SLO

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.

Developing

Proficient

Advanced

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.

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.

I am glad that
you defined
your many
scientific words
so that I could
gain a better
knowledge of
what you were
talking about. I
also think you
did a good job
with
addressing
counterarguments and
rebutting with
your own
argument. It
was clear that
you were
against going
to local
Southern
Californian
beaches.

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

Omits or uses
incorrectly MLAor APA-style
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.

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.

Correctly uses
MLA- or APA-style
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.

Correctly uses
MLA- or APA-style
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.

First of all,
there were
some missing
dates when
you were citing
your
references but
only a few.
With the
graphs I might
recommend
that you name
them as Figure
1 and Figure 2.
I believe that
this is the
proper way to
point out which
figures you are
looking at. If
you decide to
do that, you
also need to
label Figure 1
or Figure 2
under the
graphs. Also,
make sure to
include your
reference list.

Fails to
support claims
Compare,
with relevant
contrast,
reasoning
and
and/or specific
synthesize
carefully and evidence.
objectively
Objectivity and
the relative
a controlling
merits of
idea may be
alternative
lacking.
or opposing
arguments,
assumptions
, and
cultural
values.

4 Organize

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

Organizational
devices
(controlling
idea,
headings,
subheadings,
topic
sentences,
transitions)
may be
absent,
unrelated to
the prompt, or
illogically
connected. Ps
contain

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

Usually supports
the controlling
idea and
paragraph claims
with relevant,
thorough, and
insightful
reasoning and
specific
evidence.
Usually
maintains
objectivity.

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

You provide
excellent
evidence for
your
arguments
such as
information
from the CDC.
Is there a way
to give a little
more evidence
for your
counterarguments?
This might give
you a way to
add to your
paper.

Organizational
devices
(controlling
idea, headings,
subheadings,
topic
sentences,
transitions) fit
the prompt, but
may be vague,
too broad, or
inconsistenly 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.

To me you
seemed to be
lacking
transition
sentences.
Shouldn't be
too hard if
you give it
some
thought. Your
thesis and
topic
sentences
were good at
informing me
what the

multiple topics
or are
disorganized.

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

Spelling,
syntax,
diction, or
punctuation
errors impede
readability.
Lanuage may
reflect a
gender or
cultural bias.
Design may be
unconventiona
l and
ineffective.

paragraph will
be about.

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

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

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

Very minor
spelling errors.
I felt that you
respected all
genders and
cultures in your
editorial.