TRAIT 1: IDEAS AND CONTENT

Rating of 5 (Strong): The writing is clear, well-supported or developed, and enhanced by the kind of detail that keeps readers reading.

· The writer confidently and clearly asserts an arguable proposition.

· The writer selectively chooses appropriate information to make his/her position understandable and to make the discussion interesting without bogging down in trivia.

· Details work together to expand the thesis and support the writer's position, giving the whole piece a strong sense of focus.

· The writer's insight or perspective lends the argument a satisfying ring of authenticity.

· The writer anticipates the reader's questions.

· The writer builds a convincing argument avoiding fallacies.

· The writing effectively presents alternate points of view yet remains focused.

Rating of 3 (Developing): The writer has made a solid beginning in defining a position. It is easy to see where the paper is headed, though more expansion is needed to support the writer's position.

· The writer's position is evident but this position is presented in a mechanical or unconvincing manner.

· General information that distracts the reader.

· Well-focused information obscured by repetitive points, trivia or meanderings.

· The writer demonstrates some critical thinking but too often settles for generalities.

· Unneeded opinions may eat up space that should have gone to important details. Where's the balance?

· Some but not all points of the writer's argument are supported by facts, examples, or reasons.

· Text reveals knowledge of alternate points of view but fails to present them adequately.

Rating of 1 (Beginning): Sketchy, loosely focused information forces the reader to make inferences about the writer's position. Readers will notice more than one of these problems:

· Writer's position is unclear, out of focus, or not yet known.

· Missing, limited or unrelated details require the reader to fill in many blanks.

· Lists of minor details or facts may be substituted for true development or expansion.

· Everything seems as important as everything else. What is the main point?

· The writer's argument is built on unsupported opinions or emotional appeals.

· The writer does not acknowledge opposing viewpoints.

TRAIT 2: ORGANIZATION

Rating of 5 (Strong): The order, presentation, or structure of the piece is compelling and guides the reader purposefully through the text.

· The entire piece has a strong sense of direction and balance. The key issues stand out clearly.

· Introduction clearly states the thesis of the paper, with body paragraphs that develop the thesis with a satisfying conclusion reinforces the writer's position.

· Details fit where they are placed, making the text easy to follow and understand.

· Transitions are strong but natural.

· Pacing is very well controlled; the writer delivers needed information at just the right moment, then moves on.

· Organization flows so smoothly the reader hardly thinks about it.

Rating of 3 (Developing): The organizational structure allows the reader to move through the text without undue confusion.

· Sequencing of main ideas seems appropriate and purposeful. The reader rarely, if ever, feels lost.

· The introduction and conclusion are recognizable and functional.

· Transitions are usually present, but sometimes are a little too obvious or too structured.

· Structure is predictable.  It literally smothers the ideas (the use of "first," "second," "third").· Information is mostly presented in an orderly, if not quite compelling fashion.

· Pacing is uneven. The writer lingers too long on some points and skims over or omits other points.

Rating of 1(Beginning): Ideas and details are loosely strung together. More than one of the following problems is likely to be evident:

· There is no clear sense of direction to carry the reader from point to point.

· No thesis or conclusion.

· Missing or unclear transitions or necessary information that force the reader to make giant leaps.

· Sequencing feels more random than purposeful, often leaving the reader with a sense of being adrift.

· The writing does not move purposefully toward a position.  Evident that the writer is floundering.

TRAIT 3: VOICE

Rating of 5 (Strong): The writer's understanding on the subject drive the writing, making the text expressive and engaging.

· The tone and flavor of the piece fit the topic.

· The writing bears the clear imprint of this particular writer.

· Text demonstrates a sense of fairness and balance.

· Text is provocative and lively, and is designed to hold a reader's attention.

Rating of 3 (Developing): The writer is sincere and willing to communicate with the reader on a functional, if somewhat distant, level.

· The tone and flavor of the piece could be altered slightly to better fit the topic.

· The writer has not quite found his or her voice but is experimenting and the result is pleasant or intriguing, if not unique.

· The writer is "there" then gone, present but distant, reserved, hesitant.

Rating of 1 (Beginning): The writer seems definitely distanced from topic; as a result, the text may lack life, spirit, or energy. Readers are likely to notice one or more of these problems:

· The tone and flavor of the piece are inappropriate for the issue and purpose.

· The writer is not sufficiently engaged with the issue to reflect understanding of the material.

TRAIT 4: WORD CHOICE

Rating of 5 (Strong): Words convey the intended message in an interesting, precise, and natural way. The writing is full and rich, yet concise.

· Words are specific and accurate; they seem just right.

· Accurate use of technical language and solid examples that illustrate understanding of the material.

· Effectively uses transition words (for example, "in the first place," "furthermore," "finally").

Rating of 3 (Developing): The language is functional, but sometimes lacks punch. It does get the message across.

· Words are almost always correct and adequate; it is easy to understand what the writer means.

· Familiar words and phrases communicate, but rarely capture the reader's imagination.

· The writer usually avoids experimenting; however, the paper may have one or two fine moments.

· Attempts at colorful language often come close to the mark, but may seem overdone or out of place.

· The writer is redundant.

· There is some limited or ineffective use of persuasive transition words.

Rating of 1 (Beginning): The writer struggles with a limited vocabulary and simply does not speak to the intended audience. More than one of the following problems is likely to be evident:

· Language is so vague and abstract (e.g., It was a fun time, It was nice and stuff) that only the most general message comes through, if any.

· Persistent redundancy clouds the message and distracts the reader.

· Words are used incorrectly, sometimes making the message hard to decipher.

TRAIT 5: SENTENCE FLUENCY

Rating of 5 (Strong): The writing has an easy flow and eloquence when read aloud. Sentences are well built, with consistently strong and varied structure that makes expressive oral reading easy.· Sentence structure reflects logic and sense, helping to show how ideas relate. Purposeful sentence beginnings guide the reader readily from one sentence to another.

· The writing sounds natural and fluent; it glides along with one sentence flowing effortlessly into the next.

Rating of 3 (Developing): The text hums along efficiently for the most part, though it may lack a certain rhythm or grace. It tends to be more businesslike than eloquent, more mechanical than fluid.

· The writer shows control over simple sentence structure, more variable control over complex sentence structure.

· Sentences may not seem well crafted, but they are grammatical and solid. They hang together. They get the job done.

Rating of 1 (Beginning): The paper is difficult to follow. Most sentences tend to be choppy, incomplete, rambling, or awkward; they need work. More than one of the following problems is likely to be evident:

· Sentences do not sound natural, the way someone might speak. Word patterns are often jarring or irregular, forcing the reader to pause or reread.

· Sentence structure tends to obscure meaning, rather than showing the reader how ideas relate.

· Use of I believe, I feel, My opinion is.

TRAIT 6: CONVENTIONS

Rating of 5 (Strong): The writer demonstrates a good grasp of standard writing conventions (e.g., grammar, capitalization, punctuation, usage, spelling, paragraphing) and uses them effectively to enhance readability.

· Paragraphing tends to be sound and to reinforce the organizational structure.

· Grammar and usage are correct and contribute to clarity and style.

· Punctuation is smooth and guides the reader through the text.

· Spelling is correct.

Rating of 3 (Developing): The writer shows reasonable control over a limited range of standard writing conventions. However, the paper would require moderate editing. Errors are numerous or serious enough to be somewhat distracting, but the writer handles some conventions well.

· Terminal (end-of-sentence) punctuation is almost always correct; internal punctuation (commas, apostrophes, semicolons) may be incorrect or missing.

· Problems with grammar usage are not serious enough to distort meaning.

· The paper seems to reflect light, but not extensive or thorough, editing.

Rating of 1 (Beginning): Errors in spelling, punctuation, usage and grammar, capitalization and/or paragraphing repeatedly distract the reader and make the text difficult to read. More than one of the following problems is likely to be evident:

· The reader must read once to decode, then again for meaning.

· Spelling errors are frequent, even on common words.

· Paragraphing is missing, irregular, or so frequent (e.g., every sentence) that it does not relate to organization of the text.

· Errors in grammar and usage are very noticeable, and may affect meaning.