Exhibition Toolkit | Develop Exhibition Documents and Materials |
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REVISED 8/2007
Exhibition Research and Research Paper Rubric
Rhode Island Depart of Education
Explanation and Considerations for Use
Schools that require a research component - either in development of a formal
research paper or when research findings are the basis of the content for an oral
presentation - may use this assessment tool. Schools will need to determine which
of the rubric criteria apply to the final product being assessed. For example, an
oral presentation would not be assessed using all indicators under Writing
Conventions and Structures of Language, but a “Works Cited” page accompanying
an oral presentation might be assessed for applying a standard format for citing
resources.
This is a guidance document issued by the Rhode Island Department of
Education. Rhode Island schools should consider it carefully when designing an
exhibition system.
This tool was created and/or compiled by The Rhode Island Department of Education and The
Education Alliance at Brown University, with the generous support of the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation.
http://www.ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/
October, 2005
Exhibition Toolkit | Develop Exhibition Documents and Materials |
Rubrics and Criteria Checklists
School-Wide Diploma Assessment: Exhibition Research and Research
Paper Rubric
Guidelines for Using Rubric: Select the indicators that best describe student performance related to each
criterion. Whenever possible, use anchor papers to help to define rubric criteria and indicators. The most
difficult scoring decisions to make will be the ones when student work falls “on the line” between score
points. Scorers will need to reach consensus on how to consistently make these decisions (for reliable
scoring).
Criteria
Purpose and
Idea
Development
[W-7]
Exceeds
Standard
 Effectively conveys  Effectively conveys
purpose by
establishing a topic
through selecting
and using formal,
informal, literary,
and/or technical
language
appropriate to the
audience and
context [W-12-7.1;
W-12-7.3]
 States and
maintains a
complex controlling
idea/focus/thesis
[W.12-7-7.2]
 Builds a cohesive
argument
substantiated with
compelling
evidence
Analysis &
Synthesis of
Information
[R-15, W-6, W-8]
Meets Standard
 Analysis/
interpretation of
information
presented, is
compelling while
relevant/valid/credi
ble to the purpose,
thesis, and
audience.[R12-15.2;
W-12-8.1]
purpose by
establishing a topic
appropriate to the
audience [W-10-7.1;
W-10-7.3]
 States and maintains
a controlling
idea/focus/thesis
[W.10-7-7.2]
 Builds a cohesive
argument
substantiated with
supporting evidence
[W10-6.4a&b]
 Analysis/
interpretation of
information
presented, is accurate,
complete and relevant
to purpose, thesis,
and audience.[R1015.2; W-10-8.1]
 Attempts to establish a
topic; however, it is not
developed (e.g., may
simply state what is
common knowledge or
is too broad an issue to
address)
 Controlling
idea/focus/thesis is not
consistently maintained
throughout
 Attempts to build an
argument; however
evidence is lacking
 Analysis/ interpretation
of information is not
entirely accurate,
complete, and/or
relevant to purpose,
thesis, and audience
Below Standard
 States a topic, but lacks
purpose and/or
development
 Little evidence of
controlling
idea/focus/thesis
 Shows little
comprehension of
information and is
unable to relate
information/evidence to
major ideas
 Analysis/ interpretation
of information is
mostly inaccurate,
incomplete, and/or
irrelevant to purpose,
thesis, and audience
 Includes little or no
 Includes sufficient
 Includes facts and
Nearly Meets
Standard
details or facts for
appropriate depth of
information to
support conclusions
with evidence [W-108.2; R-10-15.4]
details that
specifically address
readers concerns
with significant
depth of
information to
support conclusions
with evidence [W-  Conclusion drawn
 Includes some
facts/details to support
ideas presented
facts/details to support
ideas presented
 Conclusion drawn
 Conclusion drawn
Rhode Island Diploma System Local Assessment Toolkits
http://www.ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/
Revised August 2007
shows no connection
made between
purpose/thesis or lacks
2
Exhibition Toolkit | Develop Exhibition Documents and Materials |
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12-8.2; R-12-15.4]
 Conclusion drawn
shows evidence of
sophisticated
synthesis of
information from
multiple research
studies, including
primary sources
Organization
[W-6]
shows evidence of
synthesis of
information from
multiple research
studies, including
primary sources [W10-6.4a. and 4b]
 Uses a text structure  Uses a text structure
that sharpens the
focus/controlling
idea or thesis
 Uses sophisticated
transitional devices
to further enhance
meaning
appropriate to
focus/controlling idea
or thesis [W-10-6.1;
W-10-1.3]
 Uses transitional
words or phrases
appropriate to text
structure [W—10-6.3; W 10-3.4]
shows little or no
evidence of synthesis of
information
 Use of text structure is
somewhat appropriate
to focus/controlling idea
or thesis, and/or
structure is not
maintained throughout
a conclusion
 Lacks a consistent or
appropriate text
structure for
focus/controlling idea
or thesis
 Some transitional words  Few or no transitional
or phrases appropriate
to text structure
Rhode Island Diploma System Local Assessment Toolkits
http://www.ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/
Revised August 2007
words or phrases
appropriate to text
structure
3
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Resources
Cited (in
paper or
presentation)
[W-6]
 Quality and types of
sources enhance topic
 An extensive variety
of sources relevant,
accurate and reliable
to the thesis expand
ideas and give
credibility to the
research
 Includes required
 Number and/or types of  Significantly
number and types of
sources for
researching topic
 Sources cited in
sources are nearly
sufficient for
researching topic
 Few sources cited in
body of paper or
presentation are
relevant, accurate,
and reliable to main
idea/thesis
 Lists and cites
insufficient number
and/or types of
sources used for
researching topic
 Most sources cited
body of paper or
presentation are
relevant, or accurate, or
reliable to main
idea/thesis
 Lists and cites sources
sources using
standard format [W10-6.5]
in body of paper or
presentation are
missing and/or
irrelevant and/or
inaccurate, and/or
unreliable to main
idea/thesis
 Lists and cites
with many errors in
standard format

Rhode Island Diploma System Local Assessment Toolkits
http://www.ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/
Revised August 2007
sources with major
errors in standard
format

4
Exhibition Toolkit | Develop Exhibition Documents and Materials |
Rubrics and Criteria Checklists
This section of the rubric is required of the Research Paper and not of an oral presentation of Research.
This section may be used when assessing Conventions and Structures in any written piece of student work.
Writing
Conventions
[W-9]
 Demonstrates
control of usage,
grammar,
punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling [W-12-9.1,
W-12-9.2; W-129.4; W-12-9.5]
 Demonstrates control
of usage, grammar,
punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling [W-10-9.1,
W-10-9.2; W-10-9.4;
W-10-9.5]
 Occasional errors do
not interfere with
meaning
Structures of
Language
[W-1]
 Applies novel use(s)  Text structure is
of text structure
(sentences, sentence
patterns, text) to
enhance meaning
for particular
contexts,
viewpoints, or
interpretations
[W10-1.1; W10–
1.4]
appropriate to
purpose, audience,
and context [W10–
1.4]
 Uses varied sentence
length and structure
to enhance meaning
(e.g., including
phrases and clauses)
[W10-1.1]
 Maintains consistent  Maintains
organizational
structure within
paragraphs and
throughout text
organizational
structure within
paragraphs and
throughout text
[W10–1.3]
 Demonstrates some
control of usage,
grammar, punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling
 Errors begin to interfere
with meaning.
 Text structure is not
always appropriate to
purpose, audience, and
context
 Uses some variation of
sentence length and
structure
 Exhibits some
organizational structure
within paragraphs and
throughout text
Rhode Island Diploma System Local Assessment Toolkits
http://www.ride.ri.gov/highschoolreform/dslat/
Revised August 2007
 Demonstrates little
control of usage,
grammar,
punctuation,
capitalization, and
spelling
 Numerous errors
interfere with
meaning
 Text structure
interferes with
meaning and intent
 Uses little or no
variation of sentence
structures
 Exhibits little
organizational
structure within
paragraphs and
throughout text
5