Dialogue Rubric
Traits
Writing/Conventions
Fluency/Performance
Creativity/Voice
Meaning
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Writing mostly follows Dialogue is vague and/
Writing follows the
Writing follows the
the conventions of
or inappropriate.
conventions of dialogue conventions of dialogue
dialogue with some
Dialogue is not written
without exception.
with few exceptions.
deviations. Writing
in conventional form.
Writing evidences a
Writing evidences a
shows an attempt at
Frequent errors in
clear, sophisticated
clear structure. Few
structure, but lacks
spelling, punctuation and
structure. No errors in errors in spelling,
consistency. Many errors grammar that interfere
spelling, punctuation and punctuation and
in spelling, punctuation with meaning and/or
grammar.
grammar.
and grammar.
readability.
The scene moves
The actions of the scene
The scene moves
The actions of the scene
smoothly throughout.
are unclear. Actors are
smoothly throughout.
are usually clear. Focus
The actors are audible
unaware of actions from
Actors expand and
is often lost during the
and express emotion and
moment to moment.
explore ideas. Actors are
scene. Actors are
purpose. Actors sustain
Actors may laugh or
always audible, clearly
sometimes inaudible,
the scene, with some
distract each other.
focused and committed
unprepared for new
distraction caused by
Voices are too soft to be
to the emotion and
events in the scene or
mistakes or “breaking
heard and/or words are
purpose.
“break character.”.
character.”
spoken too fast.
Scene relies almost
Scene relies entirely
Scene relies mostly upon Scene relies in part upon
entirely upon authorupon original, student- original, studentauthor-generated
generated circumstances.
generated circumstances, generated circumstances, circumstances. Voices
Voices of the characters
but preserves the voices but preserves the voices of the characters veer
veer significantly from
of the characters.
of the characters.
from original somewhat.
original.
Dialogue demonstrates
Dialogue demonstrates a Dialogue demonstrates Dialogue demonstrates a
an insightful
solid understanding of an unclear understanding lack of understanding of
understanding of the
the task, the characters, of the task, the
the task, the characters,
task, the characters
their motivations and
characters, their
their motivations and
chosen, their motivations
their relationship in the motivations and their
their relationship in the
and their relationship in
novel.
relationship in the novel. novel.
the novel.