Grading Rubric (Based on the new SAT Scoring Guide)
Mrs. Mucinskas
Score of A Score of B+/B Score of B-
An essay/presentation in this category is An essay/presentation in this category is An essay/presentation in this category is
outstanding, demonstrating clear and effective, demonstrating reasonably competent, demonstrating adequate
consistent mastery, although it may have a consistent mastery, although it may have mastery, although it may have lapses in
few minor errors. A typical essay: occasional errors or lapses in quality. A quality. A typical essay:
typical essay:
Effectively and insightfully Effectively develops a point of Develops a point of view on
develops a point of view on the view on the issue and the issue and demonstrates
issue and demonstrates demonstrates strong critical competent critical thinking,
outstanding critical thinking, thinking, generally using using adequate examples,
using clearly appropriate appropriate examples, reasons, reasons, and other evidence to
examples, reasons, and other and other evidence to support support its position
evidence to support its reason its opinion
Is well organized and clearly Is well organized and focused, Is generally organized and
focused, demonstrating clear demonstrating coherence and focused, demonstrating some
coherence and smooth progression of ideas coherence and progression of
progression of ideas ideas
Exhibits skillful use of Exhibits facility in the use of Exhibits adequate but
language, using a varied, language, using appropriate inconsistent facility in the use
accurate, and apt vocabulary vocabulary of language, using generally
appropriate vocabulary
Demonstrates meaningful Demonstrates variety in Demonstrates some variety in
variety in sentence structure sentence structure sentence structure
Is free of most errors in Is generally free of most errors Has some errors in grammar,
grammar, usage, and in grammar, usage and usage, and mechanics
mechanics mechanics
Score of C Score of D Score of F
An essay/presentation in this category is An essay in this category is seriously An essay in this category is fundamentally
inadequate, but demonstrates developing limited, demonstrating little mastery, and lacking, demonstrating very little or no
mastery, and is marked by ONE OR is flawed by ONE OR MORE of the mastery, and is flawed in ONE OR
MORE of the following weaknesses: following weaknesses: MORE of the following weaknesses:
Develops a point of view on Develops a point of view that Develops no viable point of
the issue, demonstrating some is vague or seriously limited, view on the issue, or provides
critical thinking, but may do so demonstrating weak critical little or no evidence to support
inconsistently or use thinking, providing its position
inadequate examples, reasons, inappropriate or insufficient
or other evidence to support its examples, reasons, or other
position evidence to support its position
Is limited in its organization or Is poorly organized and/or Is disorganized or unfocused,
focus, or may demonstrate focused, or demonstrates resulting in a disjointed or
some lapses in coherence or serious problems with incoherent essay
progression of ideas coherence or progression of
ideas
Displays developing facility in Displays very little facility in Displays fundamental errors in
the use of language, but the use of language, using very vocabulary
sometimes uses weak limited vocabulary or incorrect
vocabulary or inappropriate word choice
word choice
Lacks variety or demonstrates Demonstrates frequent Demonstrates severe flaws in
problems in sentence structure problems in sentence structure sentence structure
Contains an accumulation or Contains errors in grammar, Contains pervasive errors in
errors in grammar, usage, and usage, and mechanics so grammar, usage, or mechanics
mechanics serious that meaning is that persistently interfere with
somewhat obscured meaning
Essays not written on the essay assignment will receive a score of zero.