate for the
audience and purpose
partially establishes a formal style and
objective tone
The writer
 demonstrates a partial command of
conventions:
o demonstrates inconsistent use of
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling, with errors that need
editing to clarify the
information/explanation
o sometimes demonstrates correct

use of a semicolon to link two
or more closely related
independent clauses

use of a colon to introduce a
list or quotation
o demonstrates frequent errors in
usage and sentence formation
that may obscure meaning
o demonstrates partial use of
parallel structure
o demonstrates some use of
phrases and clauses

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 and
objective tone
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
o demonstrates incorrect

use of a semicolon to link two
or more closely related
independent clauses

use of a colon to introduce a
list or quotation
o demonstrates frequent and
severe errors in usage and
sentence formation that often
obscure meaning
o demonstrates little or no use of
parallel structure
o demonstrates little or no use of
phrases and clauses
*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.