Berkshire School English Department
Category
CONTENT
Thesis
Detail &
development
Textual evidence
Works Cited
Exc (5)
Good (4)
Sat (3)
Weak (2)
Failing (1)
Provides a clear,
arguable and
interesting claim
Utilizes plentiful
detail and logical
reasoning to establish
claim
Integrates, discusses
and cites relevant
textual evidence
Provides a clear
and arguable claim
Provides a claim that
is unclear or difficult
to argue
Utilizes detail that
relates to claim
Provides a claim that
is unclear and
difficult to argue
Utilizes detail that
does not relate to
claim in clear manner
Provides no specific
claim
Includes irrelevant
textual evidence
Includes no textual
evidence
Appends a list of
Works Cited in
correct MLA format
Appends a list of
Works Cited in
incorrect MLA
format
Includes relevant
textual evidence but
not integrated or
discussed fully
Appends a list of
Works Cited with no
connection to MLA
format
Appends a list of
Work Cited but in no
clear order / method
Appends no list of
Works Cited
Offers impressive
syntactic variety with
few, if any, grammar
errors
Demonstrates clear,
correct and wellchosen, even artful,
diction
Meets all usage
guidelines for
spelling and
punctuation
Offers syntactic
variety with few
grammar errors
Meets most usage
guidelines for
spelling and
punctuation
Meets some usage
guidelines for
spelling and
punctuation
Offers limited
syntactic variety with
multiple grammar
errors
Demonstrates
incorrect or
inappropriate diction
and lacks precision
Meets few usage
guidelines for
spelling and
punctuation
Offers no syntactic
variety; rife with
grammar errors
Demonstrates
clear, correct and
effective diction
Offers limited
syntactic variety with
a fair number of
grammar errors
Demonstrates correct
diction but lacks
precision
Opens on an
interesting note &
clear intro.; closes
with a strong concl
& final thought
Features clear &
complete topic
sentences, movement
of ideas and ¶
transitions
Satisfies all MLA
guidelines for
heading, header and
body
Begins with a clear
introduction and
ends with a solid
conclusion
Begins with an
adequate intro. and
ends with an
adequate concl.
Lacking either an
introduction or
conclusion
Features neither
introduction nor
conclusion
Features topic
sentences,
movement of ideas
and ¶ transitions
Lacks topic sentences
or movement of ideas
or ¶ transitions
Little in terms of
topic sentences or
movement of ideas or
¶ transitions
Consists of a single ¶
or no clear
organization within
indiv. ¶s
Satisfies most
MLA guidelines
for heading, header
and body
Satisfies some MLA
guidelines for
heading, header and
body
Satisfies few MLA
guidelines for
heading, header and
body
Satisfies no MLA
guidelines for
heading, header and
body
CONTENT
Utilizes some
detail and logical
to support claim
Integrates textual
evidence but does
not discuss fully
Utilizes no detail
EXPRESSION
Grammar &
syntax
Word choice
Spelling &
punctuation
EXPRESSION
Demonstrates serious
problems with regard
to word choice and
usage
Meets no usage
guidelines for
spelling and
punctuation
STRUCTURE
Argument
¶ Org.
Layout
Comments
STRUCTURE