Focus & Organization

A single controlling point is developed & sustained within & across paragraphs using transitional devices including introduction & conclusion

Content

The presence of ideas developed through facts, examples, anecdotes, details, opinions, statistics, reasons, and/or explanations

Conventions

The use of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation

Word Choice

The choice, use, and arrangement of words and sentence structures that create tone and voice

A or B

The topic must be developed to a high degree in a clear, insightful, & illustrative way.

Supporting details must be rich, precise, & pertinent.

There must be few if any errors in sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation.

There must be rich and precise wording, vocabulary, & usage.

The topic must be developed in a moderately clear, insightful, & illustrative way.

Supporting details must be adequate, appropriate, & relevant.

There must be some errors in sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation which do not interfere with communication.

There must be adequate and acceptable wording, vocabulary, & usage for grade level.

The topic must be poorly developed and lack clarity & insight

Supporting details must be merely listed with far too few references.

There must be serious errors in sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation which do interfere with communication.

There must be inadequate and unacceptable wording, vocabulary, & usage for grade level.

Topic development must be absent inappropriate, or barely discernible

Supporting details must be absent and/or irrelevant.

There must be a virtual lack of sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation which blatantly interferes with communication.

There must be errors in wording, vocabulary, & usage which seriously interfere with meaning.

	Focus & Organization A single controlling point is developed & sustained within & across paragraphs using transitional devices including introduction & conclusion	Content The presence of ideas developed through facts, examples, anecdotes, details, opinions, statistics, reasons, and/or explanations	Conventions The use of grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage, and sentence formation	Word Choice The choice, use, and arrangement of words and sentence structures that create tone and voice
A or B	The topic must be developed to a high degree in a clear, insightful, & illustrative way.	Supporting details must be rich, precise, & pertinent.	There must be few if any errors in sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation.	There must be rich and precise wording, vocabulary, & usage.
C	The topic must be developed in a moderately clear, insightful, & illustrative way.	Supporting details must be adequate, appropriate, & relevant.	There must be some errors in sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation which do not interfere with communication.	There must be adequate and acceptable wording, vocabulary, & usage for grade level.
D	The topic must be poorly developed and lack clarity & insight	Supporting details must be merely listed with far too few references.	There must be serious errors in sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation which do interfere with communication.	There must be inadequate and unacceptable wording, vocabulary, & usage for grade level.
E	Topic development must be absent inappropriate, or barely discernible	Supporting details must be absent and/or irrelevant.	There must be a virtual lack of sentence sense, spelling, & punctuation which blatantly interferes with communication.	There must be errors in wording, vocabulary, & usage which seriously interfere with meaning.