Ideas and Content

Organization

Voice

6

The writing is very clear, focused, and presents a fresh, original idea.  Develops one clear, main idea. Topic is narrowed and focused.  Uses interesting, important details for support.  

The writing shows careful and effective planning.  Strong beginning and effective ending.  Easy to follow.  Transitions connect ideas smoothly and effectively.  Important ideas and thoughtful details are placed to strengthen the message. 

Exceptional ability to speak to the reader.  Uses text to elicit a variety of emotions.  Takes risk to say more than what is expected.  Point of view is evident.  Cares deeply about topic. 

5

The writing is clear, focused and interesting.  Writer knows the topic and has chosen details that help explain the main point.  The writer makes connections.

The writing shows careful planning.  Inviting beginning and attempts effective ending.  Easy to follow.  Transitions usually connect ideas.  Important ideas stand out. 

Strong involvement with the topic.  Writing is individual and expressive.  Individual perspective becomes evident.  Attempts non-standard point of view.  Shows originality, liveliness, honesty, humor or suspense.

4

Writing tells a story or makes a point.  The writing is clear and ideas are generally on topic.  Details are present, but not fully developed.  Some details may be too obvious or predictable.

Ideas and details are presented in a way that makes sense.  The paper is easy to follow.  Has a beginning, middle and ending. Logical sequencing, Attempts transitions from sentence to sentence. 

The writer is involved with the topic.  The writer connects with the reader.  Writing is individual and expressive.  The paper shows some originality, liveliness, honesty, humor or suspense. 

3

Attempts a story or to make a point. Meaning of the general idea is recognizable.  Some ideas clear, but some are still fuzzy.  The writing may not have enough details or they are too general, obvious or predictable.

Beginning, but not ending except “The End”. Attempts at sequencing, but some details don’t fit where placed.  Lack of transition words to tie

words and sentences together. Consistently writes left to right and top/down.

Writer is not always involved with the topic.  Hint of voice and expresses some predictable feelings. Repetition of familiar ideas reduces energy.  A moment of individual sparkle, then hides. The writer gets the message across, but in a routine sort of way.

2

Limited ideas or repetition of ideas and details.  Some recognizable words present.  May use drawing or label pictures with some words.  Reader needs to make some assumptions. 

Lacks structure and difficult to follow.  Missing or poorly developed beginning and ending.  Difficult to follow the order. Too short to show orderly development. Usually writes left to right and top/down.  

Shows little involvement.  Hint of voice in words or phrases.  Energy/mood is present.  Treatment of topic is predicable.  Audience is fuzzy – could be anybody, anywhere.  Somewhat flat, lifeless, uninteresting. 

1

The ideas are very limited.  It’s hard to tell what the writer really wanted to say. Uses scribble, shapes and lines that look like letters and text.  Writes letters randomly.

Difficult to follow and confusing.  No clear beginning or ending.  Ideas are out of order.  Attempts to write left to right, top to bottom.  Experiments with spacing. 

 The writer does not seem to be writing to anyone in particular or care if it will make sense to anyone else.  Ambiguous response to task.  Flat, lifeless, uninteresting. 

Word Choice

Sentence Fluency

Conventions

6

Words make the message unusually clear and interesting.   Precise, accurate, specific, fresh, original, powerful words.  Creates vivid images in a natural way.  Avoids repetition, cliques or vague language. 

Sentences are carefully written.  They flow smoothly, effectively, and with a natural rhythm.  Sentence structure is correct and creative. Extensive sentence variety of lengths, beginnings and patterns.  Effective and creative use of simple and complex sentences.

It is easy to read and understand.  Spelling is accurate even on more difficult words.  Capitalization and end punctuation are consistently correct and/or creative.  Attempts at internal punctuation.  Shows control over standard grammar. 

5

Words make the message clear and interesting.  Words are accurate and specific.  Words create a picture in the reader’s mind.  Wide variety of words.  Tries to choose words for specificity. 

Sentences are carefully written and flow smoothly.  Easy to read aloud and understand.  Consistently uses sentences variety.  Varied sentence beginnings. Sentence structure is correct.  Effective use of simple and complex sentences.

Spelling, capitalization and punctuation are correct and make it easy to read and understand.  High frequency words are spelled correctly.  Spelling is very close on difficult words.  Capitals and end punctuation are correct.  Shows control over standard grammar.  

4

The writer chooses words that help make the message clear.  Uses high-frequency words correctly.  Experiments with new and different words with some success.  Attempts to use descriptive words to create images. 

Sentences make sense and flow from one to the other.  Easy to read aloud.  Sentences have a variety of lengths, beginnings, and patterns.  Strong control of simple sentences.  Attempts complex sentences. 

There are few errors, but the reader can still follow and understand the paper.  Transitional spelling on less frequent words.  Spelling of high frequency words usually correct.  Capitals at the beginning of sentences and end punctuation are usually correct.  Other punctuation may be attempted.

3

The writer uses words that get the message across, but only in an ordinary way.  General or ordinary words.  Settles for words or phrases that “will do”.  Some words overused.  Big words used only to impress reader. 

Most sentences are understandable but not very smooth.  Some sentences drag on or are too choppy.  Uses simple sentences.  Sentences tend to begin the same.  Reader may have to reread to follow the meaning.

There are enough mistakes that make it difficult in places to follow and understand.  Uses phonemic spelling on some words.  Spelling of high frequency words still spotty.  Attempts capitalization and end punctuation.  Attempts standard grammar.  

2

The writer uses words that take away from the meaning and impact of the writing.  Repeats words and uses worn expressions.  Words used incorrectly.  Attempts at phrasing.  Functional language. Recognizable words.

Sentences are choppy and rambling making the writing difficult to follow or read aloud.  Writing does not follow sentence patterns people use when they talk.  Sentence patterns are the same.  Strings words together into phrases.  Attempts simple sentences.  Short repetitive sentence patterns. 

The paper is difficult to read.  Attempts semi-phonetic spelling.  Uses mixed upper and lower case letters.  Uses spaces between letters and words.  Random punctuation.  Nonstandard grammar is common. 

1

Writer has difficult time finding the right words.  Repeats words or phrases. Writes letters in strings.  Imitates word patterns.  Copies environmental print.  Pictures stand for words.

Sentences are incomplete, rambling, or awkward making the writing hard to read and understand.  Mimics letters and words across the pages.  Words stand alone.

The paper is very hard and/or impossible to read. Writes letter/word strings.  Attempts to create standard letters/words.  Attempts spacing words, letters, symbols or pictures.