Name____________________
Date
/100
Level 4 ACADEMIC WRITING ESSAY EVALUATION CRITERIA
Language use and Sentence structure (40%)
1. Vocabulary Range
-Sophisticated range
5
-Adequate range
4
Limited range
3 ----------------0
2. Word Choice
- Clear evidence of thinking
about accurate vocabulary
selection
- Effective word choice/use
- Some evidence of thinking
about accurate vocabulary
selection
-Occasional word choice and
usage errors
7
6
5
-Errors but meaning not
obscured
- Little evidence of careful
vocabulary selection
-Frequent word choice and
usage errors
5
- Strong evidence of sentence
structure selection to achieve
a specific rhetorical purpose
-Effective simple, compound
and complex constructions
4
- evidence of sentence
structure selection to achieve
a specific rhetorical purpose
- Effective but simple or
compound constructions
- Minor problems in complex
constructions( clauses, runons, connectors, fragments,
etc
- Meaning not obscured
10
9
8
7
-Effective idiomatic language
- No direct translation from
another language
5
6
5
4
- Occasional idiomatic errors
- Occasional direct translation
3-------------------0
- Little/No evidence of
sentence structure selection to
achieve a specific rhetorical
purpose
- Major simple and/or
compound construction
problems (subj., verb,
obj.,etc)
Major complex construction
problems( clauses, run-ons,
connectors, fragments, etc)
- Meaning obscured
3-----------------------0
- Frequent idiomatic errors
- Frequent direct translations
- Topic very effectively
introduced
- Intro flows naturally into
thesis
- Thesis: Strong statement
containing position and
indicates essay outline
- succinct thesis
-Topic is introduced
- Intro and thesis are loosely
connected
-Thesis: Statement
containing position
-Clear thesis
10
9
8
-Word form mastery and
appropriate use in context
3. Word forms
4. Sentence Structure
5. Idiomatic Language/ Direct
Translation
4
4-----------------0
- Errors causing meaning to
be obscured
3------------------------0
Organization (25%)
1. Introduction and Thesis
10
2. Structure and Cohesion
3. Conclusion
9
8
7
6
Ineffective topic introduction
-Intro does not flow into
thesis
- Thesis: Weak statement/
Not present
- Unclear or wordy
5
- Thorough topic
development
- Ideas grouped logically
Essay is a tight cohesive unit
-Ideas flow naturally
-Very effective transitions
- Adequate topic development
- Adequate grouping of ideas
-Essay is a cohesive unit
-Ideas flow
Some effective transitions
4 --------------------------0
- Inadequate/ not present
- Inadequate development
- Not a cohesive unit
- Flow of ideas is stilted
Frequent transition errors/ not
present
10
9
8
- Topic included effectively
- Effective closure
5
7
6
5
- Topic loosely included
-Adequate closure
4
4--------------------------- 0
- Topic not included
- Weak closure
3 -------------------------- 0
Content (20%)
1. Content and Ideas
- Essay demonstrates analysis and
accurate interpretation of the topic
-Ideas are fully developed with
details, examples, explanation, etc.
- Ideas show much substance and
depth
-Content is very engaging
20
19
18
17
-Shows some analysis and
interpretation of the topic
-Ideas are developed with some
detail, examples, explanations,
etc.
-Ideas show some substance and
depth
- Insufficient analysis and
inaccurate interpretation of
topic
-Ideas are not developed
(insufficient detail, examples,
explanation, discussion, etc)
- Ideas are dull
16
10 -------------------------- 0
15
14
13
12 11
Grammar and Mechanics (15%)
1. Grammar: Verbs, Plurals,
Articles, Prepositions
- No/ Very few errors of
agreement, tense, number,
word order, articles, pronouns,
prepositions
10
9
8
7
- Several errors of agreement,
tense, number, word order,
articles, pronouns,
prepositions
- Meaning not obscured
6
5
- Frequent errors of
agreement, tense, number,
word order, articles, pronouns,
prepositions
- Meaning obscured
4
3 ------------------------ 0
2. Mechanics: Spelling,
Punctuation, Capitalization
- Almost no spelling,
punctuation and capitalization
10
9
8
-Some spelling, punctuation
and capitalization errors
7
6
5
- Frequent spelling,
punctuation and capitalization
errors
4 ------------------------ 0