SLO

Write for a
specific
audience and
purpose.

Absent or Below
Basic
Audience's needs
are often not
recognized: terms
and ideas need
explanation and
language needs
adjustment for the
audience. Purpose
(to argue a position
persuasively) isn't
clear or achieved.

Developing

Proficient

Advanced

Comments

Shows some attention

to audience's needs,
sometimes defining
necessary terms and
ideas and using
audience-appropriate
language. Purpose
(to argue a position
persuasively) may be
unclear at times, and
it may not be
achieved
convincingly.

Shows
sophisticated
attention to
audience's needs,
defining necessary
terms and ideas
and using
audienceappropriate
language. Purpose
(to argue a position
persuasively) is
clear and achieved
with style.

Usually shows
attention to
audience's needs,
defining necessary
terms and ideas and
using audienceappropriate
language. Purpose
(to argue a position
persuasively) may
be implied, but it's
clear and achieved.

The paper's
wording is made
so a person who
has not heard
about coastal
living impacting
the environment,
the
persuasiveness in
the paper is not
explicit but by
the end I was
able to figure out
it was to make
people aware of
what is
happening along
the coastal parts
of the U.S.

Find,
evaluate,
select,
synthesize,
organize,
ethically cite,
and present
information
from a
variety of
sources
appropriate
to their
disciplines.

Omits or uses
incorrectly MLAor APA-style
parenthetical
citations, quotation
marks, and works
cited list. Drops
quotations and
ideas into text
without introducing
source. Frequently
uses irrelevant or
unpersuasive
sources or relies
exclusively on one
source.

Compare,
contrast, and
synthesize
carefully and
objectively
the relative
merits of
alternative or
opposing
arguments,
assumptions,
and cultural
values.

Fails to support
claims with
relevant reasoning
and/or specific
evidence.
Objectivity and a
controlling idea
may be lacking.

A few errors in
MLA- or APA-style
parenthetical
citations, quotation
marks, and works
cited list. Often
includes sources
without introduction
in cases when
introduction is
necessary.
Sometimes relies too
heavily on a single
source or uses
irrelevant or
unpersuasive
sources.
Attempts to support
claims with reasoning
and evidence, but
specificity and/or
objectivity may be
lacking. A
controlling idea may
be missing or
implied.

Correctly uses
MLA- or APA-style
parenthetical
citations, quotation
marks, and works
cited list.
Introduces each
source fully (as
necessary)reader
knows who did the
research or
communicating, for
whom, and why.
Use of sources is
always diverse,
relevant and
persuasive.
Supports the
controlling idea
and paragraph
claims with
relevant, thorough,
and insightful
reasoning and
specific evidence.
Maintains
objectivity.

Correctly uses
MLA- or APA-style
parenthetical
citations, quotation
marks, and works
cited list. Usually
introduces each
source fully (as
necessary)reader
knows who did the
research or
communicating, for
whom, and why.
Use of sources is
usually diverse,
relevant and
persuasive.
Usually supports the
controlling idea and
paragraph claims
with relevant,
thorough, and
insightful reasoning
and specific
evidence. Usually
maintains
objectivity.

You had no
problem in this
category
everything was as
it was suppose to
be.

The paper is
thorough with
evidence but I
feel like there is
more evidence
that you can add

Organize
ones
thoughts and
communicate
them clearly
and
persuasively
to address a
rhetorical
situation.

Organizational
devices (controlling
idea, headings,
subheadings, topic
sentences,
transitions) may be
absent, unrelated to
the prompt, or
illogically
connected. Ps
contain multiple
topics or are
disorganized.

Organizational
devices (controlling
idea, headings,
subheadings, topic
sentences,
transitions) fit the
prompt, but may be
vague, too broad, or
inconsistenly or
illogically linked. Ps
may not be unified.

Clear, specific
organizational
devices (thesis,
topic sentences,
headings,
transitions) fit the
prompt and tie
ideas and topics
together logically
and seamlessly.
Paragraphs are
unified.

Clear organizational
devices (controlling
idea, headings,
subheadings, topic
sentences,
transitions) fit the
prompt and tie ideas
and topics together
adequately. Ps are
usually unified.

Some of the
transitions were a
little out of place
but the paper as a
whole was fairly
organized and
well structured.
The awkward
spots were
mainly from the
end of one
paragraph to the
start of another.

Recognize,
evaluate, and
employ the
features and
contexts of
language and
design that
express and
influence
meaning and
that
demonstrate
sensitivity to
gender and
cultural
differences.

Spelling, syntax,
diction, or
punctuation errors
impede readability.
Lanuage may
reflect a gender or
cultural bias.
Design may be
unconventional and
ineffective.

Spelling, syntax,
diction, or
punctuation errors
often impede
readability or
otherwise distract
from meaning.
Lanuage may
occasionally suggest
a gender or cultural
bias. Design may be
inconventional or
ineffective.

Outstanding
control of
language,
including effective
diction and
sentence variety.
Lanuage respects
gender and cultural
differences.
Design is
conventional and
effective.

Spelling, syntax,
diction, or
punctuation errors
are few and do not
distract from
meaning. Lanuage
respects gender and
cultural differences.
Design is
conventional and
effective.

The paper held

my attention and
was nicely
written, good
job!