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Interactive Writing Rubric


High School

Bird's Eye View
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  • Element: Argument

    • Strand: Position

      • Criteria: Thesis

      • Criteria: Justification

    • Strand: Ideas

      • Criteria: Quality

      • Criteria: Substantiation

    • Strand: Organization

      • Criteria: Structure

      • Criteria: Flow

  • Element: Evidence

    • Strand: Contextualization

      • Criteria: Framing

      • Criteria: Context

    • Strand: Selection

      • Criteria: Choice

      • Criteria: Presentation

    • Strand: Interpretation

      • Criteria: Analysis

      • Criteria: Justification

  • Element: Language

    • Strand: Style

      • Criteria: Register

      • Criteria: Craft

    • Strand: Sentence Fluency

      • Criteria: Fluency

      • Criteria: Concision

    • Strand: Word Choice

      • Criteria: Diction

      • Criteria: Range

    • Strand: Conventions

      • Criteria: Spelling

      • Criteria: Grammar

  • Element: Process

    • Strand: Process

      • Criteria: Quality

    • Strand: Publishing

      • Criteria: Professionalism

      • Criteria: MLA Formatting

      • Criteria: Document

Argument

Evidence

Language

Process

Position 

This strand encompasses the argument in the essay—the four or five key sentences that state what you are proving and how you are proving it.

Thesis:
The sentence(s) explicitly or implicitly stated early in the paper that outline the argument being made in the paper.

Assertions:
The assertion is the sentence at the paragraph level that is the written articulation of the subargument. This sentence is sometimes called the topic sentence.

Ideas 

This strand evaluates at the holistic and synthesis level. The Ideas strand seeks to evaluate how well the Position is proven (substantiation) and how well the ideas are synthesized and interwoven. This strand is broader than the Interpretation strand—it encompasses the essay as a whole.

Quality:
Quality evaluates the correctness of ideas, the complexity of ideas, and the integration of ideas across a full spectrum.

Substantiation:
Substantiation addresses the level of proof that supports the position. When scoring at levels 5-8, it is important to think about the substantiation of both the position’s depth and breadth.

Organization 

Organization is a crucial aspect of argumentation. This strand addresses the overall structure of a paper. Does the organization support and encourage logical order? Do ideas flow smoothly?

Structure:
This criterion addresses the overall architecture of the essay—is the paper ordered (chronologically, compare and contrast, logically, cause and effect, etc) in a way that supports the position?

Flow:
Do ideas flow smoothly within sentences and paragraph and between sentences and paragraphs?

Contextualization 

There are two primary criteria that make up Contextualization:

Framing:
The framing criterion is the broader umbrella within contextualization. Framing occurs often occurs within the introduction, thesis statement, and around evidence. Does the author include only the basic frame (novel, historical event) or is their argument framed within the greater discourse of historical ideas and movements?

Content:
Context is more specific and concrete than framing; it refers to the background information around the evidence chunks. Does the author set up the reader with enough background information for the paragraphs to be read smoothly and cohesively?

Selection 

Selection primarily evaluates evidence selection—relevance, persuasiveness, and concision. Included in this strand is evidence presentation—how smoothly is argument incorporated into the paragraph.

Choice:
When we evaluate choice, we are analyzing the type of evidence selected—is it pertinent, is it relevant, is it authoritative?

Presentation:
Evidence must be presented clearly within an essay; this criterion addresses the blending, chunking, and overall weaving of evidence into an argument.

Interpretation 

Interpretation deals with logic, analysis, and reasoning. The Ideas strand within Argument is comprehensive and evaluates the synthesis of ideas. The interpretation strand is much more specific to the paragraph level.

Analysis:
Analysis evaluates the discussion of evidence. At the lower level, is the interpretation accurate and focused? At higher level, students are expected to analyze thoughtfully, including subtle nuances while retaining clarity.

Justification:
Justification evaluates a student’s ability to develop a link from evidence to assertion. As readers and teachers, we often find that students almost prove their argument but fail to fully land on their point: this criterion addresses that logic gap.

Style 

Formal essay writing style is more limited than its creative counterparts. The style strand evaluates the formal register, or formal style, of the author’s writing as well as their craft.

Register:
Addresses the appropriateness of style/language for the task/audience. For academic writing pieces assessed using this rubric, we strive for formal register.

Craft:
Craft refers to the specific writer’s moves in expository writing.

Sentence Fluency 

Sentence Fluency focuses on the type, fluidity, and effect of sentences within the essay. Strong sentence fluency leads to natural, active, and concise writing.

Fluency: 
Fluency is the ability to expertly deliver information quickly, naturally, and correctly.

Concision:
Concision is marked by effective and efficient communication: it is free of superfluous information and requires a strong command of language and a dedication to revision.

Word Choice 

This strand evaluates one’s ability to select the best word to communicate an idea and utilize a broad range of dynamic, striking, and sophisticated words.

Diction:
Selecting the best word to most clearly and powerfully communicate an idea.

Range:
The breadth of words used correctly; an author’s vocabulary.

Conventions 

Authors need to understand and apply grammatical rules; they also need to spell correctly.

Grammar:
These are Standard English rules of communication.

Spelling:
This criterion evaluates spelling in an essay.

Process 

David Conley clearly articulates that “self-management behaviors” are one of the four key levers to ensure college and career readiness. Revision evaluates the changes made from the rough draft to final draft, including the depth of those changes, the independence of the author, and the effect of the changes on the essay. In this way, we require students learn self-management behaviors (reflection, time management, advocating for themselves, professional meetings, etc.) in order to revise their paper.

Quality:
“As the lone criterion for Revising, quality evaluates all aspects of revision.”

Publishing 

This strand encompasses the final product, from completion, timeliness, and presentation to MLA formatting guidelines.

Professionalism:
Includes completion, timeliness, attention to the details of the assignment, and final product presentation.

MLA Formatting:
Follows MLA formatting guidelines.

Document:
Formatting of the document, from headers and title to spacing.

  • Click Numbers to View Standard Bearers

  • Thesis

  • Justification

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  • Quality

  • Substantiation

  1. 0 Ideas 0 
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  3. 2 Ideas 2 
  4. 3 Ideas 3 
  5. 4 Ideas 4 (Set 1) Ideas 4 (Set 2)

  6. 5 Ideas 5 (Set 1) Ideas 5 (Set 2)

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  9. 8 Ideas 8 
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    • Most ideas and content are plausible
    • Basic interpretation
    • Almost all ideas/content are reasonable
    • Accurate interpretation
    • Almost all ideas/content are logically, accurately interpreted
    • Slight nuances introduced
    • Overall, depth of understanding
    • Slight nuances introduced
    • Overall, strong depth of understanding
    • A few key nuances introduced
    • Overall, insightful depth of understanding
    • A few key nuances slightly incorporated into argument
    • Overall, insightful depth of understanding/ analysis
    • Key nuances incorporated into argument
    • Overall, insightful depth of understanding/ analysis
    • Key nuances incorporated into argument
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    • Position is controlling idea
    • Position is controlling idea
    • Overall, position mostly substantiated
    • Overall, position mostly substantiated
    • Opposing viewpoints are anticipated and addressed when necessary
    • Overall, position strongly substantiated
    • Opposing viewpoints are anticipated and addressed when necessary
    • Overall, position strongly substantiated
    • Opposing viewpoints are anticipated and addressed when necessary
    • Overall, position compellingly substantiated
    • Opposing viewpoints are anticipated and addressed when necessary
  • Click Numbers to View Standard Bearers

  • Structure

  • Flow

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  • Framing

  • Context

  1. 0 Contextualization 0 (Set 1) Contextualization 0 (Set 2)

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  3. 2

  4. 3 Contextualization 3 
  5. 4 Contextualization 4 (Set 1) Contextualization 4 (Set 2) Contextualization 4 (Set 3)

  6. 5 Contextualization 5 
  7. 6 Contextualization 6 
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    • Mostly reasonable, basic background of text/ content
    • Mostly reasonable background of text/ content
    • Primarily accurate, general background of text/ content
    • Clear, sufficient background of text/ content
    • Presents larger frame of argument
    • Clear, sufficient background of text/ content
    • Precisely, articulately frames larger argument and, when appropriate, larger discourse
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    • Mostly plausible basic background about most evidence
    • Primarily accurate basic background about almost all evidence
    • Primarily accurate background when necessary
    • Most context appropriately incorporated into paragraph – is not clunky
    • Clear, sufficient evidence background when necessary
    • Most context appropriately incorporated into paragraph – is not clunky
    • Sometimes previews/ hints at interpretation
    • Precise, clear, sufficient evidence background when necessary
    • Most context smoothly incorporated into paragraph
    • Generally previews/ hints at interpretation
    • Concise, precise, sufficient evidence background when necessary
    • Almost all context smoothly incorporated into paragraph
    • Effectively previews/ hints at interpretation
  • Click Numbers to View Standard Bearers

  • Choice

  • Presentation

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  • Analysis

  • Justification

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  2. 1 Interpretation 1 (Set 1) Interpretation 1 (Set 2)

  3. 2 Interpretation 2 (Set 1) Interpretation 2 (Set 2)

  4. 3 Interpretation 3 
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  6. 5 Interpretation 5 
  7. 6 Interpretation 6 
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  9. 8 Interpretation 8 
  1.  
    • Connected to assertion
    • Adequate in amount
    • Some basic analysis
    • Generally plausible analysis
    • Some adequate analysis
    • Mostly plausible analysis
    • Roughly incorporates some key words
    • Almost all adequate analysis
    • Generally focused, logical, accurate
    • Roughly incorporates key words
    • Some thoughtful analysis
    • Mostly focused, logical, clear analysis
    • Appropriately incorporates key words when appropriate
    • Mostly thoughtful, articulate analysis
    • Largely focused, logical, clear analysis
    • Effective key word analysis incorporated when appropriate
    • Almost all thoughtful, articulate analysis
    • Largely focused, clear, nuanced analysis
    • Effective key word analysis incorporated when appropriate to substantiate assertion
    • Almost all thoughtful, articulate analysis
    • Comprehensive analysis demonstrates thorough, critical thought while retaining clarity
    • Effective key word analysis substantiates position
  1.  
    • Generally understandable interpretation/ reasoning
    • Most explanation related to assertion
    • Mostly understandable interpretation/ reasoning
    • Some rough word glue, some rough logic glue
    • Connects evidence to assertion
    • Mostly understandable, sound interpretation/ reasoning
    • Generally effective word glue, rough logic glue
    • Links evidence to assertion
    • Primarily understandable, sound, generally thoughtful interpretation/ reasoning
    • Generally effective word glue/ logic glue
    • Logically develops link from evidence to assertion
    • Primarily understandable, sound, generally thoughtful interpretation/ reasoning
    • Primarily effective word glue/ logic glue
    • Logically, mostly develops link from evidence to assertion
    • Primarily effective word glue/ logic glue when necessary
    • Largely convincing, thoughtful justification
    • Logically, fully develops link from evidence to assertion
    • Smooth, primarily effective word glue/ logic glue when necessary
    • Largely focused, convincing, thoughtful justification
    • Articulately, fully substantiates assertion
    • Smooth, masterful use of word glue/ logic glue when necessary
    • Primarily focused, compelling, thoughtful justification
    • Articulately, fully substantiates position
  • Click Numbers to View Standard Bearers

  • Register

  • Craft

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  • Fluency

  • Concision

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  • Diction

  • Range

  1. 0

  2. 1

  3. 2 Word Choice 2 
  4. 3 Word Choice 3 (Set 1) Word Choice 3 (Set 2)

  5. 4 Word Choice 4 
  6. 5 Word Choice 5 (Set 1) Word Choice 5 (Set 2)

  7. 6 Word Choice 6 
  1.  
  2.  
    • Some active verbs
    • Some accurate active verbs
    • Functional diction
    • Mostly accurate active verbs when appropriate – minimizes be/ have/ ~ing
    • Functional diction
    • Strong, active verbs when appropriate – minimizes be/ have/ ~ing
    • Words effectively convey intended message
    • Effective diction
    • Powerful, energizing active verbs when appropriate – minimizes be/ have/ ~ing
    • Words precisely convey intended message
    • Precise diction
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    • Some appropriate academic language
    • Some appropriate academic language
    • Some appropriate basic content language
    • Academic, task specific content language generally correct
    • Attempts at sophisticated vocab
    • Varied academic, content language mostly correct
    • Attempts at sophisticated vocab
    • Broad range of academic language mostly correct
    • Generally effective use of sophisticated, varied vocab
    • Broad range of academic language overwhelmingly impactful, correct
    • Overwhelmingly effective use of sophisticated, varied, powerful vocab
  • Click Numbers to View Standard Bearers

  • Spelling

  • Grammar

  1. 0

  2. 1 Conventions 1 
  3. 2 Conventions 2 
  4. 3 Conventions 3 
  5. 4 Conventions 4 (Set 1) Conventions 4 (Set 2) Conventions 4 (Set 3) Conventions 4 (Set 4)

  6. 5 Conventions 5 
  7. 6

  1.  
    • Most task/ content specific language correct
    • Most general academic, task/ content specific language correct
    • Almost all correct
    • Several errors do not obstruct meaning
    • Almost all correct
    • Errors do not hinder reading
    • Few or no mistakes
    • Few or no mistakes
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    • Capitalization errors ≤ pages
    • Capitalization/ end punctuation errors ≤ pages
    • Capitalization/ punctuation (excluding commas) errors ≤ pages
    • Grammar does not obstruct meaning
    • Capitalization/ punctuation (no commas)/ subject-verb agreement errors ≤ pages
    • Grammar does not hinder reading
    • Capitalization/ punctuation (w/ commas)/ subject-verb agreement/ vague pronoun reference errors ≤ pages
    • Grammar contributes to readability
    • Capitalization/ punctuation (w/ commas)/ subject-verb agreement/ vague pronoun reference / misplaced modifier errors ≤ pages
    • Strong grammar contributes to readability
  • Click Numbers to View Standard Bearers

  • Quality

  1. 0

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  • Professionalism

  • MLA Formatting

  • Document

  1. 0

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  7. 6

  1.  
    • Complete
    • Almost all necessary documents turned in on time
    • Complete
    • Almost all necessary documents turned in on time
    • Complete
    • Follows guidelines of assignment
    • All documents turned in on time
    • Neat, complete
    • Follows guidelines of assignment
    • All documents turned in on time
    • Crisp, neat, complete
    • Follows guidelines of assignment
    • All documents turned in on time
    • Crisp, neat, complete
    • Follows guidelines of assignment
    • All documents turned in on time
  1.  
    • Correctly cites using parentheses
    • Correctly cites using parentheses, quotation marks, periods
    • Correctly cites using parentheses, quotation marks, commas, periods
    • Correctly uses in text citations, block quotes
    • Correct citation punctuation
    • Correctly uses in text citations, block quotes from multiple texts
    • Mostly correct Works Cited
    • Correctly uses in text citations, block quotes from multiple texts
    • Entirely correct Works Cited
  1.  
    • Header provides correct info
    • Header is correctly formatted and provides correct info
    • Centered title
    • Properly formatted, spaced header, title, text
    • Properly formatted, spaced header, title, text
    • Properly formatted, spaced header, title, text
    • Properly formatted, spaced header, title, text
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