My title is: ______________________________________________________________________

My purpose is: ___________________________________________________________________

My audience is: __________________________________________________________________

My thesis or claim is: ______________________________________________________________

Purpose

Effective

• The subject is appropriate and clearly focused.
• The claim or thesis is significant, restricted, unified and precise.

Good

• The subject is appropriate.
• The claim or thesis is restricted, unified, and precise.

Fair

• The subject may be too general or too specific.
• The claim or thesis is a statement of subject or statement of intention; it may lack assertion; it may not be unified or precise.

Ineffective

• The piece lacks purpose or the purpose is unclear.
• The claim or thesis is missing.

Language and graphics
(Diction, tone, paragraphs, sentence structure, page layout)

Effective

• The language and graphics are interesting and appropriate for the context and audience.
• Language is relatively free of grammar and mechanical errors.

Good

• Use of language and graphics show an awareness of the audience and context.
• There may be occasional errors.

Fair

• The use of language and graphics is more comfortable for the writer rather than being suited to the needs and expectations of the reader.
• There are patterns of errors.

Ineffective

• The use of language and graphics is inappropriate for the context and audience.
• Errors interfere with readability

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Audience
(Awareness of audience is shown in the selection of a title, the introduction, pattern of organization, use of transitions, and conclusion.)

Clear target audience

• The title is creative.
• The introduction is effective in getting attention and achieving its purpose with the target audience by explaining how the subject is relevant to the reader (and perhaps the writer as well).
• The pattern of organization is easy to follow.
• The work flows well.
• The conclusion accomplishes the writer's purpose and brings closure to the piece without seeming repetitive.

Broad target audience

• The title is practical.
• The introduction effectively establishes focus and may state the thesis or claim.
• The pattern of organization is easy to follow.
• Overall, transitions are used effectively.
• The conclusion restates the thesis or claim and brings closure to the piece.

General awareness of a reader

There may be some gaps or misarrangements in organization, but all the parts of the essay are clear; at times the writing may be uneven.

Lacks awareness of a reader

The writer rambles. Parts of the essay are slighted or missing. Organization is haphazard.

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Context
(The writer shows awareness of the limits of the writing situation, the larger context of the subject, and the purposes of the readers.)

Effective

The writer makes decisions with mastery of the writing situation, knowledge of the on-going conversation about the subjectn and the awareness of the expectations of the readers in the chosen genre. Sources are cited and documented correctly.

Good

The writer makes decisions with some attention to the writing situation, the on-going conversation about the subject, and the expectations of the readers in the chosen genre. Sources are cited and documented.

Fair

• The depth of the writing is inappropriate for the situation or
• the writer seems unaware of what the reader and others may think about the subject or
• the writer does not observe the conventions of the chosen genre.

Ineffective

The writer does not address the writing situation.

Evidence

• appeals to logic
• appeals to authority
• appeals to readers' values and beliefs
• support for the warrant
• counterarguments

Effective

The evidence is concrete and specific. It is chosen and presented strategically. The essay is insighful, original, thought-provoking, and memorable.

Good

Evidence is concrete and specific. The presentation follows accepted conventions and traditional patterns. The paper is mechanically correct.

Fair

The evidence is concrete and specific, but the writer may slight support for one or more points. While there is an attempt to move from general assertion to specific evidence, at times that movement may not be convincing.

Ineffective

The writer has difficulty supporting an assertion with specific and convincing evidence.