Exceeds Expectations

Meets Expectations

Approaches Expectations

Fails to Meet Expectations

· Presents a focused and sustained argument;

· Proceeds with purpose appropriate for writer situation;

· Pursues sophistication and complexity

· Has a readily identifiable argument;

· Presents a generally clear and focused sense of purpose;

· Makes moves toward sophistication and complexity.

· Has an argument, but one that might not be entirely unified, sustained, or immediately identifiable,

· Pursues an ill-defined or inappropriate purpose;

· Leans towards the obvious and simplistic

· Lacks a central argument or provides an argument severely incongruent with purpose;

· Is obvious and simplistic.

· Provides sufficient, relevant, and specific support;

· Explores complexity through full, sensitive discussion of ideas and information;

· Is sensitive to the subtleties of audience reactions.

· Provides satisfactory support;

· Moves towards complexity with discussion that explores, rather than simply presents, ideas and information;

· Accounts for audience reactions.

· Provides support that may be ill-chosen, insufficient, or vague;

· Resists complexity with discussion of ideas and information that is often brief and general;

· Takes audience’s reactions into little account.

· Provides little support and/or support that is ill-chosen or vague;

· Is overly simplistic and mostly lacks discussion;

· Seems indifferent to audience reactions.

· Introduces and concludes effectively;

· Employs logical, consistent, and coherent organizational units;

· Arranges and sequences information appropriately for audience, purpose, and situation;

· Highlights connections between ideas and builds coherence.

· Introduces and concludes satisfactorily;

· Employs organizational units that might occasionally want for logic, coherence, or consistency;

· Arranges and sequences information in an orderly, predictable fashion;

· Frequently builds coherence and highlights connections between ideas.

· Introduces and concludes perfunctorily;

· Employs organizational units that can lack clear evidence of underlying logic, coherence, or consistency;

· Arranges and sequences information somewhat haphazardly or simplistically;

· Takes few steps to highlight connections between ideas and build coherence.

· Includes severely underthought introduction or conclusion (or no introduction or conclusion);

· Employs organizational units that are haphazard (or fails to employ organizational units);

· Lacks direction in the arrangement and sequencing of information;

· Does not highlight connections between ideas and build coherence.

· Chooses a tone and level of formality appropriate for audience, purpose, and situation;

· Uses language and syntax for deliberate effect;

· Usually employs sophisticated, engaging language and precise word choice.

· Employs proficient and unobtrusive, if unmodulated, tone and level of formality;

· Occasionally uses language and syntax for deliberate effect;

· Occasionally uses sophisticated engaging, and precise word choice.

· Employs a tone and level of formality that may be inappropriate for audience, purpose, and situation;

· Uses language and syntax that shows little regard for effect;

· Uses language that can be imprecise, unclear, or incorrect.

· Employs a tone and level of formality inappropriate for audience, purpose, and situation;

· Uses language and syntax haphazardly;

· Frequently employs imprecise, unclear, or incorrect language.

· Usually follows appropriate conventions for spelling, grammar, and usage;

· Cites sources according to relevant conventions with few, minor formatting errors.

· Often follows appropriate conventions for spelling, grammar, and usage, with some errors;

· Cites sources within the basic guidelines of relevant conventions, but with some minor errors.

· Contains several errors in spelling, grammar, and usage;

· Cites sources, but loosely or casually and with disregard for relevant conventions.

· Contains many errors in spelling, grammar, and usage;

· Does not cite sources or cites sources in such a way as to make it extremely difficult to find original sources.