FAU Writing Across the Curriculum Student Writing Assessment Class Rubric: 4-Point Primary Traits Please mark the appropriate number following each primary trait.

PURPOSE: This rubric evaluates substantial, argument-driven, out-of-class papers. Typically such papers develop a thesis in which students build a case for a particular analysis, interpretation, or evaluation of data/readings that leads to recommendations or specific conclusions.

NOT READY FOR GRADING: If the paper does either of the following, then it would be deemed NOT READY FOR GRADING: a) does not respond to the assignment; b) is so fraught with sentence-level error that it impairs comprehension.

ADDITIONAL TRAITS: You may choose to add additional traits, depending on the requirements of each of your assignments.

OPENING: A) thesis/purpose/argument: primary argument B) organizational statement: description of how the argument will proceed C) Assignment fulfillment

4. Extremely Effective 3. Effective 2. Adequate 1. Inadequate

Fully and completely articulates Generally articulates Vaguely or partially articulates May not articulate t / / s n e i

e primary argument in its context primary argument in its primary argument with minimal primary argument or s s o e m p h at the beginning of the paper. context at the beginning context in the paper. provide context u t r

g u ) r of the paper. anywhere in the p A a paper. Presents a clear and direct Presents a general Presents a vague or partial Presents no statement located in the statement located in the statement located somewhere organizational beginning of paper that beginning of the paper in the paper that demonstrates statement. Readers )

B demonstrates how the argument that demonstrates how the how the argument will track the are not able to infer t o i t n will track the fundamental, argument will track the fundamental, secondary, and how the paper will a e l z i

m secondary, and implied fundamental, secondary, implied proceed. a n e n t a problems/questions/issues. and implied problems/questions/issues. a g t r s

o Readers should be able to problems/questions/ issues. Readers may have to infer how anticipate how the paper will Readers should be able to the paper will proceed. proceed. anticipate how the argument will proceed. C) assignment fulfillment assignment. Fullyand completely fulfills thefulfills assignment. Generally thefulfills perfunctory performing them elements orin someassignment, missing Vaguelypartially or ways. fulfills the fulfills the elements substantial assignment, Does not fulfillthe . missing ARGUMENT: D) reasoning: depth and complexity of thought E) support: data/evidence/visuals

4. Extremely Effective 3. Effective 2. Adequate 1. Inadequate

Exhibits substantial depth, Exhibits some depth, Exhibits very little depth, Exhibits no depth, fullness, and complexity of fullness, and complexity fullness, and complexity of fullness, and thought supported by of thought though thought; a reasoned response, complexity of sophisticated ideas/analysis reasoning and evidence but the reasoning and thought; lacks clear g n

i that support the paper’s thesis. may not be uniformly presentation of evidence may be reasoning, and n ) o

D conclusive and convincing. somewhat simplistic and/or supporting ideas, or s a

e repetitive. evidence may be r contradictory, repetitive, or inadequately linked to the thesis. Seamlessly incorporates and Incorporates and examines Incorporates data/ Incorporates little or explains the accuracy and data/ evidence/quotations/ no relevance of data/evidence/ evidence/quotations/paraph paraphrase/visuals without data/evidence/quotatio e

c quotations/paraphrase/visuals; rase/ visuals; offers much explanation, and offers ns/ paraphrase/visuals n ) e

E offers evidence from a variety of evidence from some limited evidence or nor corresponding d i

v sources, including sources, including some counterarguments/ contrary explanation, and e counterarguments/contrary counterarguments/ contrary evidence. fails to address evidence. evidence. counterarguments/ contrary evidence.

ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE: F) rhetorical structure: transitions, headers, bullets, and other structural indicators appropriate to the discipline

4. Extremely Effective 3. Effective 2. Adequate 1. Inadequate

The argument’s focus is The argument’s focus is The argument’s focus is unclear Transitions and sense abundantly clear to the reader generally clear to the to the reader. Some, mostly of progression are l e a r

c and paragraphs logically and reader and the use of formulaic transitions are used, absent. i u r t ) c o F coherently build upon each other transitions lends a sense providing little or no sense of t u e r t

h through the complete and fluent of progression and direction. s r use of transitions and/or coherence. headings. CONCLUSION: G) implications and consequences: importance of claims and future possibilities in conclusion

4. Extremely Effective 3. Effective 2. Adequate 1. Inadequate s s Identifies, discusses, and Identifies some Simply restates argument with Fails to identify n e o c

i extends conclusions, implications, implications, some little or no reflection on conclusions, t n a e d

c consequences, and/or future consequences, and/or implications or consequences. implications or u i n l q a p

e research possibilities. Considers some future research consequences. s m i n context, assumptions, data, and possibilities. ) o c G evidence.

DISCIPLINARY CONCERNS: H) academic tone: specialized terms and concepts I) disciplinary conventions: document format (not including citations) J) presentation and citation format: in-text citations, works cited, bibliography, references

4. Extremely Effective 3. Effective 2. Adequate 1. Inadequate

Tone is mature, consistent, and Tone is usually Tone may have inconsistencies Tone is superficial c

i suitable for topic and audience. appropriate. Specialized in tense and person and may and stereotypical; m e

) Uses specialized terms terms usually used, often lapse at times to colloquial oral rather than e n H d o t a accurately and consistently. consistently. discourse. Specialized terms, if written language c

a present, are used superficially. patterns predominate. Fully adheres to disciplinary Generally adheres to Attempted, but awkward and Fails to adhere to y

r conventions genre, format disciplinary conventions inappropriate adherence to disciplinary genre, a n

i (including paragraphing, titles, appropriate genre, format disciplinary genre, format format l ) I p i identifying information), document (including paragraphing, (including paragraphing, titles, (including paragraphin c s i design, and presentation of graphs, titles, identifying identifying information), g, titles, identifying d n

o tables, images, and information), document document design, and information), i t

n footnote/endnotes. design, and presentation of presentation of graphs, tables, document design, and e s

v graphs, tables, images, and images, and footnote/endnotes. presentation of graphs, n o

c footnote/endnotes. tables, images, and footnote/endnotes. J) citation format bibliography/references. complete provides accurately sources formatsCites and appropriate and works works cited/

and consistentlyand and present. errorsSome or flaws bibliography/references. appropriate consistently sources formatsCites and works cited/ works and provides are are inaccurate Referencestypicallypresent,but sources citesomealtogether. orinclude works page cited to inaccurately Cites some sources often butsources . . May . neglect to citation formats. Little or no use of use GRAMMAR AND SYNTAX: K) mechanics: sentence-level patterns of error (e.g. comma splices, run-on sentences, subject/verb agreement) L) clarity: in sentence structure M) style: sentence variety

4. Extremely Effective 3. Effective 2. Adequate 1. Inadequate

Contains virtually no sentence Contains infrequent Contains multiple errors, Contains consistent s c i level errors. sentence level errors; one including several patterns that error patterns that n ) a K h or two patterns of error do not impede comprehension. impede c

e may be present. comprehension. m

Sentences consistently Sentences usually Sentences may be wordy and Sentences are

y communicate thoughts clearly. communicate thoughts contain unclear phrasing and frequently wordy t i r clearly. vocabulary. and contain unclear a l c

phrasing and ) L vocabulary.

Sentences are varied, convincing, Sentences are generally Sentences may not be varied or Sentences are not nuanced, and eloquent. varied and convincing. convincing. Language is not varied, convincing, e l y

t May, at times, be nuanced or eloquent, but it does nuanced or eloquent. s

) nuanced and eloquent. not generally interfere with Sentences are M communication. frequently confusing.