DEBATE RUBRIC

Name_________________________________________ hour______________________
Directions: you will be rated on the issue debate according to this rubric
Criteria 4 Mastery 3 Above Standard Standard ! A""roa#hes
Standard
$ Be%o& Standard
Opening & Closing
Statements
- Extremely thorough, well-
organized presentation of
arguments and evidence
- Opening statement engages
the interest of audience;
closing statement leaves no
unanswered issues and
resonates with the audience
- ell-organized and
complete presentation of
arguments and evidence
- Opening statement
successfully frames the issues;
closing statement summarizes
many arguments made in the
de!ate
-Organized and generally
complete presentation of
arguments and evidence
- Opening statement outlines
or lists arguments and
evidence !ut does not
generate interest; closing
statement does not reflect
remar"s made during de!ate#
-Somewhat organized
presentation of arguments and
evidence
-Opening statement minimally
outlines arguments; closing
argument !riefly restates the
ideas offered in the opening
statement
-$rguments are unorganized,
incomplete, or completely
lac"ing in evidence
-Opening statement and
closing statements do little
more than state the position of
the team
%e!uttals
- %esponds to issues raised !y
opponents with concise,
accurate, logical answers
- Effectively challenges the
arguments made !y opponents
with argument and evidence
- %esponds to issues raised !y
opponents with accurate and
generally concise answers
- Challenges the arguments
made !y opponents;
challenges are generally
effective
- %esponds to most of the
issues raised !y opponents
with generally accurate
answers
- Offers arguments, !ut no
evidence, to counter the
arguments made !y opponents
-Seems to !e caught off-guard
!y opponents; offers tentative,
somewhat accurate, !ut
possi!ly vague or illogical
responses
-$ttempts to challenge
arguments of opponents
-&s una!le to respond to issues
raised !y opponents in a
meaningful or accurate way
Effective use of
historical evidence '
content "nowledge
-(emonstrates a sophisticated
understanding of the issues,
events and facts relevant to
the topic
-(emonstrates thorough and
accurate understanding of
details as well as the a!ility to
ma"e original connections and
interpretations
- (emonstrates a sophisticated
understanding of the issues,
events and facts relevant to
the topic
-(emonstrates thorough and
accurate understanding of
details as well as the a!ility to
ma"e original connections and
interpretations
-(emonstrates an !asic and
accurate understanding of the
issues, events and facts
relevant to the topic#
-(emonstrates the a!ility to
ma"e !asic connections
!etween facts and concepts
-(emonstrates a generally
accurate understanding of
relevant issues, events and
facts, !ut may exhi!it minor
confusion or
misunderstandings
seem to understand general
ideas, !ut do not support their
ideas with relevant facts; O%,
seem to understand facts !ut
are una!le to connect them
into coherent arguments
-(emonstrates an inade)uate
understanding of the history
content relevant to the topic
-Supports statements with
vague or irrelevant
information, or no information
at all
*erformance
Exhi!its confidence, energy,
and passion in the course of
the hearing
- +aintains respectful tone
- $ccesses preparation
materials with ease
- Exhi!its confidence and
energy in the course of the
hearing
-+aintains respectful tone
- ,ses preparation materials
effectively
- $ppears nervous, yet
somewhat confident, !efore
the court
- +aintains respectful tone
- ,se of preparation materials
does not distract
--ac"s confidence
-+aintains respectful tone
- ,se of preparation materials
distracts from )uality of
performance
-(emonstrates little or no
preparation
-.ails to maintain respectful
tone