Essay TITLE

	Novice	Intermediate	Expert	Self Evaluation	Teacher Evaluation
Introduction and Conclusion	Thesis and conclusion underdeveloped. Argument not consistent and unclear. Too short.	Thesis states argument with some skill. Conclusion ends essay and re-states the thesis. Writing not spectacular but sufficient.	Short and sweet! Thesis poignant, grabs reader attention, and states argument well. Conclusion ends paper powerfully, draws conclusions, re-states main argument.		/20
Quality of Argument and Organization 40 points!	Argument incomplete. Assertions not substantiated. Ideas undeveloped. No understanding of task, audience and purpose. Too short to evaluate. Language does not allow the reader to comprehend the piece.	Essay makes an argument and backs it up. Develops ideas, but in a limited way. Demonstrates understanding of task, audience and purpose. Able to understand argument, but it could be clearer and could go deeper.	Ideas presented in all their complexity, as author draws conclusions and offers informed opinions with considerable nuance and insight. Language lets the reader read and comprehend the piece. Demonstrates clear understanding of task, audience, and purpose. Shows originality, imagination, and thoughtfulness. Clearly shows writer’s personality and uniqueness.		/40
Fluency and Mechanics	Writing uneven and awkward. Grammar mistakes and misspellings. Mechanical errors make essay hard to understand.	Correct grammar and usage. Writing intelligible. Some mechanical errors that do not interfere with understanding.	Language is graceful. Essay flows smoothly. Writing clear at all times. Essay easy to read and understand. Very few or no mechanical errors.		/20
Sentence Structure	No sentence variety. Too short to show sentence patterns. Too few details.	Some sentence variety. Uses a variety of sentence patterns. Some errors in structure.	Sentence variety enhances what is said and how it is said. Very few or no errors in structure. Effectively uses a variety of sentence patterns.		/5
Word Choice	Poor vocabulary. Too short to evaluate.	Simple vocabulary with some interesting, colorful language. Generally correct usage.	Rich, effective vocabulary. Colorful, interesting language. Correct usage.		/5
Facts and Support	Missing vital information. Gaps in arguments and assertions not backed up by facts and/or evidence.	Basic information presented. Some elaboration on essential information.	Extensive use of supporting information and quotes. Elaborates on simple facts in great detail. Complexity of subject illustrated. Ideas clear and backed up with evidence and examples.		/10
Transition Words	Little or no transitions from idea to idea. Writing choppy. Unable to identify clearly when writer changing topics.	Some use of transition words. Ideas flow one into the other most of the time.	Extensive use of transition words. Reader able to see clearly where ideas begin and end. Logic of argument flows smoothly and elegantly.		/5
Past Drafts	Drafts present, but no significant improvement from draft to draft. Missing previous drafts.	Most previous work present. Some improvement from draft to draft.	All previous work present. Improvement in each draft of essay. Essay is a product of steady improvement from beginning to end.		/2
			Total Points:		/150