Journalism Writing Rubrics News Story Rubric
Accomplished
Skilled
Developing
Needs Improvement 5
Points
10-11 points
8-9 points
6-7 points
points or less
Earned
Lead is original and
Lead is appropriate to
Lead is adequate but not
Lead is neither original
Effective &
catchy; fits well with
story and fairly
extremely catchy or
nor catchy; is boring,
Appropriate Lead
the rest of the story;
effective at getting
original; or there is no
overused or trite, or is
invites readers into the
attention; shows some
nut graph, even though it
inappropriate to story;
piece; contains a strong signs of originality;
is necessary
no nut graph
nut graph if lead is not
contains an effective
a summary lead
nut graph, if necessary
Evidence of reporter
A minimum of three
Two or fewer sources are One or fewer sources
Adequate Use of
trying to get as many
sources are used and
used; some sources are
used in story; or
Primary Sources,
sources as necessary to
clearly identified in
improperly identified or
sources are improperly
Mainly Interviews
adequately present all
story; most
some info or opinion is
identified; much info is
sides in the story; all
information is
given without attribution; given without
are identified; info is
attributed to sources;
most info is accurate but
attribution; inaccurate
properly attributed; all
information is accurate may not be as thorough;
or vague info
info is accurate,
missing key sources;
thorough; uses best
may use too general info
sources
Strong evidence of
Most quotes show
One or two of the quotes
Quotes are short, weak
Quotes Show
evidence of effective
show evidence of good
or ineffective; no
Evidence of Careful good research and
interviewing
by
the
use
interviewing
and
use
interviewing,
but
most
do
evidence of follow-up
Reporting
of effective, storyof good follow-up
not help propel the story
questions being asked
telling quotes that
questions; quotes are
cover a broad range of
interesting and storythe topic; good use of
telling
quote-transition
formula
Story is in inverted
Story is organized and
Story lacks strong
Story is choppy;
Effective
pyramid form with info most transitions and
organization, jumps
organization is unclear;
Organization and
in descending order of
connections are clear,
around too much or lacks few effective
Flow (deals with
importance; strongly
but either organization
effective transitions; not
transitions; not in
structure)
organized with clear
is somewhat lacking or in inverted pyramid
inverted pyramid
transitions and logical
the sense of flow is
connections that create
somewhat abrupt or
a sense of being tightly
story is not in inverted
woven together
pyramid
Focus of story is clear;
Focus is fairly clear
Story lacks strong sense
No clear angle; story is
Clear Focus and
nothing detracts from
but on or two areas
of unity and focus;
rambling and awkward
Unity (deals with
primary
focus;
detract
from
the
several
areas
seem
to
content)
everything contributes
primary angle
detract from angle
to overall angle
Writing is strong and
Writing is adequate
Writing is rather bland;
Writing lacks a clear
Interesting &
effective with a clear
but not extremely
lacks a clear voice and/or voice and original style
Effective Writing
voice and a variety of
compelling or original; sense of originality; is
Style
sentence structures;
may be wordy or voice wordy or redundant; or
piece is tightly written;
may be unclear;
diction &/or sentence
utilizes active verbs
diction and s/s may not structure may be
and vivid word choice;
be as vivid or
repetitive
original writing
sophisticated
NO errors in
Has few (one or two)
Has several errors in
Has many errors in
Journalistic Style
journalistic style
errors in journalistic
journalistic style or nonjournalistic style and/or
(quotes, dates, scores,
style; or may have
journalistic paragraph
non-journalistic
numbers, money,
non-journalistic
structure
paragraph structure
percents, time,
paragraph structure
commas, etc.); short
paragraphs; quotes
stand alone
Story is well edited and Story is spell checked
Story is spell checked
Names are misspelled;
Grammar and
virtually flawless; NO
and all names are
and all names are correct; or spell check was not
Spelling
spelling errors;
correct; contains few
contains several
run; or contains many
includes the proper
grammatical errors
grammatical errors
grammatical errors
spelling of all names
Objectives
Format
(Hit return at the end of
the preceding
paragraph)
No tabs at the
beginning of graphs;
attached all signed &
dated flow sheets;
TNR, 10 pt, double
spaced w/name and
slug
Missed one criteria
Missed two criteria
Missed three or more
criteria
TOTAL__________/100
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