Appendix B: College Level Writing Skills Rubric

Structure

• Organization

• Flow of thought

• Transitions

• Format

• Paper is logically organized

• Easily followed

• Effective, smooth, and logical transitions

• Professional format

• Paper has a clear organizational structure with some digressions, ambiguities or irrelevances

• Easily followed

• Basic transitions

• Structured format

• There is some level of organization though digressions, ambiguities, irrelevances are too many

• Difficult to follow

• Ineffective transitions

• Rambling format

• There is no apparent organization to the paper.

• Difficult to follow

• No or poor transitions

• No format

Grammar/mechanics

• Sentence structure

• punctuation/mechanics

• Manipulates complex sentences for effect/impact

• No punctuation or mechanicalerrors

• Uses complexsentences

• Few punctuation or mechanicalerrors

• Uses compoundsentences

• Too many punctuation and/or mechanicalerrors

• Uses simple sentences

Language

• Vocabulary; use of vocabulary

• Tone

• Vocabulary is sophisticated and correct as are sentences which vary in structure and length

• Uses and manipulates subject specific vocabulary foreffect

• Writer’s tone is clear, consistent and appropriate for intendedaudience

• Vocabulary is varied, specific andappropriate

• Frequently uses subject specific vocabulary correctly

• Writer’s tone emerges and is generally appropriate to audience

• Vocabulary is used properly though sentences may besimple

• Infrequently uses subject specific vocabulary correctly

• Writer’s tone exhibits some level of audience sensitivity

• Vocabulary is unsophisticated, notused properly in very simple sentences.

• Uses subject specific vocabulary too sparingly

Content/information

• Clarity of purpose

• Critical and original thought

• Use of examples

• Central idea is well developed and clarity of purpose is exhibited throughout the paper

• Abundance of evidence of critical, careful thought and analysis and/or insight

• Evidence and examples are vivid and specific, while focus remainstight

• Central idea and clarity of purpose are generally evident throughout the essay

• Evidence of critical, careful thought and analysis and/orinsight

• There are good, relevant supporting examples and evidence

• The central idea is expressed though it may be vague or too broad; Some sense of purpose is maintained throughout the essay

• Some evidence of critical, careful thought and analysis and/orinsight

• There are some examples and evidence, though general

• Central idea and clarity of purpose are absent or incompletely expressed andmaintained

• Little or no evidence of critical, careful thought or analysis and/orinsight

• There are too few, no examples and evidence or they are mostlyirrelevant