A Common Core-based writing rubric to guide assessment of explanatory/informative writing (grades 9-10)

1. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY WRITING RUBRIC
Writing Feature Unscorable Lacking Limited Approaching Proficient Above Average Exemplary
(Score Point 0) (Score Point 1) (Score Point 2) (Score Point 3) (Score Point 4) (Score Point 5) (Score Point 6)
FOCUS The writing is The response lacks a The response includes a The response The response includes The response includes a The response includes an
illegible, written in a clear topic and fails to clear topic but the includes a clear a clear topic and the well-chosen topic and the advanced, well-chosen topic
language other than maintain the topic or writer is unsuccessful in topic and the topic or central idea is writer successfully and the writer successfully
English, or there is idea throughout. efforts to maintain the writer makes an maintained maintains complex idea(s) maintains complex ideas
not enough topic or idea effort to maintain throughout. throughout. throughout.
information to score throughout. the topic or idea
the response. throughout.
ORGANIZATION The writing is The response does not The response reflects The response The response reflects The response reflects a The response reflects a
illegible, written in a represent an an unsuccessful generally reflects an organization of purposeful organization of purposeful organization of
language other than organization of ideas, attempt to organize an organization of complex ideas, complex ideas, concepts, complex ideas, concepts, and
English, or there is concepts, and ideas, concepts, and ideas, concepts, concepts, and and information; and information that clearly
not enough information. information. and information. information; and provides a concluding contributes to the reader’s
information to score provides a concluding statement or section that understanding of the topic; and
the response. statement or section follows from and supports provides a concluding
that follows from and information or statement or section that
supports information explanation. follows from and supports
or explanation. information or explanation.
DEVELOPMENT The writing is The response fails to The response attempts The response The response The response The response clearly
illegible, written in a demonstrate proper to demonstrate the generally demonstrates demonstrates consistent demonstrates consistent
language other than development of ideas, development of ideas, demonstrates consistent development of complex development of complex ideas,
English, or there is concepts, and concepts, and development of development of ideas, concepts, and concepts, and information so
not enough information and/or information but rarely ideas, concepts, complex ideas, information so that each that each new element builds
information to score does not make the raises the important and information concepts, and new element builds upon upon that which precedes it to
the response. connections and connections and and adequately information and that which precedes it; the create a unified whole; the
distinctions between distinctions between makes the makes clear the writer also makes clear writer also makes clear the
them; the response them; few transitions connections and important connections the important connections important connections and
lacks transitions which are included and/or distinctions and distinctions and distinctions between distinctions between them;
serve to link ideas and transitions do not link between them; between them; them; transitions are transitions are appropriate and
create cohesion. ideas or create some transitions transitions are appropriate and varied. varied.
cohesion. are evident. appropriate and
varied.
SUPPORT The writing is The response fails to The response includes a The response The response includes The response includes The response includes well-
illegible, written in a include relevant and mixture of relevant and generally includes relevant and sufficient well-chosen, relevant and chosen, the most significant
language other than sufficient facts, irrelevant facts, clear relevant and facts, extended sufficient facts, extended and relevant facts, extended
English, or there is definitions, concrete and unclear definitions, sufficient facts, definitions, concrete definitions, concrete definitions, concrete details, or
not enough details, or other some concrete details, definitions, details, or other details, or other other information and
information to score important information or other information concrete details, information and information and examples examples appropriate to the
the response. and examples. and examples which or other examples appropriate appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the
may or may not information and to the audience’s audience’s knowledge of topic.
strengthen the examples. knowledge of the the topic.
response. topic.
LANGUAGE The writing is The response includes The response lacks The response The response includes The response includes The response includes precise
illegible, written in a vague and/or precise language and includes some precise language and precise language and language and techniques such
language other than confusing language domain-specific precise language domain-specific techniques such as as metaphor, simile, and
English, or there is and lacks purposeful vocabulary; a formal and domain- vocabulary to manage metaphor and simile as effective analogy as well as
not enough vocabulary; a formal style and/or objective specific the complexity of the well as domain-specific domain-specific vocabulary to
information to score style and/or objective tone are not vocabulary; formal topic; formal style and vocabulary to manage the manage the complexity of the
the response. tone are not maintained; there are style and objective objective tone are complexity of the topic; topic; formal style and
maintained; there are errors in grammar and tone are maintained; the formal style and objective objective tone are maintained;
blatant errors in conventions that may maintained; the writing attends to the tone are maintained; the the writing attends to the
grammar and detract from the overall writing generally norms and writing attends to the norms and conventions of the
conventions. quality of the writing. attends to norms conventions of the norms and conventions of discipline.
and conventions. discipline. the discipline.
Draft created 08/01/2012 (revised 08/20/12)