ENGL 101Spring 2016

Writing Rubric
A:

Thesis is arguable, specific, interesting, and sophisticated (as appropriate for the assignment)
Writing thoroughly utilizes argument types and appeals, presenting good reasons that explicitly
link to and support thesis
Sufficient, relevant evidence thoroughly supports each part of the argument
Evidence is creatively analyzed with depth and is persuasively linked to the thesis
Consistently clear and sophisticated language and sentence structure establish a distinct and
credible voice for the writer
Argument integrates relevant sources to engage credibly in and make a contribution to a
conversation of ideas
Ideas are sequenced logically to develop a coherent and sophisticated argument
Organizational markers such as topic sentences and transitions seamlessly guide reader through
the argument
Language and ideas of the paper engage the appropriate audiences attention and interest
Opposing views to thesis are accurately and respectfully presented and responded to persuasively

B:

Thesis is clear, arguable, and specific (as appropriate for the assignment)
Good reasons logically link to and support thesis, though argument types and appeals may not be
thoroughly exploited
Sufficient, relevant evidence supports the argument
Evidence is thoroughly analyzed and linked to the thesis through discussion
Language and sentence structure are sufficiently precise and varied to establish a clear and
credible voice for the writer.
Argument uses relevant sources to engage credibly in a conversation of ideas
Most ideas are sequenced logically to develop a coherent argument
Writing uses sufficient organizational markers such as topic sentences and transitions to enable
reader to follow the argument
Language and ideas of the paper engage the appropriate audiences attention and interest
Opposing views to thesis are respectfully presented so as to make clear why there are
disagreements about the topic, and writer substantively responds to those views

C:

Thesis is evident, but is either not arguable or overly broad in scope (as appropriate for the
assignment)
Some reasons are given that link to and support the thesis
Evidence is present, but not consistently relevant or sufficient to support the argument
Minimal analysis of evidence and/or explanation of how it supports thesis
Use of imprecise language and repetitive or non-grammatical sentence construction at times
impede clarity and credibility
Paper engages required sources, but does not make a clear contribution to a conversation of ideas.
Overall structure develops a position, but some parts of the essay may be unrelated to the thesis
Some organizational markers such as topic sentences and transitions link sections of the
argument, but some logical links are missing
While there is an effort to engage an audiences attention and interest, language and ideas may
not always be appropriately directed at the intended audience
Opposing views are considered, but they may be over-simplified and/or their treatment does not
advance the thesis