Grading Rubric for Writing Assignment

Your professor may use a slightly different rubric, but the standard rubric at AUR will
assess your writing according to the following standards:
A (4) B (3) C (2) D/F (1/)
Focus: Purpose Purpose is clear Shows awareness of
purpose
Shows limited
awareness of
purpose
No awareness
!ain idea Clearly presents a
main idea and
supports it
throughout the
paper
!here is a main idea
supported throughout
most of the paper
"ague sense of a
main idea, wea#ly
supported
throughout the
paper
No main idea
"rgani#ation:
$%erall
&ell'planned and
well'thought out
(ncludes title,
introduction,
statement of main
idea, transitions and
conclusion
)ood o%erall
organi*ation, includes
the main
organi*ational tools
!here is a sense of
organi*ation,
although some of the
organi*ational tools
are used wea#ly or
missing
No sense of
organi*ation
"rgani#ation:
Paragraphs
All paragraphs ha%e
clear ideas, are
supported with
e+amples and ha%e
smooth transitions
,ost paragraphs ha%e
clear ideas, are
supported with some
e+amples and ha%e
transitions
Some paragraphs
ha%e clear ideas,
support from
e+amples may be
missing and
transitions are wea#
Para lac# clear ideas
Content -+ceptionally well'
presented and
argued. ideas are
detailed, well'
de%eloped,
supported with
specific e%idence /
facts, as well as
e+amples and
specific details
&ell'presented and
argued. ideas are
detailed, de%eloped
and supported with
e%idence and details,
mostly specific
Content is sound and
solid. ideas are
present but not
particularly
de%eloped or
supported. some
e%idence, but
usually of a
generali*ed nature
Content is not sound
Researc$ (if
assignment
inc%udes a
researc$
com&onent)
Sources are
e+ceptionally well'
integrated and they
support claims
argued in the paper
%ery effecti%ely
0uotations and
&or#s Cited
conform to ,1A
style sheet
Sources are well
integrated and
support the paper2s
claims !here may be
occasional errors, but
the sources and
&or#s Cited conform
to ,1A style sheet
Sources support
some claims made in
the paper, but might
not be integrated
well within the
paper2s argument
!here may be a few
errors in ,1A style
!he paper does not
use ade3uate
research or if it does,
the sources are not
integrated well !hey
are not cited
correctly according
to ,1A style, nor
listed correctly on
the &or#s Cited
page
't(%e) Sentence
structure
Sentences are clear
and %aried in
pattern, from simple
to comple+, with
e+cellent use of
punctuation
Sentences are clear
but may lac#
%ariation. a few may
be aw#ward and there
may be a few
punctuation errors
Sentences are
generally clear but
may ha%e aw#ward
structure or unclear
content. there may
be patterns of
Sentences aren2t
clear
punctuation errors
't(%e) &ord
choice, !one
!here is clear use of
a personal and
uni3ue style of
writing, suited to
audience and
purpose. the paper
holds the reader2s
interest with ease
!here is an attempt at
a personal style but
style of writing may
be aw#ward or
unsuited to audience
and purpose. the
reader may lose
interest in some
sections of the paper
!here is little
attempt at style.
reads as flat and
perhaps
uninteresting in
content, which is
usually generali*ed
and clich4d
No attempt at style
't(%e: 5etails
and -+amples
1arge amounts of
specific e+amples
and detailed
descriptions
Some use of specific
e+amples and
detailed descriptions
,ay ha%e e+tended
e+amples that go on
for too long
1ittle use of specific
e+amples and
details. mostly
generali*ed
e+amples and little
description
No use of e+amples
Grammar *
!ec$anics
-+cellent grammar,
spelling, synta+ and
punctuation
A few errors in
grammar, spelling,
synta+ and
punctuation, but not
many
Shows a pattern of
errors in spelling,
grammar, synta+
and6or punctuation
Could also be a sign
of lac# of proof'
reading
Continuous errors