301 Blog Posting Rubric, By Leslie Bruce

Criteria

SLO #1: Write formally

and informally, in-class
and out-of-class, for a
variety of audiences and
purposes.

Absent or Below Basic

Developing

Proficient

Audience's needs are

Shows some attention to Shows attention to
often not recognized:
audience's needs,
audience's needs, defining
terms and ideas need
sometimes defining
necessary terms and ideas
explanation and language necessary terms and ideas and using audienceneeds adjustment for the and using audienceappropriate language.
audience. Purpose (to
appropriate language.
Purpose (to analyze the
analyze the rhetoric ofa Purpose (to analyze the
rhetoric ofa picture) may be
picture) isn't clear or
rhetoric ofa picture) may implied, but it's clear and
achieved.
be unclear at times, and it achieved.
may not be achieved
convincingly.

Omits or uses incorrectly

MLA- or APA-style
parenthetical citations,
quotation marks, and
SLO #2: Using the
works cited list. Drops
appropriate majors
customary citation style, quotations and ideas into
ethically cite and
text without introducing
communicate
source. Frequently uses
information from a
irrelevant or
variety of disciplineunpersuasive sources.
appropriate sources.

A few errors in MLA- or

Correctly uses MLA- or APAAPA-style parenthetical
style parenthetical citations,
citations, quotation marks, quotation marks, and works
and works cited list. Often cited list. Usually introduces
includes sources names each source fullyreader
without introduction.
knows who did the research
Sometimes uses irrelevant or communicating, for whom,
or unpersuasive sources. and why. Use of sources is
usually relevant and
persuasive.

Fails to support claims

Attempts to support
claims with reasoning and
evidence, but specificity
and/or objectivity may be
lacking. A controlling idea
may be missing or
implied.

Usually supports the

controlling idea and
paragraph claims with
relevant, thorough, and
insightful reasoning and
specific evidence. Usually
maintains objectivity.

Organizational devices
(controlling idea,
headings, subheadings,
topic sentences,
SLO #4: Organize,
focus, and communicate transitions) may be
absent, unrelated to the
ones thoughts clearly
and effectively to
prompt, or illogically
address a rhetorical
connected. Ps contain
situation.
multiple topics or are
disorganized.

Organizational devices
(controlling idea,
headings, subheadings,
topic sentences,
transitions) fit the prompt,
but may be vague, too
broad, or inconsistenly or
illogically linked. Ps may
not be unified.

Clear organizational devices

(controlling idea, headings,
subheadings, topic
sentences, transitions) fit the
prompt and tie ideas and
topics together adequately.
Ps are usually unified.

Spelling, syntax, diction,

or punctuation errors
SLO # 5: Recognize,
impede readability.
evaluate, and employ
Lanuage may reflect a
the features and
gender or cultural bias.
contexts of language
and design that express Design may be
and influence meaning unconventional and
and that demonstrate
ineffective.

Spelling, syntax, diction, Spelling, syntax, diction, or

or punctuation errors often punctuation errors are few
impede readability or
and do not distract from
otherwise distract from
meaning. Lanuage respects
meaning. Lanuage may
gender and cultural
occasionally suggest a
differences. Design is
gender or cultural bias.
conventional and effective.
Design may be
inconventional or
ineffective.

SLO #3: Compare,

with relevant reasoning
evaluate, synthesize,
and/or specific evidence.
and communicate
Objectivity and a
carefully, objectively,
controlling idea may be
and persuasively the
lacking.
relative merits of
alternative or opposing
arguments, assumptions,
and cultural values.
Integrate this evaluative
work into a persuasive
argument.

sensitivity to gender and

cultural differences.

Advanced

Shows sophisticated
attention to audience's
needs, defining necessary
terms and ideas and using
audience-appropriate
language. Purpose (to
analyze the rhetoric ofa
picture) is clear and
achieved with style.

Correctly uses MLA- or APAstyle parenthetical citations,

quotation marks, and works
cited list. Introduces each
source fullyreader knows
who did the research or
communicating, for whom,
and why. Use of sources is
always relevant and
persuasive.

Supports the controlling idea

and paragraph claims with
relevant, thorough, and
insightful reasoning and
specific evidence. Maintains
objectivity.

Clear, specific organizational

devices (thesis, topic
sentences, headings,
transitions) fit the prompt
and tie ideas and topics
together logically and
seamlessly. Paragraphs are
unified.

Outstanding control of
language, including effective
diction and sentence variety.
Lanuage respects gender
and cultural differences.
Design is conventional and
effective.