Analytic Scoring Rubric for Writing

1: Little or no
control
Composing

No clear idea.

2: Inconsistent
control

3: Reasonable
Control

Not focused on one

idea.
Some elaboration.

One central idea

Many comments not

on the topic.

Quite well
elaborated.
Some comments off
topic.

Basic vocabulary,
not well chosen.

Reasonable
vocabulary.

Flat or inconsistent
tone.

Reasonable
information.

Word order often

incorrect.
Sentence formation
incorrect.

Words usually in
correct order.
Sentence formation
mostly correct.

Mostly correct word

order.
Some sentence
fragments.

Many word
omissions.

Some word
omissions.

Some running on
between sentences.

Some errors with

word agreement
(singular, plural) and
word meaning.
Problems with
articles (the, a)

Good word
agreement and word
endings.

Some errors with

spelling and
punctuation, which
make it difficult to
understand the
meaning.

Mostly effective use

of mechanics.

Little or no
elaboration.
Often off subject.

Not controlled.

Style

Sentences too short

and disconnected.
Flat tone.

Sentence
formation
Usage

Often changes
tense.
Errors in word forms
(them/those,
good/well, double
negatives, etc.).

Mechanics

Misspells even
simple words.
Little or no
formatting.

Articles mostly
correct (the, a)

A few errors, which

do not harm the
meaning.

4: Consistent
Control
Focuses on central
idea.
Well elaborated
Well organized.

Well chosen
vocabulary.
Good sentence
variety.
Information and
voice suit the reader.
Good word order.
Complete, standard
sentences.
Effective use of
connectives (and,
but, first, then, etc.).
Standard inflections
(plurals, -ed, -ly,
etc.).
Good subject-verb
agreement.
Correct word
meanings.

Effective use of
capitalization,
punctuation, spelling
and formatting
(paragraphs, etc.).