9-8 These Well-Written Essays Demonstrate an Awareness of the Complexity of the Text

Self-Evaluation Rubric for the Advanced Placement Essays 8-9 6-7 5 3-4 1-2 0 Overall Demonstrates Demonstrates Reveals Incomplete Unacceptably Lacking skill and Impression excellent control good control of simplistic thinking; fails to brief; fails to competence of the literature the literature thinking and/or respond respond to the and outstanding and good writing immature adequately to question; little writing competence; writing; part or parts of clarity competence; less thorough adequate skills the questions; thorough and and incisive than may paraphrase effective; the highest rather than incisive papers analyze Understandi Excellent Good Superficial Misreadings and Serious A response with ng of the understanding of understanding of understanding of lack of misreadings and no more than a Text the text; exhibits the text; exhibits the text; persuasive little supporting reference to the perception and perception and elements of evidence from evidence from literature; blank clarity; original clarity; includes literature vague, the text; the text; response, or one or unique specific mechanical, meager and erroneous completely off approach; references over-generalized unconvincing treatment of the topic includes apt and treatment of literary specific literary elements references elements Organization Meticulously Well-organized Reasonably Somewhat Little or no No apparent and organized and and developed; organized and organized and organization organization or Developmen thoroughly coherent and developed; developed; and development; t developed; unified mostly coherent some development; incoherent coherent and and unified incoherence incoherent and unified and lack of void of unity unity Use of Effectively Varied and Adequately Somewhat Little or no Numerous major Sentences varied and interesting; a varied; some varied and variation; dull errors engaging; few errors errors marginally and virtually error interesting; one uninteresting; free or more major some major errors errors Word Choice Interesting and Generally Occasionally Somewhat dull Mostly dull and Numerous major effective; interesting and interesting and and ordinary; conventional; errors; virtually error effective; a few effective; some errors in numerous errors extremely free errors several errors diction immature Grammar Virtually error Occasional Several minor Some major Severely flawed; Extremely and Usage free minor errors errors errors frequent major flawed errors

9 = 8 = 95 % 7 = 90% 6 = 85% 5 = 80% 4 = 75% 3 = 65% 2 = 60% 1 = 50% 100%

General Directions: The score assigned should reflect the quality of the essay as a whole. Writers should be rewarded for what they do well. The score for an exceptionally well-written essay may be raised by one point from the score otherwise appropriate. In no case may a poorly written paper essay be scored higher than a 3.

9-8 These well-written essays demonstrate an awareness of the complexity of the text. Using apt and specific references to the text, they effectively analyze how the author’s style illuminates his/her meaning. These essays need not be without flaws, but they will be characterized by a convincing interpretation of the passage and consistent control over the elements of writing. They demonstrate the writer’s ability to read with perception and to express ideas with clarity and skill.

7-6 These essays present a plausible interpretation of the text, and, with specific references to the text, analyze how the use of language reveals meaning. They are, however, less precise, less thorough, or less convincing papers than 8-9 essays. They may contain minor flaws in interpretation and may consider fewer elements of style. These essays demonstrate the writer’s ability to express ideas clearly, but with less maturity and control than 8-9 essays. Generally, 6 papers present a more limited analysis and less consistent command of the elements of effective writing than essays scored 7.

5 These essays attempt to answer the question, but they do so superficially or unconvincingly. They deal with the assigned topics without important errors, but they discuss only the most obvious characteristics and may be lacking appropriate examples. The writing is adequate to convey the writer’s thoughts, but these essays are typically less well- conceived, organized, or developed than the upper half essays. They often reveal simplistic thinking and/or immature writing and typically lack voice.

4-3 These essays respond to the questions incompletely and may reflect an incomplete understanding of the passage. They reveal a limited understanding of the passage and/or the author’s use of stylistic elements. The writing demonstrates a weak control over the elements of composition. These essays typically contain recurrent stylistic flaws and/or misreadings, and lack persuasive evidence from the text. Typically, essays scored a 3 exhibit more than one of the above problems; they are flawed by weak writing skills, significant misinterpretations, inadequate development, or serious omissions.

2-1 These essays fail to respond adequately and/or seriously misread the passage. They are frequently unacceptably brief and or contain serious errors in grammar and mechanics. Some attempt to answer the question may have been made, but the writer’s views are typically presented with little clarity, organization, or supporting evidence.