CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Thesis/position	Your position is clearly stated in the opening paragraph. You have taken a strong stand on this issue.	Your position seems clear, but could be stated more strongly. Your stand is not quite clear.	Your position is not quite clear, and you seem to be discussing an issue, rather than taking a stand.	. Your position is not clear at all, and your opening is merely restating the issue, not taking a stand.
Reasons - at least two statements to support your position.	Your reasons for why you believe as you do are stated clearly and are logical.	Your reasons for why you believe as you do could be stated more clearly or demonstrate more logic.	Your reasons for why you believe as you do are not stated clearly enough and/or your logic is flawed.	You don’t seem to have reasons for why you believe as you do, or your reasons lack logic.
Explanations – statements that explain your reasons.	Your explanations are very clear, with relevant examples, ample detail, and even statistics or research.	Your explanations are sufficiently clear, with some examples, details, or research.	Your explanations are barely clear, and you might have used more examples, details, or even research.	Your explanations are not clear, and you have not provided an example or any interesting detail.
Conclusion (Organization)	The conclusion is strong and leaves a feeling that we understand what the writer is "getting at."	The conclusion is recognizable and ties up almost all the loose ends.	The conclusion is recognizable, but does not tie up several loose ends.	There is no clear conclusion, the paper just ends.
Sentence Length (Sentence Fluency)	Every paragraph has sentences that vary in length.	Almost all paragraphs have sentences that vary in length.	Some sentences vary in length.	Sentences rarely vary in length.
Transitions (Organization)	A variety of thoughtful transitions are used. They clearly show how ideas are connected.	Transitions clearly show how ideas are connected, but there is little variety.	Some transitions work well; but connections between other ideas are fuzzy.	The transitions between ideas are unclear or nonexistant.
Word Choice	Your vocabulary is strong, and words are used cleverly, including some vocabulary words.	Your vocabulary is good, and words are used correctly, including some vocabulary words.	Your vocabulary is adequate, though some words are not used correctly.	Your vocabulary is less than adequate; words are not used correctly and you did not use new words.
Sentence Structure (Sentence Fluency)	All sentences are well-constructed with varied structure.	Most sentences are well-constructed with varied structure.	Most sentences are well-constructed but have a similar structure.	Sentences lack structure and appear incomplete, rambling, or fragmented.
Grammar & Spelling (Conventions) Esp. lessons from class worksheets.	Writer makes no errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Writer makes 1-2 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Writer makes 3-4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Writer makes more than 4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.