Oral Presentation Grading Rubric

Persuasive Speech

Advanced

Proficient

Basic

Below Basic

Exceeds Expectations

Meets Expectations

Below Expectations

Fails to Meet Expectations

The speech focuses on a specific, original topic.

Information is relevant, engaging and 100%
accurate. Details go well beyond obvious
common-sense facts to provide insightful,
interesting examples and explanations. Ideas
are organized in a logical way and are easy to
follow along with. Verbal cues are used to help
the audience follow ideas and understand
organization.
Speaker addresses ETHOS, PATHOS, and LOGOS
equally by coming across as reasonable,
unbiased, and trustworty; effectively appealing
to the audiences emotions through examples or
images; and using reason and logic in the form
of facts, statistics, and effective logical
argument.

The speech has a clear topic, but the topic could

be more focused. Ample information is
presented, but some of it is obvious and not
necessarily engaging, and some may not be
100% accurate. Ideas are organized in a simple,
straight-forward way. Verbal cues that would
help the audience follow ideas are not built in
to the presentation.

The topic is either very unfocused or the

speech veers off topic at times. Serveral pieces
of innacurate information are presented. Not
enough details and examples are included.
Some ideas are organized ineffectively, such as
telling details out of chronological order. Ideas
are difficult for the audience to follow along
with.

The speech lacks a clear topic. Details tend to

ramble, or no details are given at all. Much (if
not most or all) of the information is
questionable or clearly innacurate. The speaker
has made no effort to organize ideas in a logical
way. Information is presented as a randomlyorganized list of details.

Speaker addresses ETHOS, PATHOS, and LOGOS

but not equally--perhaps focusing too much on
emotions and not enough on logic, for example.
Not enough is done to sound unbiased and
reasonable. Emotional appeals could be more
effect or more appropriate.

Speaker does not equally address ETHOS,

PATHOS, and LOGOS, focusing far too much on
one and not nearly enough on others. The
speaker's biases are very clear, which makes
him/her seem less trustworthy. Appeals to
emotion are easily defeated by poor logical
argument.

Speaker makes little effort to address ETHOS,

PATHOS, or LOGOS, showing a lack of
understanding of persuasive strategies. Little
attempt is made to effectively appeal to the
audience. Obvious logical fallacies turn the
audience against the speaker's argument.

Presenter speaks clearly and confidently

without unnecessary pauses, showing command
of formal English and building rapport with the
audience. The speaker effectively uses a
combination of reading from note cards or an
outline, speaking from memory, or
appropriately improvising so the speech sounds
fluent and natural. Effort is made to make eye
contact with audience members throughout the
speech. Vocal expression is engaging.

Presenter speaks clearly and with appropriate

volume and does not make major mistakes
with formal language conventions. Verbal tics
("Um" or "Like") and unnecessary pauses
sometimes distract from the presentation.
Note cards or an outline are used, but the
speaker simply reads most of the time. The
speaker reads fluently and doesn't stumble over
lines. Speaker occasionally makes eye contact
with audience.

Presenter does not speak clearly enough

(perhaps too fast or slow, or too quiet.)
Presenter does not use formal English
conventions fluently. Verbal tics distract from
the presentation often. The speaker reads the
speech from a printed sheet of paper. Reading
isn't always fluent and doesn't sound wellrehearsed. Speaker rarely looks up at the
audience. Vocal expression is monotone.

Presentation is difficult to follow along with

because presenter mumbles or rambles. Verbal
tics are constantly distracting, and speaker
shows no command of formal English. The
speaker either reads from a sheet of paper or
"wings" it ineffectively. The speaker stumbles
over phrases and often gets lost, making it clear
that he or she did not practice. Speaker makes
no eye contact with audience.

If required, appropriate, original visuals are

used throughout the presentation to help the
audience connect with the ideas.

If required, appropriate visuals are included in

several parts of the presentation.

If required, a few simple, overly-obvious visuals Visuals are either not present or don't go along
are included in only a few parts of the
with the ideas at all (or possibly distract from
presentation.
the speaker's ideas.)

Speech stays within allotted time limit.

Speech stays close to allotted time limit (1-2

minutes over or under.)

Speech goes well over or under allotted time

(half or twice as long.)

Speaker pays no attention to time limit.

Presentation is likely VERY short.