Research
Paper
Ideas and
Content
Distinguished
-Insightfully addresses topic
-Focused thesis statement unifies
essay
-Student’s analysis is insightful
-Conclusion extends the ideas
purposefully
-Excludes extraneous details
-Avoids plot summary entirely
-Quotes chosen show in-depth
understanding of book
-Seamlessly integrates
introductions with any quotes
Proficient
-Sufficiently addresses topic
-Thesis statement attempts to unify
essay
-Student’s analysis needs more insight
-Conclusion contains some extension
-Few extraneous details
-Avoids plot summary mostly
-Quotes chosen show understanding of
book
-Integrates introductions with most
quotes
Needs Improvement
-Inconsistently addresses topic
-Essay lacks unifying thesis statement
-Contains some false assumptions or
incorrect information
-Requires more analysis
-Conclusion needs to extend ideas
-Many extraneous details
-Uses plot summary
-Quotes chosen show basic
understanding of book
-Integrates introductions without
purpose or problems exist
Unsatisfactory
-Does not address topic
-No clear thesis statement to unify
essay
-Many false assumptions and incorrect
information
-Little to no analysis
-Conclusion seems irrelevant
-Mostly extraneous details
-Relies on plot summary
-Quotes chosen show limited
understanding of book
-Little or no introductions for quotes
____/50 points
Organization
____/25 points
Written
Expression
____/15 points
Mechanics,
Grammar,
Usage
____/10 points
-Follows organizational format
-Follows organizational format
-Needs to follow organizational format
effortlessly
-Introduction and/or conclusion show
more clearly
-Engaging introduction and/or
purpose
- introduction and/or conclusion unclear
conclusion
-Clear topic sentence
-Topic sentence is unclear
- Strong topic sentence
-Transitional words used but not always -More transitions needed to maintain
-Appropriate transitional phrases
purposeful or appropriate
organization
maintain fluency
-Understandable progression of ideas -Progression of ideas requires more
-Logical, thoughtful progression of
attention
ideas
-Needs to follow organizational format
-Lacks an introduction and/or
conclusion
-No relative topic sentence
-No transitions
-Illogical or unclear progression of
ideas
-Insightful, nuanced word choice
-Accurate, appropriate word choice
-Concise, varied sentence structure -Varied sentence structure with some
problems: wordy, awkward, vague
spots
-Cliche or colloquial word choices
-Rambling or awkward sentence
structure
-Personal pronouns are used
-Repetitive, incorrect word choice
-Distracting amount of choppy,
rambling or awkward sentences
-Errors are sparse and do not
interfere with meaning or
readability (spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, run-ons, fragments,
verb tense consistency)
-Heading, quotations and citations
are properly formatted
-Several errors interfere with readability
(spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
run-ons, fragments, verb tense
consistency)
-Heading, quotations and citations are
formatted with some errors
-Many consistent errors that severely
interfere with readability (spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, run-ons,
fragments, verb tense consistency)
-Heading, quotations and citations are
not seen
___
100 points total
-Few errors interfere with readability
(spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
run-ons, fragments, verb tense
consistency)
-Heading, quotations and citations are
formatted with minor errors