CATEGORY

4 - Above Standards

3 - Meets Standards

2 - Approaching Standards

1 - Below Standards

Score

Attention Grabber

The introductory paragraph has a strong hook or attention grabber that is appropriate for the audience. This could be a strong statement, a relevant quotation, statistic, or question addressed to the reader.

The introductory paragraph has a hook or attention grabber, but it is weak, rambling or inappropriate for the audience.

The author has an interesting introductory paragraph but the connection to the topic is not clear.

The introductory paragraph is not interesting AND is not relevant to the topic.

 

Position Statement

The position statement provides a clear, strong statement of the author's position on the topic.

The position statement provides a clear statement of the author's position on the topic.

A position statement is present, but does not make the the author's position clear.

There is no position statement.

 

Support for Position

Includes 3 or more pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the position statement. The writer anticipates the reader's concerns, biases or arguments and has provided at least 1 counter-argument.

Includes 3 or more pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the position statement.

Includes 2 pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences) that support the position statement.

Includes 1 or fewer pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, real-life experiences).

 

Evidence and Examples

All of the evidence and examples are specific, relevant and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the author's position.

Most of the evidence and examples are specific, relevant and explanations are given that show how each piece of evidence supports the author's position.

At least one of the pieces of evidence and examples is relevant and has an explanation that shows how that piece of evidence supports the author's position.

Evidence and examples are NOT relevant AND/OR are not explained.

 

Closing paragraph

The conclusion is strong and leaves the reader solidly understanding the writer's position. Effective restatement of the position statement begins the closing paragraph.

The conclusion is recognizable. The author's position is restated within the first two sentences of the closing paragraph.

The author's position is restated within the closing paragraph, but not near the beginning.

There is no conclusion - the paper just ends.