Academy of Science, ANU

Photo by Lesley A Butler

DKLS Linguistic Ambassador Award

Online Writing
Course
Main Sponsor:
DKL

FOUNDATION

Supported by:

CSR Partners:

Narrative
ESSAY RUBIC

Your essay will be graded based on this rubric. Consequently, use this rubric as a guide when writing your
essay and check it again before you submit your entry for the competition.

Descriptors

Excellent (4)

Good (3)

Satisfactory (2)

Introduction

- The introduction is en-

- The introduction adds

- The introduction is weak,

- The introduction

gaging and appropriate,

to the essay and most of

and sometimes the essay

missing, and the essay is

and every part of the es-

the essay is on the topic.

is not on the topic.

often off topic.

say is on the topic.

- The writer introduces a

- The writer may simply

- The writer provides little

- The writer clearly in-

character or characters

name the character or

to no introduction of a

troduces a character or

and establishes one or

characters,

it/they

character or characters;

characters and effective-

multiple points of view.

may not be clear to the

point of view may be un-

ly establishes one or mul-

reader; point of view may

clear or missing.

tiple points of view.

be unclear or confusing.

Ideas

but

Needs Improvement (1)

is

- Imaginative and cre-

- Some details and elab-

- Details are present, but

- Very few details are

ative use of details and

oration help to support

they dont really support

present and no informa-

elaboration that effec-

important ideas in the es-

the important ideas. De-

tion is given to support

tively supports the

say.

tails are often unnatural

the important ideas.

im-

portant ideas in the essay.

and disconnected.

dklsaward.english.com.my

Narrative
ESSAY RUBIC
Organisation

Conclusion

- Sentences and para-

- Most sentences and

-Few transitions are in-

-Sentences are choppy,

graphs flow smoothly with

paragraphs include effec-

cluded, and some points

and the paragraphs are

every detail adding to the

tive transitions, and most

are not relevant and dont

disjointed. There is repe-

quality of the narrative.

of the details support the

really contribute to the

tition and

- The writer engages and

focus of the essay.

focus of the essay.

wordiness.

orients the reader by set-

- The writer sufficiently

-The writer provides weak

- The writer provides little

ting out a clear situation,

orients the reader by set-

or minimal orientation for

to no orientation to the

context, or problem.

ting out a situation, con-

the reader in terms of sit-

reader in terms of situa-

- The writer creates a well

text, or problem.

uation, context, or prob-

tion, context, or problem.

organised

of

- The writer sufficient-

lem.

- The writer creates a se-

events that unfolds nat-

ly creates a sequence of

- The writer creates a se-

quence of events that

urally and logically and

events that unfolds nat-

quence of events that

is very brief and/or con-

creates a smooth pro-

urally and creates a pro-

may be brief or confus-

fusing; sequence may be

gression of experiences or

gression of experiences or

ing; the writing may have

very hard to follow.

events.

events.

gaps or be hard to follow.

- Conclusion is engaging

- Conclusion adds to the

- The writer provides a

and appropriate.

essay. The writer provides

weak conclusion; Conclu-

The writer provides an ef-

a conclusion that follows

sion may only loosely re-

to no conclusion; writing

fective conclusion that

from the narrated experi-

late to the narrated expe-

may stop abruptly or be

follows from and reflects

ences or events.

riences or events.

disconnected from nar-

sequence

unnecessary

- Conclusion is missing.
The writer provides little

on the narrated experi-

rated

ences or events.

events.

experiences

or

dklsaward.english.com.my

Narrative
ESSAY RUBIC

Word choice /
Sentence structure

Mechanics

- Writers voice and per-

- Writers style is mostly

- Writing

formulaic

- Writing is very confus-

sonality is evident, and

effective and appropriate,

and simple with no varied

ing. Sentences are simple

writers word choice and

and parts of the paper are

sentence structure or ex-

and awkward.

language is vivid

expressive and

pressive language.

and expressive.

engaging.

- Writer shows consistent

- Writer shows moderate

- Writer

command

command

mistakes that

of

grammar

of

grammar

is

many

- Writer

makes

students

grammar

and

makes

many
spelling

with only minor punctua-

with occasional spelling

of B2 Level should not be

mistakes.

tion or spelling mistakes.

and grammar mistakes.

making.

- The writer makes persis-

- The writer may make a

-The writer may make

- The writer makes errors

tent errors that seriously

few errors, but they do not

occasional

that detract materially

impede the meaning.

interfere with meaning.

they do not interfere ma-

errors,

but

from meaning.

terially with meaning.

dklsaward.english.com.my