SELF ASSESSMENT: 6
+1
TRAITS OF GOOD WRITING
IDEAS AND CONTENT
5 points
3 points
1 point
Focused and Detailed
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Beginning to define topic, but
My paper has no clear purpose
still pretty basic
or central theme
My paper is clear and rich in
 It’s easy to see where I’m
 Yikes! What’s my topic?
detail
headed, but there are gaps
 Information is limited or
My ideas are fresh
 My ideas are clear, but I need
unclear.
to get specific
I show knowledge, experience,
 I repeat myself. Totally
or insight
 I don’t go far enough to make
random!
my point
My quality details go beyond
 It’s hard to figure out what’s
the obvious or predictable
 Some of my details are original,
important here.
but some are predictable.
My writing has a purpose,
makes a point, or tells a story
Every piece adds something to
the whole.
1
ORGANIZATION
5 points
Clear and compelling direction
 My beginning gets readers’
attention and gives clues about
what’s coming
 Every detail adds a little more to
the main idea or story
 All my details are in the right
place; everything fits like a
puzzle
 I ended at a good spot and
didn’t drag on too long. I left my
reader with something to think
about.
3 points
1 point
Some really smooth parts;
Not shaped yet
other parts need work
 I have a beginning but it
 There isn’t really a beginning
doesn’t really grab you or give
or an ending to my paper. It
clues about what is coming.
just kind of takes off.
 Sometimes it is not clear how
 I’m confused about how the
the details I have used
details fit with the main idea or
connect to the main idea or
story.
story.
 My ideas seem scrambled,
 Some of my details are in the
jumbled, and disconnected.
right spot, but some should
It’s confusing.
come earlier or later.
 Conclusion? Oops! I forgot.
 I’ve lingered too long in the
same places, and sped
through others.
 I have a conclusion; it just
isn’t the way I want it yet. I
may have gone on too long or
just tried to sum up in a hohum way.
2
WORD CHOICE
5 points
3 points
1 point
Extremely clear, visual, and
Correct but not striking
Confusing- misused words and
accurate
phrases abound
 I picked just the right words for
 The words in my paper get
 My reader is often asking,
just the right places.
the message across but don’t
“What did you mean by this?”
capture anyone’s attention or
 All the words in my paper fit.
 A lot of my words and phrases
imagination.
Each one seems just right.
are vague. E.G. “We liked to
 I used every-day words pretty
do things.”
 My words are colorful, snappy,
well, but I didn’t stretch for a
“We were
vital, brisk, and fresh. You won’t
new or better way to say
friends and
find overdone, vague, or flowery
things.
stuff”
language.
 Most of the time readers will
 My words don’t make pictures
 Look at all my energetic verbs!
figure out what I mean even if
yet. E.G: “Something neat
 Some of the words and phrases
a few words are goofed up.
happened.” “It was
are so vivid that the reader won’t
awesome.”
 Occasionally, I may have
be able to forget them.
gone a bit overboard with
 Some of my words are
words that tried to impress the
misused.
reader.
 Over and over I used the
 My words aren’t really
same words, and then over
specific. Better, juicier details
and over until my paper was
were needed.
done.
 There are as many tired-out
clichés as there are fresh and
original words and phrases.
3
SENTENCE VARIETY
5 points
3 points
1 point
Varied and natural
Routine and functional
Needs Work
 The sentences in my paper are
 Some of my sentences are
 Because there isn’t enough
clear and delightful to read
smooth and natural; others
sentence sense yet, this
aloud.
are halting.
paper is difficult to read aloud,
even with practice.
 Some sentences are long and
 Sentence beginnings are
stretchy, while some are short
more alike than different.
 As I read my paper, I have to
and snappy.
go back, stop and read over,
 I need to add linking
just to figure out the
 It’s easy to read my paper aloud.
(transition) words to show
sentences.
I love the sound.
how my sentences connect.
 I’m having a hard time telling
 Sentence beginning vary; they
 Some sentences should
where one sentence stops
show ideas connect.
merge; others should be cut in
and another begins.
half.
 You can tell that I have good
 The sentence patterns in my
sentence sense because my
 I have used more words than
paper are so repetitive, they
paper just flows.
necessary- I still need to do
might put my reader to sleep!
some trimming
 All “excess baggage” has been
 I have to do quite a bit of oral
cut; I’ve economized with words.
editing (leaving some words
out, putting others in) just to
help the listeners get the
meaning.
4
VOICE
5 points
3 points
1 point
Really individual and powerful
Individuality fades in and out
Not yet me
 I have put my personal stamp
 Although readers will
 If you didn’t already know, it
on this paper. It’s really me!
understand what I mean, it
might be hard to tell who
won’t make them feel like
wrote this paper; you can’t
 Readers can tell I am talking
laughing, crying, or pounding
really hear my voice in there
right to them.
the table.
yet.
 I write with confidence and
 My writing is right on the edge
 I’m not comfortable taking a
sincerity.
of being funny, excited, scary,
risk by really tell-ing you what
 My paper is full of feelings, and
or downright honest---but it’s
I really think--- I’ve taken the
my reader will feel what I feel.
not quite there yet.
safest route by hiding my true
 I’m not afraid to say what I really
feelings.
 My personality pokes through
think.
here and there, but then it
 My paper is all telling and no
 You can tell I wrote this. No one
gets covered up again.
showing at all.
else writes like this!
 I’ve done a lot of telling and
 I’ve held myself back by
not enough showing.
making general state-ments
like, “It was fun.” “She was
nice.” “I like him a lot.”
5
CONVENTIONS
5 points
3 points
1 point
Mostly Correct
About Halfway There
Editing not under control yet
 There are very few errors in my
 A number of bothersome
 It would take a first reading to
paper; it would not take long to
mistakes in my paper need to
decode and then a second
get this ready to publish.
be cleaned up before I am
reading to get the meaning of
ready to publish.
my paper.
 I have used capitals correctly.
 Spelling is correct on simple
 Spelling errors are common,
 Periods, commas, ex-clamation
words. I may not always be
even on simple words.
points, quotation marks are all in
right on the harder words.
the right places.
 My paper has errors in
 Most sentences and proper
punctuation and grammar that
 My spelling is accurate.
nouns begin with capitals, but
send the reader back to the
 Every paragraph is indented to
a few have been overlooked.
beginnings of sentences to
show where a new idea begins.
sort things out.
 Paragraphs are present, but
 My grammar usage is connot all begin at the right spots.  I’ve got capital letters
sistent and shows control.
scattered all over the place-- A few problems with
OR no capitals at all.
punctuation and grammar
 I haven’t got the hang of
might make a reader stumble
paragraphs yet. The truth is
and pause now and again.
that I have not spent much
 My paper reads like a first
time editing this paper.
draft; I was more concerned
with getting my ideas down
than making sure all the
editing was taken care of .
6
7
RUBRIC SCORE TO NUMERIAL GRADE
PER TRAIT
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30=100
29=98
28=96
27=94
26=92
25=90
24=88
23=86
22=84
21=82
20=80
19=78
18=76
17=74
16=72
15=70
14=68
13=66
12=64
11=62
10=60
9=58
8=56
7=54
6=52
5=50
OVERALL
180 = 100
174 = 98
168 = 96
162 = 94
156 = 92
150 = 90
144 = 88
138 = 86
132 = 84
126 = 82
120 = 80
114 = 78
108 = 76
102 = 74
96 = 72
90 = 70
84 = 68
58 = 66
52 = 64
46 = 62
44 = 60
38 = 58
32 = 56
24 = 54
18 = 52
12 = 50
8