Holly's Rubric for Expository Essays

"A" Range: Outstanding. Orginal ideas developed exceptionally well

Content: a persuasive, insightful presentation of your own ideas that analyzes the topic thoroughly.

Organization: clearly stated specific thesis
Succeeding paragraphs follow logically from thesis
Conclusion considers ramifications of thesis (answers question, "So
what?")

Evidence: appropriate number of quotations used as evidence to prove thesis
Quotations are "integrated" into the text of the essay (quotations are preceded
by an identification of the speaker and a brief explanation of context)

Style: language is clear and concise with few grammatical or stylistic errors
Literary present used throughout
Quotations punctuated and/or blocked properly

Content: structure and argument are clear, but ideas lack depth and/or detail
Paper covers topic adequately, but not thoroughly; topic needs more analysis

Organization: thesis is vague, difficult to understand and/or to prove
Body paragraphs do not follow logically from thesis
Conclusion merely restates or summarizes thesis

Evidence: too few quotations used as evidence or quotations do not prove thesis
Quotations are not integrated
Quotations could be analyzed more thoroughly
Quotations are not cited properly

Style: a number grammatical or stylistic errors including vague, repetitious or colloquial
language and/or shifting tenses

"C" Range: displays either uneven performance (serious flaws of comprehension and/or presentation alongside signs of talent) or competent exposition without a real attempt at interpretation; may have three of the problems outlined in "B" range and/or:

Content: depends upon plot summary, rather than analysis and interpretation
No thesis or discernable argument
Inadequate coverage of the topic

Organization: body paragraphs do not follow logically from thesis

Evidence: few quotations; little actual analysis

Style: stylistic and grammatical errors interfere with the content of the essay

"D" Range: essay is "off-topic" (does not answer the assigned or approved topic; displays fundamental misunderstanding of the text) or has three of the problems outlined in the "C" range.

"F" Range: no paper submitted; paper has been plagiarized (incorporates another author's ideas or language without acknowledgement; or actually written by someone else)