College-Level Writing Rubric printable pdf download

College-Level Writing Rubric

Masterful

Skilled

Able

Developing

Novice

(Way Off)

Engaging and full

Competent and well-

Mostly intelligible ideas;

Mostly simplistic and

Ideas are extremely

Shows complete

Focus,

development of a clear

developed thesis; thesis

thesis is weak, unclear,

unfocused ideas; little or

simplistic, showing

confusion about the

Purpose,

thesis as appropriate to

represents sound and

too broad, or only

no sense of purpose or

signs of confusion,

topic or inability to grasp

Thesis

assignment purpose.

adequate understanding

indirectly supported.

control of thesis.

misunderstanding of the

it; thus conspicuous

of the assigned topic.

prompt; thesis is

absence of thesis and

(Controlling

essentially missing or

lack of purpose.

Idea)

not discernable.

Consistent evidence with

Ideas supported

Main points and ideas

Insufficient, non-

Lack of support for main

Clear absence of

originality and depth of

sufficiently; support is

are only indirectly

specific, and/or

points; frequent and

support for main points.

Ideas,

ideas; ideas work

sound, valid, and

supported; support isn’t

irrelevant support.

illogical generalizations

Support &

together as a unified

logical.

sufficient or specific, but

without support.

whole; main points are

is loosely relevant to

Development

sufficiently supported

main points.

(Evidence)

(with evidence); support

is valid and specific.

Organization is sequential

Competent

Limited attempts to

Organization, while

Organization, if evident

Paragraph structure

and appropriate to

organization, without

organize around a

attempted, was

at all, is confusing and

does not exist; or is a

assignment; paragraphs

sophistication.

thesis; paragraphs are

unsuccessful.

disjointed; paragraph

single rambling

Structure,

are well developed and

Competent paragraph

mostly stand-alones

Paragraphs were

structure is weak;

paragraph or series of

Organization

appropriately divided;

structure; lacking in

with weak or non-

simple, disconnected

transitions are missing,

isolated paragraphs.

ideas linked with smooth

effective transitions.

evident transitions.

and formulaic. No

inappropriate and/or

and effective transitions.

evident transitions or

illogical.

planned sequence.

Clear discernment of

Effective and accurate

Little or inconsistent

Shows almost no

Lacks awareness of a

No evident awareness

distinctive audience; tone

awareness of general

sense of audience

awareness of a

particular appropriate

of audience as

Audience, Tone,

and point-of-view

audience; tone and

related to assignment

particular audience;

audience for

appropriate to

and Point-of

appropriate to the

point-of-view

purpose; tone and

reveals no grasp of

assignment; tone and

assignments; tone

assignment.

satisfactory.

point-of-view not refined

appropriate tone and/or

point-of-view somewhat

completely

View

or consistent.

point-of-view for given

inappropriate or very

inappropriate to

assignment.

inconsistent.

assignment.

Each sentence structured

Effective and varied

Formulaic or tedious

Sentences show errors

Simple sentences used

Contains multiple and

effectively, powerfully;

sentences; errors (if

sentence patterns;

of structure; little or no

excessively, almost

serious errors of

Sentence

rich, well-chosen variety

any) due to lack of

shows some errors in

variety; no grasp of

exclusively; frequent

sentence structure: i.e.,

Structure

of sentence styles and

careful proofreading;

sentence construction;

sentence flow.

errors of sentence

fragments, run-ons.

length.

syntax errors (if any)

some non-standard

structure.

Unable to write simple

(Grammar)

reflect uses as

syntax usage.

sentences.

colloquialisms.

Virtually free of

Contains only

Contains several

Contains many errors of

Contains many and

Frequent errors in

punctuation, spelling,

occasional punctuation,

(mostly common)

punctuation, spelling,

serious errors of

spelling and

capitalization errors;

spelling, and/or

punctuation, spelling,

and/or capitalization.

punctuation, spelling,

capitalization; intrusive

appropriate format and

capitalization errors.

and/or capitalization

Errors interfere with

and/or capitalization;

and /or inaccurate

Mechanics and

presentation for

Few formatting errors.

errors. Several errors in

meaning in places.

errors severely interfere

punctuation,

Presentation

assignment.

Most errors likely

formatting or formatting

Formatting incorrect in

with meaning.

communication is

careless.

is inconsistent,

most places.

Formatting weak.

hindered. No formatting

as appropriate to

assignment.

Exceptional vocabulary

Good vocabulary range

Ordinary vocabulary

Errors of diction, and

Extremely limited

Diction and syntax

Vocabulary and

range, accuracy, and

and accuracy of usage.

range, mostly accurate;

usage, while evident, do

vocabulary; choices

make communication

correct and effective word

some vernacular terms.

not interfere with

lack grasp of diction;

meaningless or very

Word Usage

usage.

readability.

usage is inaccurate.

confusing at best.

Masterful

Skilled

Able

Developing

Novice

(Way Off)

Saint Mary’s College ~ School of Extended Education (Melanie Booth, Learning Resource Program)

College-Level Writing Rubric

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