iRubric: Literary Response Essay Rubric

Clearly and perceptively addresses all parts of the writing task.

Organization is significant and effective with a strong, coherent thesis and consistent focus.

Maintains distinctive voice and tone with a mature and demonstrates connected sense of audience.

Sophisticated sentence structure enhances style and effect.

Uses rich vocabulary and sophisticated figurative language.

Clearly and effectively addresses all parts of the writing task.

Organization is clear and deliberate with a coherent thesis and focus.

Maintains voice and tone with a clear and mature sense of audience.

Some use of sophisticated sentence structure enhances style and effect.

Generally uses rich effective vocabulary and appropriate figurative language.

Clearly addresses all parts of the writing task.

Organization is purposeful and provides a meaningful thesis and focus.

Maintains consistent voice and tone.

Demonstrates a clear sense of audience.

Provides a range of sentence types and uses precise and descriptive language.

Addresses some parts of the writing task.

Some control of organization with an attempt to provide a thesis and focus.

Wavering voice.

Demonstrates a general sense of audience.

May use some descriptive language.

Addresses only parts of the writing task.

Little control of organization, if any; may provide a thesis and focus.

Inconsistent voice and tone.

Demonstrates little or no sense of audience.

May use basic predictable language.

Essay may be too short to evaluate or
addresses only one part of the writing task.

Little or no organization, if any; may provide a weak thesis, if any, and fails to maintain focus.

Voice may be flat or inappropriate to the task.

Demonstrates no sense of audience.

Provides no sentence variety and uses limited vocabulary.

Persuasively supports the thesis and main ideas with convincing, pertinent, and well-integrated details and examples.

Compellingly addresses the readers' concerns, biases and expectations.

Authoritatively and eloquently defends a position with relevant (and documented) evidence.

Thoughtfully and logically supports the thesis and main ideas with specific and appropriately integrated details and examples.

Convincingly addresses the readers' concerns, biases and expectations.

Authoritatively and skillfully defends a position with relevant and varied evidence.

Supports the thesis and main ideas with specific details and examples.

Addresses the readers' concerns, biases and expectations.

Defends a position with precise and relevant evidence.

Supports some aspects of the thesis and main ideas with details and examples.

May addresses the readers' concerns, biases and expectations.

Sometimes defends a position with evidence.

May support the thesis and main ideas with limited, if any, details and/or examples.

May or may not addresses the readers' concerns, biases and expectations.

Defends a position with little, if any, evidence.

Fails to defend a position with any evidence, and fails to address the readers' concerns.