Community Profile Assessment Rubric
Above Standard
Focus and thesis • The essay is clearly focused around an explicit,
engaging thesis that asserts a community choice
and a specific dominant impression.
• All text contributes to the thesis.
Support
Organization
Purpose and
audience
Conventions
• Description is vivid, concrete, and original.
• The description supports an insider’s
perspective.
• Sensory details are relevant, sufficient, and
varied.
• The support integrates figurative language and
member interviews in compelling ways.
• The writer’s reasons for community choice are
specific, relevant and sufficient.
• Organization shows a logical progression and is
appropriate.
• The writer uses effective transitions and
cueing devices.
• The topic sentences are clear.
• The paragraphs are coherent, unified, and
effectively developed.
• The purpose is clear, well-controlled, and very
effective for the audience.
• The essay is appropriately complex for a
college-level audience.
• Audience able to read the text with ease.
• The tone is appropriate and consistent.
• Errors in grammar usage and mechanics are
not readily detectable.
• The writer is able to manipulate conventions
for stylistic effect.
• Sentences are complex and effective.
• No patterns of error.
At Standard
Below Standard
• The essay is focused around a thesis, but it
may not be engaging or assert a specific dominant
impression.
• One or two places in the essay stray from the
focus.
• The description could be more detailed.
• The support may not all be from an insider.
• A greater variety of vivid sensory details could
be used.
• The support is neither sufficient nor specific.
• The essay may not use figurative language or
member interviews.
• The writer’s reasons for community choice
may not be specific, relevant, or sufficient.
• The organization is uneven or illogical.
• Some transitions and cueing devices may be
ineffective.
• Some of the topic sentences may be vague.
• Some of the paragraphs may be incoherent or
underdeveloped.
• There is no clear thesis.
• The thesis is too broad or confusing.
• The writer may indicate a thesis, but it does
not unify the essay.
• The support often strays from the focus.
• The description is neither varied nor vivid.
• The details are not from an insider.
• The details are insufficient or irrelevant.
• The support does not include figurative
language or member interviews.
• No reasons for community choice are given.
• The purpose is mostly clear, appropriate, and
effective for the audience.
• The essay attempts appropriate complexity for
a college-level audience.
• The audience is generally able to read the text
with ease.
• The tone is mostly appropriate, consistent.
• A few errors in grammar usage and mechanics
may occur, but do not distract the reader.
• Writing conventions require minimal polishing
and editing.
• Some of the sentences are simplistic and
repetitive.
• The purpose is unclear and ineffective.
• The essay is too simplistic for a college-level
audience.
• The audience is unable to read the text with
ease.
• The tone is inappropriate or inconsistent.
• The organization is confusing.
• The writer does not use transitions or cueing
devices to move between points.
• Few or ineffective topic sentences are used.
• The paragraphs are incoherent or
underdeveloped.
• Errors in grammar usage and mechanics occur
with more frequency and may distract the reader.
• Writing conventions require moderate to
extensive editing.
• Sentence structure is often simplistic and
repetitive.
Totals