Six Traits Paragraph Writing Rubric
6
Exemplary
5
Strong
 main theme
 supporting
details
 Evident main
idea with some
support which
may be general
or limited
3
Developing
2
Emerging
1
Beginning
 Purpose and
 Lacks central
main idea may
idea;
be unclear and
development is
cluttered by
minimal or nonirrelevant detail
existent
 May be unclear
because
paragraph has
competing ideas
for thesis
 Strong order and  Organization is
 Attempts at
 Lack of
 Lack of
Organization  Effectively
organized in logical
structure
appropriate, but
organization;
structure;
coherence;
 structure
and
creative
conventional
may
be
a
“list”
disorganized
and
confusing

Inviting
intro
 introduction
manner
of items
hard to follow
and
satisfying

Attempt
at

No identifiable
 conclusion
 Creative and
closure
introduction and  Beginning and
 Appears to start
beginning or
engaging intro and
conclusion
ending not clear
or stop in the
ending
conclusion
middle of
something
 Expressive,
 Appropriate to  Evident
 Voice may be
 Writing tends to  Writing is lifeless
Voice
engaging, sincere
audience and
commitment to
inappropriate or
be flat or stiff
 No hint of the
 personality
purpose
topic
non-existent

Strong
sense
of

Stereotypic,
writer
 sense of
audience

Writer
behind

Inconsistent
or

Writing
may
copied
tone
and
audience
the words comes
formulaic
seem mechanical
voice
 Shows emotion:
through
personality
humour, honesty,
suspense or life
 Language is
 Words may be
 Monotonous,
 Limited range of
Word Choice  Precise, carefully  Descriptive,
chosen
broad
range
of
functional
and
correct
but
often
repetitious,
words
 precision
words
appropriate
mundane
sometimes

Strong,
fresh,
vivid

Some vocabulary
 effectiveness
inappropriate
images
misused

Word
choice

Descriptions

Common
words
 imagery
energizes writing
may be overdone chosen
at times
 High degree of
 Easy flow and
 Generally in
 Some awkward  Often choppy
 Difficult to
Sentence
craftsmanship
rhythm
control
constructions
follow or read
 Monotonous
Fluency
aloud

Effective
variation

Good
variety
in

Lacks
variety
in

Common
simple
sentence
patterns
 rhythm, flow
in
sentence
patterns
length
and
length
and
pattern
used

Disjointed,

Frequent
run-on
 variety
structure
structure
confusing,
 Several
sentences
rambling
sentences begin
 Some sentence
the same way
fragments
 Strong control
 Control of most  Limited control  Frequent
 Numerous
Conventions  Exceptionally
strong
control
of
of
conventions;
writing
of
conventions;
significant
errors
errors distract the
 age appropriate,
standard
errors are few
conventions;
some errors in
may impede
reader and make
spelling, caps,
conventions of
and minor
errors reflect risks common patterns readability
the text difficult
punctuation,
writing
with unusual or
or structures do  Errors frequent
to read
grammar
sophisticated
not
interfere
with
 Complex
in common
 Errors may be
structures
unduly
conventions
patterns and
made more than
understanding
attempted
structures
one way for the
same pattern or
structure
Idea
 Paragraph centred  A main idea or
around a
topic is clear
significant idea or
 Clear, focused,
topic
interesting idea
 Exceptionally clear, with appropriate
focused, engaging
detail
with relevant,
strong supporting
detail
4
Proficient
 Main idea may
be cloudy
because
supporting detail
is too general or
even off-topic
Adapted for Regina Public Schools from Vicki Spandel, Creating Writers
Regina, SK Canada