Objective/Criteria
Performance Indicators
Unacceptable
Needs Improvement
Meets Expectations
Good
Very Good
Exceptional
Move #1: Familiarize
Readers with a QAI
(0 points)
Does not present a
QAI. Does not
address the
assignment.
(3 points)
QAI presented but no
background or context
offered.
(3.5 points)
QAI presented and some
background and context
provided.
(4 points)
QAI is clear and contextualized.
Background helps readers
understand the nature of the
problem.
(4.5 points)
QAI is clear and contextualized.
Background information helps
readers understand why the question
remains at issue and is difficult to
resolve.
(5 points)
QAI is clear and contextualized. There is
background information that helps readers
understand why the question remains at issue and
is difficult to resolve. There is explanation of
what makes the QAI important for readers to
consider.
Move #2: Present a
Thesis
(0 points)
Does not present a
thesis. Does not
address the
assignment.
(3 points)
Presents a identifiable
thesis, but it may not be
clearly worded or
arguable.
(3.5 points)
Thesis is identifiable and fairly
clearly worded and arguable.
(4 points)
Thesis is clearly worded,
arguable, and clearly responds to
the QAI.
(4.5 points)
Thesis is clearly worded, arguable,
and responds directly to the QAI.
Thesis is precise and focused.
(5 points)
Thesis is clearly worded, arguable, and responds
directly to the QAI. Thesis is precise and focused,
and it represents a fresh or unique response to the
QAI.
Move #3: Define Key
Terms
(0 points)
Key terms are not
mentioned nor
defined. Does not
address the
assignment.
(3 points)
Key terms mentioned but
not sufficiently defined.
(3.5 points)
Key terms mentioned but
minimally defined.
(4 points)
Key terms are defined with
helpful detail and examples.
(4.5 points)
Key terms are defined with helpful
detail and examples. Some attempt
to connect the key terms to the
supporting reasons, explanations,
and examples.
(5 points)
Key terms are defined with helpful detail and
examples. Key terms connect clearly to the
supporting reasons, explanations, and examples.
Move #4: Offer
Supporting Reasons,
Explanations, &
Examples
(0 points)
Little to no support
offered. Does not
address the
assignment.
(9 points)
Some support offered but
not developed.
(10.5 points)
Support offered but not fully
developed. There may be few or
no examples and little evidence.
(12 points)
Support offered and developed.
There may be some examples and
evidence but the essay does not
explain how these connect to the
explanations and reasons.
(13.5 points)
Support offered and fully
developed. There are examples and
evidence that clearly connect to the
explanations and reasons.
(15 points)
Support offered and fully developed. There are
examples and evidence that clearly connect to the
explanations and reasons. The explanations allow
readers to see clearly how the writer arrived at the
position expressed in the thesis.
Move #5:
Acknowledge,
Accommodate, &
Refute Opposing
Points of View
(0 points)
Does not
acknowledge
opposition. Does not
address the
assignment.
(9 points)
Opposition acknowledged
but not refuted.
(10.5 points)
Opposing points of view are
acknowledged and there is some
attempt to accommodate and
refute.
(12 points)
Opposing points of view are
acknowledged and minimally
accommodated and refuted.
(13.5 points)
Opposing points of view are
acknowledged and effectively
accommodated and refuted.
(15 points)
Opposing points of view are acknowledged and
effectively accommodated and refuted. The
refutations clearly connect back to the thesis.
Move #6: Let
Readers Know the
Essay is Over
(0 points)
No ending. Does not
address the
assignment.
(3 points)
Ending is abrupt.
(3.5 points)
(4 points)
The essay concludes but may do The essay concludes gracefully.
so awkwardly.
(4.5 points)
The essay concludes gracefully and
reminds readers of the thesis.
(5 points)
The essay concludes gracefully, reminds readers
of the thesis, and encourages them to think about
the consequences of not accepting the thesis.
(6 points)
The essay offers many
unsupported assumptions
and gross generalizations.
The essay offers some
logical interpretations of
evidence, but relies
primarily on unsound
logic. The essay offers
insufficient explanation of
the grounds for the
specific position taken.
(7 points)
The essay mostly avoids
unsupported assumptions and
gross generalizations. The essay
offers logical interpretations of
evidence and uses almost no
unsound logic. The essay offers
some explanation of the grounds
for the specific position taken..
(8 points)
The essay avoids unsupported
assumptions and gross
generalizations. The essay offers
logical interpretations of evidence
and uses no unsound logic. The
essay offers a developed
explanation of the grounds for the
specific position taken..
(9 points)
The essay avoids unsupported
assumptions and gross
generalizations. The essay offers
logical interpretations of evidence &
uses only sound logic. The essay
attempts to lay bare the thinking
processes that led the writer to the
conclusions. The essay offers a
well-developed explanation of the
grounds for the specific position
taken.
(10 points)
The essay avoids unsupported assumptions and
gross generalizations. The essay offers logical
interpretations of evidence & uses only sound
logic. The essay lays bare the thinking processes
that led the writer to the conclusions so the reader
can follow the thinking to the conclusion. The
essay offers a very well-developed explanation of
the grounds for the specific position taken.
Critical Thinking and (0 points)
The essay offers
Logic
mostly unsupported
assumptions and gross
generalizations. The
essay does not offer
reasonable, logical
interpretations of
evidence. The essay
does not offer any
grounds for the
specific position
taken.
Source Use
(0 points)
The essay does not
integrate words and
ideas from appropriate
sources.
(6 points)
Quotes do not logically
relate to the ideas in the
paragraph.
(7 points)
Quotes logically relate to the
ideas in the paragraph, but the
significance of the quotes may
not always be clear.
(8 points)
Quotes logically relate to the
ideas in the paragraph, and the
significance of the quotes is made
minimally clear.
(9 points)
Quotes logically relate to the ideas
in the paragraph, and the
significance of the quotes is made
clear.
(10 points)
Quotes logically relate to the ideas in the
paragraph, the writer uses the quotes to develop
or support the point made in the paragraph, and
the significance of the quotes is clear.
Quote Punctuation
(0 points)
There are no quotes
from outside sources
in the essay.
(6 points)
There are many
freestanding quotes.
Quotes are not punctuated
correctly. Titles of
articles, chapters, and
essays in are not
consistently in quotation
marks, and titles of books,
magazines, and
newspapers are not
consistently italicized.
(7 points)
There are few freestanding
quotes. Quotes are sometimes
introduced with tag lines that
contextualize the quote and/or
indicate the source’s relevant
authority. Most quotes are
punctuated correctly. Titles of
articles, chapters, and essays in
are usually in quotation marks,
and titles of books, magazines,
and newspapers are usually
italicized.
(8 points)
There are few freestanding
quotes. Quotes are usually
introduced with tag lines that
contextualize the quote and/or
indicate the source’s relevant
authority. With a few exceptions,
quotes are punctuated correctly.
Titles of articles, chapters, and
essays in are consistently in
quotation marks, and titles of
books, magazines, and
newspapers are consistently
italicized.
(9 points)
There are almost no freestanding
quotes. Quotes are almost always
introduced with tag lines that
contextualize the quote and/or
indicate the source’s relevant
authority. With a few exceptions,
quotes are punctuated correctly.
Titles of articles, chapters, and
essays in are consistently in
quotation marks, and titles of books,
magazines, and newspapers are
consistently italicized.
(10 points)
There are no freestanding quotes. Quotes are
always introduced with tag lines that
contextualize the quote and/or indicate the
source’s relevant authority. With very few
exceptions, quotes are punctuated correctly.
Titles of articles, chapters, and essays in are
consistently in quotation marks, and titles of
books, magazines, and newspapers are
consistently italicized.
Documentation
(0 points)
The essay does not
document words or
ideas from appropriate
sources—i.e. no
works cited page
and/or in-text
citations.
(6 points)
The essay documents
some but not all words
and/or ideas from outside
sources and may do so
incorrectly.
(7 points)
The essay offers in-text and
bibliographic citations for all
words and/or ideas from outside
sources but may do so with
some major errors.
(8 points)
The essay offers in-text and
bibliographic citations for all
words and/or ideas from outside
sources and does so with very few
major errors but some minor
errors.
(9 points)
The essay offers in-text and
bibliographic citations for all words
and/or ideas from outside sources
and does so with no major errors
and with few minor errors.
(10 points)
With no major or minor errors, the essay offers
in-text and bibliographic citations for all words
and/or ideas from outside sources.
Clarity, Format,
Spelling, Grammar,
& Style
(0 points)
Errors prevent
understanding. No
evidence of attempt to
format correctly. Does
not address the
assignment.
(6 points)
Errors interfere with
reading. Almost no correct
formatting.
(7 points)
Some errors, but few that
interfere with reading.
Sentences are simple and
unvaried in length and structure.
Writing is clear but generally
simple. Font, heading, spacing,
and margins are correctly
formatted.
(8 points)
Some errors, but few that interfere
with reading. There is some
variety in sentence structure and
length. Writing is clear and
intelligent. Font, heading,
spacing, margins, and title are
correctly formatted.
(9 points)
Some errors, but almost none that
interfere with reading. There is
variety in sentence structure and
length. Writing is clear and
sophisticated. Font, heading,
spacing, margins, title, and page
numbers are correctly formatted.
(10 points)
A few errors, but none that interfere with
reading. There is variety in sentence structure and
length. Writing is clear, engaging, and polished.
Heading, spacing, margins, title, and page
numbers are correctly formatted.
out of 100