Expository Paper Rubric: High School

9-10.W.02 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 9-10.WHST.04 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 9-10.WHST.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Goal CLEAR, WELL ORGANIZED, WELL DEVELOPED IDEAS SENTENCE VARIATION

Specific Targets
1. Main idea (thesis) is clear. 2. Topic sentences and concluding sentences are used
in body paragraphs.

4
All 6 targets met very well

3
At least 4 targets met and 2 or less not met

2
At least 2 targets met and 4 or less not met

1
No targets met or some targets not attempted

3. Factual supporting details support topic sentences. 4. Transitions are used to connect paragraphs. 5. Introduction, body, conclusion provide logical
sequencing of ideas, leading to

6. Understandable explanation, instruction, definition,

(or other expository content).

1. Lead sentence captures the reader's attention. 2. Intro. participial phrase (Describing John's voice, the
author . . .)

3. (Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the house . . .) 4. 2 independent clauses separated by semicolon (Armand loved the boat; it represented freedom for
him.)

7-9 targets met very well

At least 5 targets met well and 2 more attempted

At least 2 targets met well and 4 more attempted

No targets met well or less than 4 targets attempted

5. Compound sentence (Jamie looked for the answer,

but she could not find it.)

6. Appositive phrase
(Mardel, the older sister, said . . .)

7. Intro. prepositional phrase (With that thought in

mind, the coach

8. Intro. adverbial clause (When the writer uses

symbolism, she . . .

WORD CHOICE

9. Variety of sentence length 1. Vivid, lively verbs are used (passive, be and have 2. 3. 4. 5.
verbs used less than 2x per paragraph). Precise, accurate nouns are used. Imaginative, unusual adjectives are used.at least once per paragraph. No vague, overused, repetitive language is used (a lot, great, very, really, there is, there are, super, like . . .). Word choice gives the writer a personality, or "voice." Metaphor (The little colt was her lifeline.) Simile (The tone of her voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard.) Personification (The dark, heavy door stubbornly refused to open.) Word choice invites the reader to visualize a mental image or picture. Clichs are eliminated. Vocabulary choices are thoughtful and show evidence of the revision stage of the writing process. No run-on sentences No sentence fragments Subject/verb agreement Correct verb tense usage Pronoun/antecedent agreement No use of I, you, me, my, your, myself, yourself Punctuation is correct. Capitalization is correct. Spelling is correct.

All 5 targets met very well

At least 4 targets met well and 2 more attempted

At least 2 targets met well and 4 more attempted

No targets met well or some targets not attempted

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

All 6 targets met very well

At least 4 targets met well and 2 more attempted

At least 2 targets met well and 4 more attempted

No targets met well or some targets not attempted

GRAMMAR, USAGE, MECHANICS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

All 9 targets met very well

At least 4 targets met well and 2 more attempted

At least 2 targets met well and 4 more attempted

No targets met well or some targets not attempted

7. 8. 9.