CATEGORY 4 - Above Standards 3 - Meets Standards 2 - Approaching Standards 1 - Below Standards

Focus or Thesis The thesis statement The thesis statement The thesis statement outlines The thesis statement
Statement names the topic of the names the topic of the some or all of the main points does not name the
essay and outlines the essay. to be discussed but does not topic AND does not
main points to be name the topic. preview what will be
discussed. discussed.
Support for Position Includes 3 or more Includes 3 or more Includes 2 pieces of evidence Includes 1 or fewer
pieces of evidence pieces of evidence (facts, statistics, examples, pieces of evidence
(facts, statistics, (facts, statistics, real-life experiences) that (facts, statistics,
examples, real-life examples, real-life support the position examples, real-life
experiences) that experiences) that statement. experiences).
support the position support the position
statement. The writer statement.
anticipates the
reader's concerns,
biases or arguments.
Sources Contains 4 or more Contains 4 or more Contains 3 or fewer sources Many sources are
sources that are used sources that are used that are used for quotes, suspect (not credible)
for quotes, statistics for quotes, statistics statistics and facts are AND/OR are not cited
and facts are credible and facts are credible credible and cited correctly. correctly.
and cited correctly. and most are cited
correctly.
Sequencing Arguments and Arguments and A few of the support details or Many of the support
support are provided support are provided arguments are not in an details or arguments
in a logical order that in a fairly logical order expected or logical order, are not in an expected
makes it easy and that makes it distracting the reader and or logical order,
interesting to follow reasonably easy to making the essay seem a little distracting the reader
the author\'s train of follow the author\'s confusing. and making the essay
thought. train of thought. seem very confusing.
Grammar & Author makes no Author makes 1-2 Author makes 3-4 errors in Author makes more
Spelling errors in grammar or errors in grammar or grammar or spelling that than 4 errors in
spelling that distract spelling that distract distract the reader from the grammar or spelling
the reader from the the reader from the content. that distract the
content. content. reader from the
content.