Essay Topic
Score/
Rubric
Audience & Purpose
Organization
Exposition:
Comparison-and- 6/6
Contrast Essay
Clearly presents a topic to
Well organized, with
be compared and
strong transitions helping
contrasted, and targets
to link words and ideas
audience
Exposition:
Comparison-and- 5/6
Contrast Essay
Provides a topic to be
Clearly organized,
compared and contrasted, although an occasional
and targets audience
lapse may occur
Exposition:
Comparison-and- 4/6
Contrast Essay
Is consistently organized,
Provides a topic to be
although perhaps
compared and contrasted
simplistically
Exposition:
Comparison-and- 3/6
Contrast Essay
May attempt to compare
May have organization in
and contrast two things,
parts, but lacks
but does not do so fully
organization in other parts
or clearly
Exposition:
Comparison-and- 2/6
Contrast Essay
Only a minimal attempt
at comparing and
contrasting two things;
either topic is unclear or
support is limited
Very disorganized, and not
easy to follow
Does not compare and
contrast
Lacks organization, and is
confused and difficult to
follow; may be too brief to
assess organization
Exposition:
Comparison-and- 1/6
Contrast Essay
Elaboration
Use of Language
Effectively elaborates
Varies sentence structures and makes
similarities and differences
good word choices; very few errors in
with details and examples
spelling, grammar, or punctuation
as support
Some sentence variety and good word
Elaborates similarities and
choices; some errors in spelling,
differences with details and
grammar or punctuation, but they do
examples as support
not interfere with reader understanding
Sentence structures and word choices
are appropriate; errors in spelling,
Adequately addresses
grammar, or punctuation may occur
similarities and differences
but do not interfere with reader
understanding
Does not consistently
Inconsistent control of sentence
address similarities and
structure, and incorrect word choices;
differences; may
errors in spelling, grammar, or
emphasize some but
punctuation occasionally interfere
neglect others
with reader understanding
Problematic sentence structure and
Similarities and differences
frequent inaccuracies in word choice;
are not present or not
errors in spelling, grammar, and
wellexplained; support is
punctuation hinder reader
minimal
understanding
Little or no control over sentences,
and incorrect word choices, may cause
Lacks support or
confusion; many errors in spelling,
elaboration
grammar, and punctuation severely
hinder reader understanding