Reading Challenge Rubric
4 3
__Engages the reader with
a clear thesis or purpose
__Information is clearly
related to the topic
__Relevant evidence and
IDEAS/CONTENT
details are strong and used
to support the thesis or
purpose
__Organization is clear
including compare and
contrast or organization by
categories, and transitional
expressions
ORGANIZATION __Offers a creative
engaging beginning and a
concluding paragraph that
summarizes the thesis or
purpose
__Writing shows a strong
tone and has a clear sense
of audience
VOICE __Voice uses a strategy
consistent with cause and
effect, compare and
contrast
__Demonstrates consistent
variety and complexity of
SENTENCE
sentence structure
FLUENCY
WORD CHOICE __Uses precise and creative
verbs, adverbs, nouns, and
adjectives; the message is
2 1
__Engages the reader __Attempts to engage the __Little attempt to engage
with a thesis or purpose reader with a thesis or the reader; no thesis or
__Information stated is purpose purpose
related to the topic __Information stated is __Information stated does
__Relevant evidence and limited in relationship to not relate to the topic
details support the thesis the topic __Relevant evidence and
or purpose __Relevant evidence and details are lacking
details are weak and do
not always support the
thesis or purpose
__Organization is clear __Organization may be __Organization is lacking
and may include use of hampered by minimal and interferes with
compare and contrast or details and weak understanding
organization by transitional expressions __ Conclusion is not drawn
categories, and __ Attempts a beginning or reached
transitional expressions and a conclusion
__ Offers an engaging
beginning and a
concluding paragraph
that summarizes the
thesis or purpose
__Writing shows a sense __Writing shows little __Writing shows nosense of
of audience sense of audience audience
__Voice has some cause __Voice makes an attempt __Voice has no use of
and effect, compare and to use cause and effect, cause and effect or
contrast compare and contrast compare and contrast
__Demonstrates some __Demonstrates sentences __Demonstrates awkward,
variety and complexity of that are understandable choppy and run-on
sentence structure __Sentences are short, sentences
repetitive, and lack variety __No variety or complexity
and complexity
__Uses adequate verbs, __Uses limited word __Uses dull, repetitive word
adverbs, nouns, and choice; the message is dull choice; the message is
adjectives; the message or unclear confusing
 clear
__Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing,
and grammar are effective
and make the paper easy
CONVENTIONS to read and understand
__Contains few if any errors
in conventions
is clear
__Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation,
paragraphing, and
grammar are mostly
correct
__Errors do not make
writing difficult to read
and do not interfere with
the meaning
__Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing,
and grammar create
problems that slow the
reader or cause confusion
__Contains frequent
convention errors that are
noticeable
__Spelling, capitalization,
punctuation, paragraphing,
and grammar are so
numerous that they make
writing difficult to follow