Literature Essay Rubric with Explanations

For (author of paper): From (evaluator):

How to: Check the appropriate rubric boxes and provide explanations afterwards of the ratings.
Using the information: For areas where a writer receives needs work or adequate, review that area
in the Rhetoric associated with that topic and use the advice when revising.

needs work adequate good excellent

Assignment Essay does not respond Essay responds to the Essay responds to the Essay responds to the
Fulfillment to the assignment and/or assignment but fails to assignment and fulfills assignment and effectively
fails to fulfill the fulfill some of the all of the requirements. fulfills all requirements.
More information: requirements. Essay requirements. Essay Essay analyzes the Essay thoroughly analyzes
Chap 3: Paper Topics does not analyze the partially analyzes the text(s). the text(s) in a meaningful
(95-109) text(s). text(s). and complex
way.

Literary Analysis Essay does not include Essay uses simple but Essay provides probing Essay applies thought-
literary analysis or inconsistent literary literary analysis and provoking and complex
criticism. Essay analysis and criticism. criticism. Essay literary analysis and
neglects to evaluate or Essay provides basic provides a thorough criticism. Essay engages
analyze literary level evaluation and evaluation and analysis in a sophisticated and
theme(s) or techniques. analysis of literary of literary theme(s) and original evaluation and
More information: theme(s) and techniques. analysis of literary
Chap 12: Literature techniques. theme(s) and
(286-303) techniques.

Thesis Thesis is missing, Operating as a Operating as a Operating as a controlling

unfocused or vague or controlling idea for the controlling idea for the idea for the essay, the
the thesis does not essay, the thesis makes essay, the thesis makes a thesis makes complex,
More information: respond to the text(s). an argument about the focused, direct, and enlightening argument
text(s) but is simplistic thought-provoking about the text(s).
Chap 7: Thesis
and/or formulaic. argument about
(199-218) the text(s).

Organization/ Essay has no clearly The sequence of ideas is The sequence of ideas The sequence of ideas and
Coherence/ Focus defined or apparent functional but may have and transitions are transitions are seamless
organization. abrupt or illogical shifts. effective. Introduction and fluid. Introduction is
Introduction fails to Introduction attempts to engages and orients the quick to capture reader
engage or orient the engage and orient the reader; body paragraphs interest and strongly
reader; body paragraphs reader; body paragraphs are focused and orients the reader; body
lack focus or cohesion; are focused but lack cohesive; topic paragraphs are clearly
there are no topic cohesion; topics sentences are strong; focused and cohesive;
sentences; conclusion is sentences are functional; conclusion illuminates conclusion provides
abrupt or not evident. conclusion reiterates the the central idea and sophisticated, thought-
More information: The essay is not unified purpose and major explores the larger provoking, and
Chap 9: Paragraphs around one clear points of the essay but is implications and/or convincing analysis into
(234-252) and argument. formulaic. The essay is significance. The essay the larger implications
Chap 8: Introductions loosely unified around is unified around one and/or significance. The
& Conclusions one clear argument but clear argument. essay is tightly unified
there are gaps. around one clear
(219-233)
argument.
 needs work adequate good excellent

Development & Body paragraphs Body paragraphs Body paragraphs are Body paragraphs are
Support contain illogical contain some well- mostly fair, reasonable consistently fair,
reasoning. Body reasoned points but are and logical. Body reasonable and logical.
paragraphs contain sometimes illogical.. paragraphs offer Body paragraphs offer
summaries or Body paragraphs offer focused, convincing and focused, richly developed,
generalizations that lack some level of evidence somewhat original sophisticated, original,
More information: relevant supporting and analysis which at analysis of relevant and convincing analysis of
Chap 9: Paragraphs evidence and times may be too evidence. relevant
(234-252) analysis. general. evidence.

Use of Text Relevant quotes, Relevant quotes, Relevant quotes, Relevant quotes,
paraphrases and paraphrases and paraphrases and paraphrases and concepts
concepts from the concepts from the concepts from the from the reading and
reading and relevant reading and relevant reading and relevant relevant sources to
sources to support and sources to support and sources to support and support and illustrate
illustrate ideas are illustrate ideas are illustrate ideas are ideas are not only selected
missing or inadequate. adequate. skillfully integrated. and skillfully integrated
Neglects to or weakly but demonstrate deep use
integrates quotes and of the texts.
More information: paraphrases to
Chap 10: Integrating support and
Sources (253-273) illustrate ideas.

MLA Formatting and MLA format has not Some MLA formatting Has properly used MLA Has properly used MLA
Documentation Skills been used properly. has been used but is format in title page, format in title page, body
Sources are not properly missing elements. body of paper and page of paper and page
cited according to MLA Sources are properly numbering. Sources are numbering. Sources are
More information:
format. cited using MLA format cited using MLA format properly cited using MLA
Chap 5: MLA with occasional with very few format
(170-182) lapses in usage. lapses in usage. correctly.

Sentence Style Sentences are either Sentences are solid but Sentences are clear and Sentences are fluid and
overly simplistic or sometimes choppy. direct. Sentences are graceful and are joined
confusingly worded. Sentences could be joined logically to show logically to show
Sentences are not joined joined more logically to relationships between relationships between
logically to show show relationships ideas. Sentences ideas. Sentences
relationships between between ideas. There is demonstrate syntactical effectively demonstrate
More information: ideas. There is a lack of minimal sentence maturity through varied syntactical maturity
Chap 13: Style sentence variety. variety. sentence through varied
(304-333) structure. sentence structure.

Grammar Essay has frequent Essay has some errors in Essay has occasional Essay has few, if any,
errors in grammar, grammar, usage errors in grammar, grammatical or
More information: usage and spelling. and spelling. usage and proofreading
Chap 14: Grammar 4 or more errors 3 or fewer errors spelling. 2 or errors. 1 or fewer
per page. per page. fewer errors errors per page.
(334-423)
per page.

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