Literary Analysis Essay Rubric

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Score
Introduction First First A catchy No attempt was
paragraph is paragraph has beginning made to catch
and Thesis catchy. Thesis a weak was the reader's
is evident and "grabber." attempted attention in the
point to be Thesis is but was first paragraph.
argued well mixed among confusing Thesis is not _____
stated. many rather than apparent nor is
sentences catchy. the topic of the
and hard to Thesis is not essay.
piece entirely
together. apparent
although
topic is
evident.
Quotes and All Almost all Most There are
Support facts/quotes facts/quotes facts/quotes several
presented in presented in presented in factual/quotation
the essay are the essay are the story are errors in the
accurate and accurate and accurate. essay. There is
support/relate occasionally Evidence is no real effort to
back to the support/relate scattered make the piece
thesis/topic back to the and difficult cohesive. 3 or
sentence. 5 thesis/topic to follow less quotes _____
quotes sentence. 4-5 rather than present.
present. quotes used to
present. prove your
thesis/topic
sentence. 3-
4 quotes
present.
Organization The essay is The essay is The essay is Ideas seem to
very well pretty well a little hard be randomly
organized. organized. to follow. arranged. No
Five Five Paragraphs effort at
paragraphs paragraphs are unclear. paragraph
(or more) evident. One The organization.
evident. One idea may transitions _____
idea or seem out of are
argument place. Clear sometimes
follows transitions are not clear.
another in a used.
logical
 sequence with
clear
transitions.
Analysis The essay The essay The essay The essay does
thoroughly analyzes the somewhat not analyze the
analyzes the author’s style/ analyzes the author’s style/
author’s style/ techniques author’s techniques
techniques mostly using style/ using literary
using literary literary terms. techniques terms, or the
terms. using literary essay contains
terms, but little analysis _____
contains and mostly just
some summarizes the
summary of plot.
the plot.
Closing Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Paper does not
Paragraph concisely restates thesis vaguely contain a
restates thesis statement, main restates thesis conclusion or
statement, main points, and statement, conclusion is not
points, and includes a final main points, apparent to
includes an concluding and includes a reader. _____
insightful final thought on the weak final
concluding topic. unoriginal
thought on the final thought.
topic.
Mechanics The essay is The essay The essay The essay has
free of has two or has four or more than five _____
mechanical three five mechanics
errors. mechanics mechanics errors.
errors. errors.
Student______________Class_________Total Points______ Letter Grade_____

* Extra 2 pts for legibility

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 TOTAL
Introduction Thesis is evident and Thesis is mixed Thesis is not Thesis is not apparent
and Thesis point to be argued among many entirely apparent nor is the topic of the
well stated. sentences and hard although topic is essay.
to piece together. evident.
Quotes and All facts/quotes Most facts/quotes Almost all There are several
Support presented in the presented in the facts/quotes factual/quotation
essay are accurate essay are accurate presented in the errors in the essay.
and support/relate and occasionally story are accurate.
back to the support/relate back
thesis/topic to the thesis/topic
sentence. sentence.
Organization One idea or One idea may seem The transitions are Ideas seem to be
argument follows out of place. Clear sometimes not randomly arranged.
another in a logical transitions are used. clear.
sequence with clear
transitions.
Analysis The essay The essay analyzes The essay The essay does not
thoroughly analyzes the author’s style/ somewhat analyzes analyze the author’s
the author’s style/ techniques mostly the author’s style/ style/ techniques using
techniques using using literary terms. techniques using literary terms, or the
literary terms. literary terms, but essay contains little
contains some analysis and mostly
summary of the just summarizes the
plot. plot.
Closing Conclusion concisely Conclusion restates Conclusion vaguely Paper does not
Paragraph restates thesis thesis statement, restates thesis contain a conclusion or
statement, main main points, and statement, main conclusion is not
points, and includes includes a final points, and apparent to reader.
an insightful final concluding thought includes a weak
concluding thought on the topic. final unoriginal final
on the topic. thought.
Mechanics The essay is free of The essay has two or The essay has four The essay has more
mechanical errors. three mechanics or five mechanics than five mechanics
errors. errors. errors.