Name:

      Score:                            /  100  
 
Scoring  Rubric  for  In-­‐‑class  Cause/Effect  Essay  
 
Criteria   Excellent  (4)   Good  (3)   Fair  (2)   Poor  (1)  
Formatting                Total:  
                   
Title   Centered  and  clearly  shows   Centered  and  is  related  to  the   May  not  be  centered;  may  not   No  title  OR  Not  centered;  not  
the  main  idea  of  the  essay.   main  idea  of  the  essay.   be  related  to  the  main  idea  of   related  to  the  main  idea  of  
the  essay.   the  essay.  
Indenting   The  first  line  of  each   Most  paragraphs  are   Some  paragraphs  are   Paragraphs  are  not  indented  
paragraph  is  indented  ½   indented  ½  inch.   indented  ½  inch.   OR  no  paragraphs  are  
inch.   indented  by  ½  inch.  
Font   Uses  a  standard  12-­‐‑point   Uses  a  standard  font;  may  not   May  use  a  non-­‐‑standard  font;   Uses  a  non-­‐‑standard  font;  
font.   be  12-­‐‑point,  but  is  not  too  big   may  be  too  big  or  too  small.   font-­‐‑size  is  too  big  or  too  
or  too  small.   small.  
Spacing   Double-­‐‑spaced  throughout.   Mostly  double-­‐‑spaced.   Mostly  single-­‐‑spaced.   Single-­‐‑spaced  throughout.  

Mechanics   Total:  

Punctuation   No  errors  in  using  periods   A  few  errors  in  using  periods   Some  errors  in  using  periods   Several  errors  in  using  
and  commas.   and  commas.   and  commas.   periods  and  commas.  
Capital   No  errors  in  using  capital   A  few  errors  in  using  capital   Some  errors  in  using  capital   Several  errors  in  using  
Letters   letters.   letters.   letters.   capital  letters.  
Spelling   No  spelling  errors.   A  few  spelling  errors,  but   Some  spelling  errors;  may   Several  spelling  errors;  
they  do  not  interfere  with   interfere  with  meaning.   interfere  with  meaning.  
meaning.  

Content   Total:  

Task  Fulfillment   Clearly  focuses  on  the  effects   Focuses  on  the  effects  of  a   Focuses  on  the  effects  of  a   Does  not  focus  on  the  effects  
of  a  single  cause  OR  on  the   single  cause  OR  on  the  causes   single  cause  OR  on  the  causes   of  a  single  cause  OR  on  the  
causes  of  a  single  effect;   of  a  single  effect;  shows   of  a  single  effect;  may  not   causes  of  a  single  effect;  does  
shows  clear  cause/effect   cause/effect  relationships   show  cause/effect   not  show  cause/effect  
relationships  between  ideas.   between  ideas.   relationships  between  ideas.   relationships  between  ideas.  
Quality   Is  interesting  to  read;  shows   Is  generally  interesting  to   Is  generally  boring  or   Is  boring;  shows  the  author  
the  author  took  care  while   read;  shows  the  author  took   unimaginative;  shows  the   did  not  take  care  while  
writing  the  essay.   some  care  while  writing  the   author  generally  did  not  take   writing  the  essay.  
essay.   care  while  writing  the  essay.  

Introduction   Total:  

Hook   Grabs  the  reader’s  attention;   Grabs  the  reader’s  attention;   Attempts  to  grab  the  reader’s   Does  not  grab  the  reader’s  
is  clearly  related  to  the  topic.   generally  related  to  the  topic.   attention;  may  be  too   attention;  is  a  general  
general.   statement  not  related  to  the  
topic.  
Background   Go  from  general  to  specific;   Go  from  general  to  specific;   May  be  too  general;  may  not   Too  general;  do  not  lead  up  
Sentences   lead  up  to  and  develop  the   somewhat  lead  up  to  the   lead  up  to  the  thesis;  at  least   to  the  thesis;  include  ideas  
thesis;  at  least  4  sentences   thesis;  at  least  3  sentences   2  sentences  between  the   not  related  to  the  topic;  only  
between  the  hook  and  the   between  the  hook  and  the   hook  and  the  thesis.   1  sentence  between  the  hook  
thesis.   thesis.   and  the  thesis.  
Thesis  Statement   Clearly  expresses  the  main   Expresses  the  main  idea;  has   The  main  idea  may  not  be   Main  idea  is  not  clear;  the  
idea;  has  a  controlling  idea   a  controlling  idea  that   clear;  has  a  controlling  idea,   controlling  idea  is  missing  
that  clearly  indicates  the   indicates  the  organization.   but  it  may  not  indicate  the   OR  the  thesis  statement  is  
organization.   organization.   missing.  
 
 
Body  Paragraphs   Total:  

Number   At  least  3  body  paragraphs.   At  least  2  body  paragraphs.   At  least  1  body  paragraph.   Only  1  body  paragraph.  

Topic  Sentences   Each  one  clearly  expresses  a   Each  one  expresses  a  new  idea   Some  may  not  express  a  new   Idea(s)  expressed  are  not  
new  idea  that  is  related  to  the   that  is  generally  related  to  the   idea  or  the  idea(s)  expressed   related  to  the  thesis  statement  
thesis  statement.   thesis  statement.   may  not  relate  to  the  thesis   or  repeat.  
statement.  
Supporting  Details   Directly  relate  to  the  topic  of   Generally  relate  to  the  topic  of   Somewhat  relate  to  the  topic  of   Do  not  relate  to  the  topic  of  the  
(Major)   the  paragraph.  At  least  4  major   the  paragraph.  At  least  3  major   the  paragraph.  At  least  2  major   paragraph.  Only  1  major  
supporting  details.   supporting  details.   supporting  details.   supporting  detail.  
Supporting  Details   Include  facts,  examples,   Include  facts,  examples,  etc.   Include  facts,  examples,  etc.   Does  not  include  facts  
(Minor)   quotations,  etc.  that  clearly   that  generally  explain  the   that  sometimes  explain  the   examples,  or  the  facts  and  
explain  the  major  supporting   major  supporting  details.   major  supporting  details.   examples  do  not  explain  the  
details.   major  supporting  details.  
Transitions   Clearly  link  each  paragraph  to   Generally  link  each  paragraph   Somewhat  link  each  paragraph   Paragraphs  are  not  linked  to  
the  thesis  statement;  clearly   to  the  thesis  statement;   to  the  thesis  statement;   the  thesis  statement;  sentences  
link  sentences  within  the   generally  link  sentences  within   sentences  within  paragraphs   within  paragraphs  are  not  
paragraphs.   the  paragraphs.   may  not  be  linked.   linked.  
Cohesion  and   Ideas  are  clearly  arranged  in  a   Ideas  are  arranged  in  a  logical   Ideas  are  somewhat  arranged   Ideas  are  not  arranged  in  a  
Coherence   logical  order  and  clearly   order  and  connected  to  each   in  a  logical  order  and  may  not   logical  order;  ideas  are  not  
connected  to  each  other.   other.   be  connected  to  each  other.   connected  to  each  other.  

Conclusion   Total:  

Summary   Restates  the  main  ideas  from   Restates  some  of  the  main   Restates  only  a  few  ideas  from   Does  not  restate  any  of  the  
each  body  paragraph;  does  not   ideas  from  the  body   the  body  paragraphs;  may   main  ideas  from  the  body  
include  any  new  ideas  not   paragraphs;  does  not  includes   include  new  ideas  not  given  in   paragraphs;  includes  several  
given  in  the  body  paragraphs.   any  new  ideas  not  given  in  the   the  body  paragraphs.   new  ideas  not  given  in  the  
body  paragraphs.   body  paragraphs  OR  the  
summary  is  missing.  
Final  Thought   Is  clearly  related  to  the  topic;   Is  generally  related  to  the   May  not  be  related  to  the  topic;   Introduces  additional  ideas  
gives  a  suggestion,  prediction,   topic;  gives  a  suggestion,   it  may  not  be  clear  to  the   that  makes  the  reader  think  
etc.  that  tells  the  reader  the   prediction,  etc.  that  somewhat   reader  that  the  essay  is   the  essay  is  not  finished  OR  the  
essay  is  finished.   tells  the  reader  the  essay  is   finished.   final  thought  is  missing.  
finished.  

Sentence  Structure  (Grammar)     Total:  

Sentence   Uses  a  good  mix  of  long  and   Uses  several  long  sentences   Uses  some  long  sentences   Uses  only  short  sentences.  
Length   short  sentences.   mixed  with  short  sentences.   mixed  with  short  sentences.  
Errors   Very  few  errors;  the  errors  do   A  few  errors;  the  errors   Some  errors;  the  errors  may   Several  errors;  the  errors  
not  interfere  with  meaning.   generally  do  not  interfere  with   interfere  with  meaning.   interfere  with  meaning.  
meaning.  

Vocabulary   Total:  

Word  Choice   Uses  appropriate  academic   Generally  uses  appropriate   Uses  some  academic   Uses  only  non-­‐‑academic  
vocabulary.   academic  vocabulary.   vocabulary,  but  mostly  uses   words.  
non-­‐‑academic  words.  
Topic-­‐‑related   Uses  appropriate  vocabulary  to   Generally  uses  appropriate   Uses  some  appropriate   Does  not  use  appropriate  
indicate  similarities  and   vocabulary  to  indicate   vocabulary  to  indicate   vocabulary  to  indicate  
differences.   similarities  and  differences.   similarities  and  differences.   similarities  and  differences.  
Errors   Very  few  errors;  the  errors  do   A  few  errors;  the  errors   Some  errors;  the  errors  may   Several  errors;  the  errors  
not  interfere  with  meaning.     generally  do  not  interfere  with   interfere  with  meaning.   interfere  with  meaning.  
meaning.  
 

Total  out  of  100:  ___________