Oral Presentation Assessment Rubric (Dec 2004)
It is recommended that the evaluator give a score of 1 for does not meet, 2 for approaches, 3 for meets, or a whole score of 4 for
exceeds. The minimum acceptable score is 11 (70%).
Organization
Exceeds (4) The purpose is clearly presented
such that all audience members
easily recognize the thesis of the
speech
-The speaker provides an
exceptional and complete
introduction and conclusion
-The speaker has superior use of
transitions and signposting
-An organizational format that
reflects superior clarity and is
appropriate to the occasion,
purpose, and audience is used
Meets (3) A purpose is presented so that
most audience members can grasp
the thesis
-Reasonably clear and logical
progression within and between
ideas is present
-The speaker provides an
appropriate introduction and
conclusion that contains all elements
-Transitions and signposting are
used
The body of the speech appears to
be divided into 2-5 main points
The body follows an organizational
format that is appropriate for the
topic, purpose, and audience of the
presentation
Approaches (2) A vague purpose is established
-Parts of the ideas presented are
clear and flow in a logical
progression
-There is an introduction and a
conclusion but the major elements
are missing and/or poorly developed
-There are only occasional
transitions and signposts and/or
those that are present are poorly
done
-The body of the speech is poorly
structured (too many or too few main
points, main points do not flow in a
logical order)
Delivery
(4) The speaker has almost
complete audience eye contact with
only minimal visual regard for notes
-First/last words are clearly directed
to the audience
-The speaker makes exceptional
use of vocal variety thus creating
the “illusion of the first time”
-The speaker demonstrates
acceptable posture, gestures, facial
expressions, body movement, and
attire
-The speaker demonstrates
exceptional posture, gestures, body
movement, facial expression, and
attire
(3) The speaker shares eye contact
with notes and audience
-The speaker attempts to look at
audience for the first and last words
of the presentation
-The speaker makes acceptable
use of vocal variety to speak in a
conversational manner
-The speaker uses language that is
reasonably clear and appropriate
-The speaker has acceptable
articulation with only insignificant
errors in pronunciation and
grammar
-The speaker demonstrates
acceptable posture, gestures, facial
expressions, body movement, and
attire
(2) Large portions of the speech
are read, appear to be read, or
sound as if it is read
-Minimal eye contact with audience
at the beginning and end of the
speech (i.e. begins speaking to
notes, walls, floor, etc.)
-The speaker has only minimal use
of focal variety and only
occasionally speaks in a
conversational manner
The speaker only occasionally uses
clear appropriate language
-The speaker occasionally uses
unacceptable articulation,
Support Material
(4) Superior use of valid support
material to support each contention and
facilitate understanding
All sources are correctly cited—no
outside material goes undocumented
-All sources cited are current to and
credible to the topic and audience
-“Supporting material is unarguably
linked to the thesis of the speech, and
further is of such quality that it decidedly
enhances the credibility of the speaker
and clarity of the topic.”
(3) Uses the minimum amount of
required supporting material
-Most sources are correctly cited
-Most sources are credible to the topic
and audience
-Most support material is current and
relevant
-Adequate material is used to prove and
facilitate understanding
-“Supporting material is logically linked
to the thesis of the speech, and is of
such quality that it adds a measurable
level of interest to the speech.”
(2) Uses less than the required number
of additional sources (source material)
-Only a minimal number of sources are
cited and/or those that are cited are
cited incorrectly
-A minimal number of sources are
current, credible, and relative to the
topic and audience
-Marginal number of sources are used
to prove and facilitate audience
understanding
-A small portion of the supporting
material is logically linked to the thesis
of the speech and is of such quality that
it adds only a marginal level of interest
Visual Aid
(4) Speaker looks at visual only to
ensure indication of correct material
-No text graphics are used
The visual aid is helpful but secondary
to the speaker and verbal message
-The speaker guides the audience
through the visual aid completely
indicating what the audience should
notice
-The visual and equipment are set up
before the presentation and are
manipulated professionally and
effortlessly when in use
-The visual aid is absolutely essential to
the speech and the audience’s
understanding of the material presented;
the speech could not have been
presented without it
(3) Speaker shares eye contact with the
visual aid and the audience
-Visual aid contains minimal text
-The speaker and visual aid share the
stage
-Visual is of adequate size, neat and
attractive, with no grammar or spelling
errors
-The visual aid is presented and used
well
-The speaker sets up and manipulates
the visual aid and equipment with
adequate proficiency
-The visual aid plays a significant role in
facilitating audience understanding of
the speech
(2) The speaker seldom looks away
from the visual aid
-The visual is mostly composed of text
graphics
-When the visual aid is in use, attention
is drawn away from the speaker
-There are minor problems with size,
neatness, and spelling/grammar
-The visual is presented but not used to
its full potential
-The speaker has difficulty with or only
minor knowledge of how to set up and
manipulate the visual aid and/or
equipment
-The visual is only marginally needed
 -There is evidence that the speaker
has attempted to utilize an
appropriate organizational format but
the format used is not appropriate
for the topic, purpose, and audience
and/or it is not correctly utilized
Does Not Meet (1) A clear purpose is never
established
-The speaker fails to provide
reasonably clear and logical
progression within and between
ideas
-There is not a clear or appropriate
introduction (attention, topic,
credibility, preview) or conclusion
(review, closure)
-Transitions and signposts do not
exist or are poorly done
-The body of the speech is not
divided into easily recognized main
points
-The body is not organized or flows
in an organizational format that is
not appropriate for the topic,
purpose, or audience for the
presentation
Credits:
William A. Laubert, Associate Professor of Speech Communication, SUNY College of Technology, Alfred, New York
Morreale, S.P., Moore, M. R., Taylor, K. P., Surges-Tatum, D., & Hulbert-Johnson, R. (1993). The Competent Speaker Speech Evaluation Form. Annandale, VA: National
Communication Association.
pronunciation, grammar
-The speaker infrequently exhibits
acceptable posture, gestures, facial
expressions, body movement, and
attire
(1) The speech is read, appears to
be read, or sounds as if it is read
-No eye contact at the beginning or
end of the speech
-The speaker fails to use vocal
variety (pitch, volume, rate, pause)
to speak in a conversational
manner
-The speaker uses unclear and/or
inappropriate language
(inappropriate jargon or language
that is sexist, racist, obscene, etc.)
-The speaker fails to use
acceptable articulation,
pronunciation, and grammar
-The speaker does not use
acceptable posture, gestures, facial
expressions, body movement, or
attire
and clarity to the speech
(1) Uses no support material
-Does not cite sources used (this is
plagiarism—automatic ‘does not
meet’ for entire score)
-Sources cited are not credible to the
topic or audience
-Support material is out-dated or
irrelevant
-Inadequate material is used to prove
and facilitate audience understanding
-“Supporting material is only vaguely
related to the thesis of the speech, and
variety is either too great or too little to
do anything but detract from the
effectiveness of the speech.”
(1) The speaker talks to the visual aid
rather than the audience
-The visual aid is a series of ‘text
graphics’ notes
-The visual aid gives the speech
-Visual aid is too small, messy, with
spelling/grammar errors
-The visual aid is presented but not used
-Equipment and visual aid are not set up
before the presentation
-The visual is not needed in the
presentation