MSCP Writing Rubric

Score
4
Effective

Purpose
Effectively achieves a clear and accurate for the
genre, topic, and audience.
Effectively argues a position and
acknowledges or addresses alternate and
opposing arguments are clear.
Controlling or main idea is clearly and
effectively communicated.

Focus is consistently sustained.

Responds effectively to all aspects of the task.

3
Adequate

Adequately achieves an accurate purpose for the

genre, topic and audience.
Adequately argues a position and
adequately acknowledges or addresses
alternate and opposing arguments.
Controlling or main idea is adequately
communicated.

Focus may have errors in clarity or be inconsistent.

Addresses the topic clearly but may respond to
some aspects of the task more effectively than
others.

Evidence, Reasoning, and Elaboration

The evidence effectively supports the purpose and is
appropriate, accurate, and convincing.
Comprehensive evidence from a wide
variety of sources is well integrated.
Evidence and sources are relevant,
appropriate and support the purpose.
A variety of evidence (ex. quantitative and
qualitative) is used.

Effective use of accurate and thorough reasoning
and elaboration.
Reasoning thoroughly and accurately
explains how the evidence supports the
purpose.
Reasoning establishes clear and consistent
connections between evidence and claim.
Reasoning develops a logical progression of
ideas and elaborates and extends the
evidence and purpose.

The evidence adequately supports the purpose and
is appropriate and accurate.
Evidence from a variety of sources is used.
Evidence and sources are generally relevant,
appropriate and support the purpose.
A variety of evidence (ex. quantitative and
qualitative) is used.

Adequate use of accurate and thorough reasoning
and elaboration.
Reasoning explains how the evidence
supports the purpose.
Reasoning establishes clear connections
between evidence and claim.
Reasoning develops an adequate
progression of ideas and provides some
elaboration of the evidence and purpose.

Writing Style
Consistent ability to control a wide range of
the elements of effective writing.
Vocabulary is grade appropriate and
appropriate for audience and purpose.
Tone is appropriate to task and
purpose.

Clear and effective organizational structure,
creating a sense of unity and completeness.
Transitional strategies are effectively
and fluently used.
Coherent and unified grouping of
topics/themes/subtopics/etc.
Effective introduction and conclusion.

Clear citations or attributions to source
material.

Generally free from errors in grammar usage
and mechanics.
Adequate ability to control a wide range of the
elements of effective writing.
Vocabulary is generally appropriate
for grade, audience and purpose.
Tone is generally appropriate to task
and purpose.

Adequate organizational structure, creating a
sense of unity and completeness.
Transitional strategies are used. An
attempt at fluency has been made.
Adequate grouping of
topics/themes/subtopics/etc.
Adequate introduction and
conclusion.

Adequate citations or attributions to source
material.

Writing may have errors in grammar usage
and mechanics, but is generally clear.

2
Attempt

Attempt to achieve a purpose for the intended

genre, topic and audience.
Position may be unclear or the the
opposing argument(s) may be confusing or
not acknowledged.
Controlling or main idea of a topic may be
somewhat unclear.

Focus may be unclear, limited, or inadequately
developed.

Distorts or neglects aspects of the task.

The evidence or explanations used may be

inappropriate, insufficient, inconsistent, limited, or
less convincing.
Some evidence is used.
Evidence and sources may be inappropriate,
insufficient, or less convincing.
Evidence may be repetitive, vague, or
imprecise.

An attempt to use reasoning to explain how the
evidence supports the purpose is made.

Connections between the evidence and the
purpose may be inconsistent, uneven,
unclear, or limited.
Reasoning may be summative in nature
(summarizes information vs. providing
reasoning).
Elaboration is weak or does not exist.

1
Little
Success

Little success in achieving the intended purpose for

the genre, topic or audience.
Position may be confusing or ambiguous.
Controlling or main idea may be confusing
or ambiguous.

Unable to sustain a clear focus.

Task may be misunderstood or a simpler task may
be substituted.

No attempt to complete the task has been made.

Little success in using evidence, explanations and

reasoning to support the purpose.
Evidence and sources may be irrelevant,
absent or incorrectly used.
Reasoning may be illogical or non-existent.

The writing generally conveys ideas but may

be inconsistent in controlling the elements of
effective writing.
Vocabulary use is uneven or
somewhat ineffective for the audience
and purpose.
Tone may be inappropriate to task
and purpose.
Inconsistent organization structure and flaws
are evident.
Weak or uneven use of transitional
strategies.
Grouping of topics may be weak or
undeveloped.
Introduction and conclusion may weak
or insufficient.

Inappropriate or absent citations or
attributions to source material.

Writing demonstrates consistent weaknesses
in grammar usage and mechanics or lack of
clarity and control.
Weak in control of the elements of effective
writing.
Vocabulary is limited or ineffective for
the audience and purpose.
Tone may be inappropriate to task
and purpose.
Little or no discernible organizational
structure.
Few or no transitional strategies are
evident.
Topic may be unorganized and/or lack
coherency.
Introduction and/or conclusion may
be missing.

Absent citations or attributions to source
material.

Writing is especially simplistic and weak in
control of language.

Or no response has been made.