RUBRIC FOR EVALUATING STUDENT ESSAYS
ENGLISH 1301/1302
Evaluative Criteria
Thesis Statement:
Focus and Clarity
Organization or
Arrangement
Support/
Reasoning: Ideas
and Details
Use of Sources/
MLA
Documentation
Usage
Excellent Competency
“A” Essay
Strong Competency
“B” Essay
Develops fresh and original insight
that challenges the reader’s
thinking. Demonstrates a strong
debatable claim with specific
supporting reasons.
Completely and imaginatively
supports thesis and purpose; topic
sentences linked to thesis statement.
Sequence of ideas is very effective.
Transitions are strongly effective.
Thesis is somewhat original and
offers insight to the reader.
Debatable claim and supporting
reasons are mostly effective.
Substantial, logical, and concrete
development of ideas and
arguments. Assumptions are made
explicit. Details are relevant,
original, and convincingly
interpreted and argued.
Uses sources to support, extend, and
inform, but not substitute writer’s
own development of ideas.
Combines material from a variety of
sources, including personal analysis
and arguments, and accurate
citations to primary and secondary
texts. Does not overuse quotes to
texts. Consistently conforms to
MLA style manual requirements.
Sentence-level usage is virtually
free of any grammar errors. Final
draft demonstrates excellent
revising and proofreading.
Average Competency
“C” Essay
Limited/No Competency
“D” or “F” Essay
Thesis may be obvious or
unimaginative. Debatable claim
needs to be more assertive;
supporting reasons are somewhat
generalized.
Evidence of logical organization.
One topic sentence does not link to
thesis statement. A few abrupt shifts
of ideas noted; overall flow of ideas
in sentences is fairly competent.
Thesis may be omitted. Reader
cannot determine thesis and
purpose or thesis is not related to
the topic and writing assignment.
Offers solid, but less original
reasoning than in an “A” essay.
Some assumptions are not always
recognized or made explicit.
Contains appropriate details or
examples.
Uses sources to support, extend,
and inform, but not substitute
writer’s own development of idea.
Does not overuse quotes, but may
not always conform to required
MLA documentation and
formatting.
Offers somewhat obvious support
that may be too broad in places.
Details trend toward
generalizations: not interpreted or
sometimes repetitive.
Offers simplistic, undeveloped, or
obscure support for the ideas.
Inappropriate or off-topic
generalizations, faulty
assumptions, and errors of fact
very noticeable.
Neglects important sources and
citing to even primary texts.
Overuse of quotations or
paraphrasing to substitute writer’s
own ideas. MLA conventions are
mostly incorrect or not used at all.
Essay may border on intentional or
unintentional plagiarism.
Only a few usage errors noted. A
few “typos” and spelling errors
noted that could be corrected
through more careful editing and
proofreading.
Errors in grammar, punctuation, and
spelling noticeable in several
paragraphs. More attention to
revising, editing, and proofreading
required.
Organization clearly supports
thesis and purpose. Topic
sentences linked to thesis
statement. Transitions are mostly
appropriate.
Uses relevant sources, but lacks in
variety of sources and/or the skillful
combination of sources. Quotations
& paraphrases may be too long
and/or inconsistently referenced.
MLA conventions for citing and
formatting evidence a few errors.
Unclear organization or
organizational plan is inappropriate
to thesis. Topic sentences, if found,
do not link to thesis statement. No
transitions used.
Numerous errors in sentence-level
construction and usage occur
throughout and compromise the
clarity of the essay.