Student Rubric for Evaluating Essay Writing
Part of
Paper Being
Evaluated
Excellent Effort
4-5
Title Page
A complete Title Page
includes: Title of Paper,
Your name,
Course name, Instructor’s
name, and Date.
Grammar,
Spelling, and the
way the
sentences are
put together.
Writing is clear and easy to
read. There are few grammar
and spelling mistakes. Good
use of transitional words,
introductory phrases, and
combined sentences.
10-15
Writer has supplied a lot of
examples and important facts
which make the topic
interesting and informative
for the reader.
The writer has thought about
and obviously understands
the material he writes about.
He draws conclusions and
looks at the topic in a fresh
way.
10-15
Content
Working with
the Content
Thesis
Statement
(the sentence which
states the Main Topic)
The writer clearly states the
paper’s purpose in a way that
makes the reader want to
read more.
Number of
Points
earned
8-10
4-5
Good Effort
Only a couple pieces of required
information missing.
Sometimes the writing is clear,
other times it’s fuzzy. There are
several mistakes in grammar and
spelling and the writer overuses
simple sentences or makes
sentences too long.
The writer has supplied just the
bare minimum of examples and
information in a very uninteresting
way.
The writer understands the
material, but just states facts and
does not provide the reader with
any new ways of thinking about
the topic.
The writer just states the paper’s
purpose in a single uninteresting
sentence.
Number of
Points
earned
3-4
5-9
5-9
5-7
3-4
Poor Effort
Title page totally missing or
title page only has a couple
pieces of required information.
Writing is confusing. It is hard
to understand what the writer
is trying to say. Grammar,
spelling, and punctuation are
really bad.
The writer has not supplied
enough information or the
information is so disorganized
that the reader can’t really tell
what the paper is about.
The writer doesn’t seem to
understand the material and
basically leaves the reader
hanging.
The writer does not really tell
the reader what the paper is
about.
Number of
Points
earned
0-2
0-4
0-4
0-4
0-2
Introduction
(first paragraph)
Body of the
Paper
(the 3 or 4 middle
paragraphs)
Conclusion
(last paragraph)
The introduction contains the
Thesis Statement (Main Topic)
and supplies a preview of the
ideas which will be discussed
in the body of the paper.
Each of the paragraphs in the
body of the paper has a main
idea that relates to the Main
Topic and which is explained
by examples, facts, and/ or
personal experiences.
In the last paragraph, the
writer restates the thesis
statement (Main Topic) and
supplies interesting
conclusions from his point of
view about the ideas
expressed in the body of the
essay.
Clarity
The reader is able to
understand all the paper.
Use of Essay
Format
The writer uses the correct
form for essays.
Tone
The writer sounds
professional.
Length
Paper is the assigned
length…no unrelated
information is included to
beef up the length.
4-5
10-15
The introduction states the main
topic, but does not explain what
the paper will contain.
Some of the paragraphs in the
body of the paper may be missing
main ideas and/ or the examples
and facts that explain them.
4-5
3-4
5-9
5
4-5
4-5
0-4
3-4
There are just a few parts of the
paper that are difficult to
understand.
The correct form for essays was
not used throughout the paper.
The writer sounds professional
most of the time, but sometimes
sounds too personal or immature.
The paper is shorter than the
assigned length.
0-2
The writing is made of a bunch
of jumbled up ideas.
The writer may either fail to
restate the thesis statement or
does not draw any interesting
personal conclusions.
4-5
There is no real
introduction…the paper just
starts and continues in a
disorganized fashion.
0-2
The writer does not restate the
thesis statement, and, also fails
to make any interesting
personal conclusions.
3-4
The reader can’t figure out the
paper’s main topic or the ideas
presented don’t seem to relate
to the main topic.
3
The basic essay form was not
used. The writer just randomly
wrote down ideas as they
occurred to him/her.
3-4
The writer does not sound
professional, rather writing
sounds like a personal stream
of thoughts like one would find
in a diary.
3-4
Paper is much shorter than
assigned length and fails to
meet minimal standards.
0-2
0
0-2
0-2
Turning in the
Paper
Paper is turned in on the
assigned date.
5
Paper is turned in late.
3
Paper is turned in after the last
class.
Total Points
Writer’s Name: ______________________________
Grader’s Name:______________________________
Date:_____________________
1