Standard: Writing Arguments

Write clear and coherent arguments for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Category
Introduction
with Claim

-Essay has a
compelling
claim that
skillfully appeals
to the audience.
Essay goes
well beyond
the obvious.

-Essay has an
effective claim
that is clear to
the reader.

-Essay has a
claim that is
too narrow, too
broad, or not
immediately
clear to the
reader.

-Claim is
unclear and
position is too
broad and
generally
weak.

-Essay has a
creative hook
that captures the
readers
attention within
the first
paragraph.

-Essay contains
a creative hook
that captures the
readers
attention within
the first
paragraph.

-Creative hook
is attempted, but
does not capture
the readers
attention.

Content
-Essaypresents -Essay
-Supporting
(claim and
powerful
effectively
arguments and
counter claim) arguments to
supported claim evidence is

-No creative
hook is present.

Essay has
unsupported
generalizations.
support claim.
with relevant
insufficient or
Used little to
Used wellarguments and irrelevant.
no supportive
documented
evidence.
Essay lacks
or credible
evidence to
explanation and evidence.
provide a
-Essay
elaboration.
consistent and acknowledges
- Essay fails to
convincing
an opposing
-Essay
address any
perspective on viewpoint and
addresses an
opposing
the issue.
provides a
opposing
viewpoints or
reasonable
viewpoint but
to provide
-Essay
counterdoes NOT
countereffectively
argument.
provide a
arguments.
addresses
reasonable
opposing
counter-
viewpoints and
argument.
provides strong
counterarguments. A
convincing and
well-focused
argument.

Standard: Writing Arguments

Write clear and coherent arguments for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Category

Rhetorical
Strategies
and Modes of
Persuasion

-Clear and
effective use of
key rhetorical
strategiesethos, pathos,
and logos

-Use of key
rhetorical
strategiesethos, pathos,
and logosevident

-Use of key
rhetorical
strategiesethos, pathos,
and logosevident, but
somewhat
unclear.

-Very little use

of key
rhetorical
strategiesethos, pathos,
and logos.

Organization

-Organization
enhances and
showcases
central idea;
order of
information is
compelling,
moving the
reader through
the text.

-Organization
is smooth; only
a few small
bumps exist
here and there.

-Organization
is still
problematic,
though
structure
begins to
emerge; ability
to follow text is
slowed.

-Organization
is mostly
ineffective or
cant be
identified; only
moments here
and there
direct reader

-All parts of the

citations in the
works cited
(author, title,
publisher, date
etc.) are
included, and
correctly
punctuated.

-Citations on
Works Cited
are missing
one of the
following:
author, title,
publisher, or
date, and there
are some
errors in
punctuation.

-Citations on
Works Cited
contain several
errors.
Citations are
missing two or
more of the
following:
author, title,
publisher, or
date. There
are many
errors in
punctuation.

Works Cited
and Citations

-Parenthetical
citations are
punctuated
correctly.

-Parenthetical
citations are
mostly
punctuated
correctly.

-Parenthetical
citations are
not punctuated
correctly.

Standard: Writing Arguments

Write clear and coherent arguments for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Category
Conventions

4
-Author uses
standard
writing
conventions
effectively to
enhance
readability.

-Author has
reasonable
control over
standard
conventions for
grade level.

-Many errors or
various types
of conventions
are scattered
throughout the
text.

-Errors in
conventions
are the norm
and repeatedly
distract
reader ,
making text
unreadable