RUBRIC FOR ESSAYS

Essay Writing Rubrics

Here are some essay writing rubrics to help you get started grading your students’ essays.  You will probably have to customize these rubrics to meet your goals and standards, but these should give you a decent place to start.

Persuasive Essay Rubric 1  – This rubric mainly covers the structure of the essay: attention catcher, introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion and so forth. Includes a page explaining the structure of the essay.

Persuasive Essay Rubric 2 – Another persuasive essay rubric mainly covering the structure of the essay; however, this rubric also requires that the essay is typed.

Persuasive Essay Rubric 3 – This rubric focuses on both the structure and the format of the persuasive essay and requires students to type their essays.

Narrative Essay Rubric – This rubric will help you grade narrative essays.  It is particularly focused on having a lead or attention catching technique as well as the inclusion of a turning point or climax.

Editing Rubric – This rubric focuses on students’ adherence to grammar and conventions.  I used it as part of a grammar and conventions unit that I taught alongside narrative writing.

Research Paper Rubric – This rubric is focused on assessing research papers.  This rubric actually contains two parts: one where reading grades are assigned and one where writing grades are assigned, as I was using this rubric to assign a reading and writing grade.

Typed Essay Rubric – A multipurpose rubric for both narrative and persuasive essays.  This rubric mainly focuses on formatting.

GRADING RUBRIC FOR ESSAYS

Written communication (50 points)

• Organization
• Inadequate (10 points):  There appears to be no organization of the essay’s contents.
• Needs Improvement (15 points):  Organization of the essay is difficult to follow, due to inadequate transitions and/or rambling format.
• Adequate (20 points):  The essay can be easily followed.  A combination of the following is apparent:  Basic transitions are used; a structured format is used.
• Professional quality (25 points):  The essay can be easily followed.  A combination of the following is apparent:  Effective transitions are used; a professional format is used.
• Mechanics and grammar
• Inadequate (10 points):  Sentences and paragraphs are difficult to read and understand due to poor grammar or mechanics
• Needs improvement (15 points):  The essay contains numerous grammatical and mechanical errors.
• Adequate (20 points):  The essay contains minimal grammatical or mechanical errors.
• Professional quality (25 points):  The essay is clear and concise and contains no grammatical or mechanical errors.

Content (50 points)

• Correctness of facts
• Inadequate (10 points):  Most facts are wrong.
• Needs improvement (15 points):  Some facts are wrong.
• Adequate (20 points):  Technical details are generally correct.
• Professional quality (25 points):  All facts are correct, and the technical explanation is both concise and complete.
• Completeness
• Inadequate (10 points):  Did not address some of the questions.
• Needs improvement (15 points):  Addressed the questions, but provided few details.
• Adequate (20 points):  Address the questions, but left out some details.
• Professional quality (25 points):  Addressed all questions completely.