Name____________________
Date
/100
ACADEMIC WRITING ESSAY EVALUATION CRITERIA
Language use and Sentence structure (40%)
1. Vocabulary Range
-Sophisticated range
-Adequate range
5
2. Word Choice
5. Idiomatic Language/ Direct
Translation
Organization (25%)
1. Introduction and Thesis
2. Structure and Cohesion
3. Conclusion
- 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
constructions
- Minor problems in complex
constructions( clauses, runons, connectors, fragments, etc
- Meaning not obscured
15
14
13
-Effective idiomatic language
- No direct translation from
another language
5
12
11
10
9
- Occasional idiomatic errors
- Occasional direct translation
3-------------------0
- Little/No evidence of
sentence structure selection to
achieve a specific rhetorical
purpose
- Major simple construction
problems (subj., verb, obj.,etc)
Major complex construction
problems( clauses, run-ons,
connectors, fragments, etc)
- Meaning obscured
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 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
Ineffective topic introduction
-Intro does not flow into thesis
- Thesis: Weak statement/ Not
present
- Unclear or wordy
10
9
- Thorough topic development
- Ideas grouped logically
Essay is a tight cohesive unit
-Ideas flow naturally
-Very effective transitions
8
7
6
- Adequate topic development
- Adequate grouping of ideas
- Essay is a cohesive unit
-Ideas flow
Some effective transitions
10
9
- Topic included effectively
- Effective closure
5
8
7
- Topic loosely included
-Adequate closure
4
5 --------------------------0
- Inadequate/ not present
- Inadequate development
- Not a cohesive unit
- Flow of ideas is stilted
Frequent transition errors/ not
present
5--------------------------- 0
- Topic not included
- Weak closure
3 -------------------------- 0
-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
3 ----------------0
- Some evidence of thinking
about accurate vocabulary
selection
-Occasional word choice and
usage errors
8
7
6
-Errors but meaning not
obscured
10
9
-Word form mastery and
appropriate use in context
4. Sentence Structure
Content (20%)
1. Content and Ideas
4
- Clear evidence of thinking
about accurate vocabulary
selection
- Effective word choice/use
3. Word forms
Limited range
19
18
17
4
5-----------------0
- Errors causing meaning to be
obscured
3------------------------0
6
-Shows some analysis and
interpretation of the topic
-Ideas are developed with some
detail, examples, explanations,
etc.
-Ideas show some substance and
depth
- Content is engaging
- Insufficient analysis and
inaccurate interpretation of
topic
-Ideas are not developed
(insufficient detail, examples,
explanation, discussion, etc)
- Ideas are superficial
-Content is mundane\
- Repetition of point without
real support-
17
12 -------------------------- 0
16
15
14
13
Grammar and Mechanics (15%)
1. Grammar: Verbs, Plurals,
- No/ Very few errors of
Articles, Prepositions
agreement, tense, verb form,
number, word order, articles,
pronouns, prepositions
2. Mechanics: Spelling,
Punctuation, Capitalization,
10
9
- Almost no spelling,
punctuation and capitalization
errors,
5
- Several errors of agreement,
tense, verb form, number,
word order, articles, pronouns,
prepositions
- Meaning not obscured
8
7
-Some spelling, punctuation
and capitalization errors
4
- Frequent errors of agreement,
tense, verb form, number,
word order, articles, pronouns,
prepositions
- Meaning obscured
6------------------------- 0
- Frequent spelling,
punctuation and capitalization
errors
3 ---------------------- 0