DEBATE – Oral Rubric
NAME: __________________________________
DATE: _______________
TOPIC: ______________________ ___________
AFFIRMATIVE/NEGATIVE
CRITERIA
Respect for Other
Team
LEVEL 1
Statements,
responses and/or
body language
were consistently
not respectful.
Information
Information had
several
inaccuracies OR
was usually not
clear.
Rebuttal
Counter-arguments
were not accurate
and/or relevant.
Use of
Facts/Statistics
Every point was
not supported.
Presentation
Style
One or more
members of the
team had
presentation style
that did not keep
the attention of the
audience.
Organization
Arguments were
not clearly tied to
an idea (premise).
Understanding of
Topic
The team did not
show an adequate
understanding of
the topic.
TIME: ________
LEVEL 2
Most statements
and responses
were respectful
and in appropriate
language, but there
was one sarcastic
remark.
Most information
presented in the
debate was clear
and accurate, but
was not usually
thorough.
Most counterarguments were
accurate and
relevant, but
several were weak.
Every major point
was supported with
facts, statistics,
and/or examples,
but the relevance
of some was
questionable.
Team sometimes
used gestures, eye
contact, tone of
voice and level of
enthusiasm in a
way that kept the
attention of the
audience.
All arguments were
clearly tied to an
idea (premise) but
the organization
was sometimes not
clear or logical.
The team seemed
to understand the
main points of the
topic and
presented those
with ease.
LEVEL 3
Statements and
responses were
respectful and
used appropriate
language, but once
or twice body
language was not.
Most information
presented in the
debate was clear,
accurate and
thorough.
LEVEL 4
All statements,
body language,
and responses
were respectful
and were in
appropriate
language.
All information
presented in the
debate was clear,
accurate and
thorough.
Most counterarguments were
accurate relevant
and strong.
All counterarguments were
accurate relevant
and strong.
Every major point
was adequately
supported with
relevant facts,
statistics and/or
examples.
Every major point
was well supported
with several
relevant facts,
statistics and/or
examples.
Team usually used
gestures, eye
contact, tone of
voice and level of
enthusiasm in a
way that kept the
attention of the
audience.
Most arguments
were clearly tied to
an idea (premise)
and organized in a
tight logical
fashion.
The team clearly
understood the
topic in-depth and
presented their
information with
ease.
Team consistently
used gestures, eye
contact, tone of
voice and level of
enthusiasm in a
way that kept the
attention of the
audience.
All arguments were
clearly tied to an
idea (premise) and
organized in a tight
logical fashion.
The team clearly
understood the
topic in-depth and
presented their
information
forcefully and
convincingly.
Debate – Opinion Piece Essay Rubric
Name: ______________________
Class: _______
CRITERIA
Ideas and
Content:
-arguments clearly
stated with accurate
supporting details
-interesting, original,
thoughtful
-is focused and on
topic
Conventions:
-command of grade
level spelling,
grammar and
punctuation
-revisions and
corrections
Organization:
-introduction with
arguments listed and
thesis stated
-effective topic and
concluding sentences
for each paragraph
-effective concluding
paragraph that
summarizes main
arguments and
restates thesis
Effective Use of
Language:
-word choice is
appropriate to type of
writing: accurate,
descriptive,
persuasive and
expressive
Voice:
-text is successful in
capturing and
maintaining reader’s
attention/interest
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
-supporting details
are very sparse or
absent
-ideas, events, facts,
and/or details tend to
be inaccurate, with
numerous errors
-poor focus; text often
wanders off topic;
many omissions,
gaps and/or
inconsistencies in
development
-supporting details
tend to be general,
repetitive and/or
unrelated to text
-some errors in the
accuracy of facts,
ideas and/or details
-focus somewhat
flawed and text may
sometimes wander
off topic; some
omissions, gaps,
and/or
inconsistencies in
development
-fair command of
spelling, punctuation
and grammar
-considerable
revision and
correction required
-supporting details
are generally specific,
relevant, sometimes
complex
-most facts, ideas,
and/or details are
generally accurate
with few errors
-text shows adequate
focus, adherence to
topic and
development
-supporting details
are very specific,
relevant, sometimes
complex
-most facts, ideas,
and/or details are
accurate
-text is focused, on
topic and well
developed
-good command of
spelling, punctuation
and grammar
-minimal revision and
correction required
-introduction and
conclusion are not
clearly identifiable or
omitted; introduction
and conclusion, if
present, are very
weak and simplistic
-minimal evidence of
overall logical plan
-introduction and
conclusion tend to be
weak and simplistic;
introduction may
contain an occasional
effective element;
conclusion may be
abrupt or omitted
-overall logical plan
and sequencing are
present but weak
-word choice is not
appropriate to type of
writing
-word choice is fairly
appropriate to type of
writing
-introduction and
conclusion are
adequate;
introduction may
contain some
effective elements;
conclusion makes
sense but may be left
undeveloped
-adequate overall
logical plan and
sequencing
-word choice is
generally appropriate
to type of writing
-excellent command
of spelling,
punctuation and
grammar
-almost no revision
and correction
required
-introduction and
conclusion are strong
and effective;
introduction draws
reader in and
conclusion is
successful in
summarizing text
-very good overall
logical plan and
sequencing
-text is not very
successful in
capturing and
maintaining
audience’s
attention/interest
-text is generally not
successful in
capturing and
maintaining
audience’s
attention/interest
-text is fairly
successful in
capturing and
maintaining
audience’s
attention/interest
-weak spelling,
punctuation and
grammar
-extensive revisions
and corrections
required
Level 4
-word choice is very
appropriate to type of
writing
-text is generally
successful in
capturing and
maintaining
audience’s
attention/interest
Most consistent level ________