301 EDITORIAL RUBRIC

SLO
1. Write for a
specific
audience and
purpose.

Absent or Below
Basic
Audience's needs
are often not
recognized:
terms and ideas
need explanation
and language
needs adjustment
for the audience.
Purpose (to argue
a position
persuasively)
isn't clear or
achieved.

2. Find,
evaluate,
select,
synthesize,
organize,
ethically
cite, and
present
information
from a
variety of
sources
appropriate
to their
disciplines.

Omits or uses
incorrectly
MLA- or APAstyle
parenthetical
citations,
quotation marks,
and works cited
list. Drops
quotations and
ideas into text
without
introducing
source.
Frequently uses
irrelevant or
unpersuasive
sources or relies
exclusively on
one source.

3. Compare,
contrast, and
synthesize
carefully and
objectively
the relative
merits of
alternative or
opposing
arguments,
assumptions,
and cultural
values.

Fails to support
claims with
relevant
reasoning and/or
specific
evidence.
Objectivity and a
controlling idea
may be lacking.

Developing

Proficient

Advanced

Comments

Shows some
attention to
audience's
needs,
sometimes
defining
necessary terms
and ideas and
using audienceappropriate
language.
Purpose (to
argue a position
persuasively)
may be unclear
at times, and it
may not be
achieved
convincingly.
A few errors in
MLA- or APAstyle
parenthetical
citations,
quotation
marks, and
works cited list.
Often includes
sources without
introduction in
cases when
introduction is
necessary.
Sometimes
relies too
heavily on a
single source or
uses irrelevant
or unpersuasive
sources.

Usually shows
attention to
audience's
needs, defining
necessary terms
and ideas and
using audienceappropriate
language.
Purpose (to
argue a position
persuasively)
may be
implied, but it's
clear and
achieved.

Shows
sophisticated
attention to
audience's needs,
defining
necessary terms
and ideas and
using audienceappropriate
language.
Purpose (to argue
a position
persuasively) is
clear and
achieved with
style.

Proof your point a

little stronger. Good
evidence thoughout
your paper to back
up your point.

Correctly uses
MLA- or APAstyle
parenthetical
citations,
quotation
marks, and
works cited list.
Usually
introduces each
source fully (as
necessary)
reader knows
who did the
research or
communicating
, for whom, and
why. Use of
sources is
usually diverse,
relevant and
persuasive.
Usually
supports the
controlling idea
and paragraph
claims with
relevant,
thorough, and
insightful
reasoning and
specific
evidence.
Usually
maintains
objectivity.

Correctly uses
MLA- or APAstyle parenthetical
citations,
quotation marks,
and works cited
list. Introduces
each source fully
(as necessary)
reader knows who
did the research
or
communicating,
for whom, and
why. Use of
sources is always
diverse, relevant
and persuasive.

Good idea on using

different examples
from different
sources

Supports the
controlling idea
and paragraph
claims with
relevant,
thorough, and
insightful
reasoning and
specific evidence.
Maintains
objectivity.

Your argument
needs to be a little
stronger so that the
reader can see what
side you are leaning
towards.

Attempts to
support claims
with reasoning
and evidence,
but specificity
and/or
objectivity may
be lacking. A
controlling idea
may be missing
or implied.

301 EDITORIAL RUBRIC

4. Organize
ones
thoughts and
communicat
e them
clearly and
persuasively
to address a
rhetorical
situation.

5.
Recognize,
evaluate, and
employ the
features and
contexts of
language and
design that
express and
influence
meaning and
that
demonstrate
sensitivity to
gender and
cultural
differences.

Organizational
devices
(controlling idea,
headings,
subheadings,
topic sentences,
transitions) may
be absent,
unrelated to the
prompt, or
illogically
connected. Ps
contain multiple
topics or are
disorganized.
Spelling, syntax,
diction, or
punctuation
errors impede
readability.
Language may
reflect a gender
or cultural bias.
Design may be
unconventional
and ineffective.

Organizational
devices
(controlling
idea, headings,
subheadings,
topic sentences,
transitions) fit
the prompt, but
may be vague,
too broad, or
inconsistently
or illogically
linked. Ps may
not be unified.

Clear
organizational
devices
(controlling
idea, headings,
subheadings,
topic sentences,
transitions) fit
the prompt and
tie ideas and
topics together
adequately. Ps
are usually
unified.

Clear, specific
organizational
devices (thesis,
topic sentences,
headings,
transitions) fit the
prompt and tie
ideas and topics
together logically
and seamlessly.
Paragraphs are
unified.

Spelling,
syntax, diction,
or punctuation
errors often
impede
readability or
otherwise
distract from
meaning.
Language may
occasionally
suggest a
gender or
cultural bias.
Design may be
unconventional
or ineffective.

Spelling,
syntax, diction,
or punctuation
errors are few
and do not
distract from
meaning.
Language
respects gender
and cultural
differences.
Design is
conventional
and effective.

Outstanding
control of
language,
including
effective diction
and sentence
variety.
Language
respects gender
and cultural
differences.
Design is
conventional and
effective.

Good structure for

paper, needs to add
in more thoughts
and conclude your
paper strongly.
Argument is good
overall, just check
your spacing
between the words
and the spacing
between the pictures
and its captions.
Pictures need
captions and source
on the bottom.