Rhetorical Analysis Rubric--English 4 (Paper to be written in MLA)

Advanced Proficient Developing Beginning Totals

Introduction, Thesis, Intro provides context for the Either intro provides insufficient Intro provides little context for the Intro does not provide context for the
and Conclusion rest of the paper; thesis is context for the rest of the paper, paper; thesis is implicit and hard to paper or is irrelevant to analysis;
explicit, specific, and clear; thesis is lacking in clarity, is too find; thesis is about the issue, not thesis is undetectable; conclusion
(20pt) thesis is analytical in nature; general or specific, OR conclusion the analysis of the text; conclusion seems unrelated to the rest of the
conclusion recasts thesis and fails to recast thesis effectively makes insufficient reference to paper
provides cohesion to whole thesis
paper

Rhetorical triangle Source text is thoroughly and Contextualization and analysis of Incomplete contextualization and Poor contextualization and analysis of
and rhetorical appeals effectively contextualized with source text is good and somewhat analysis of source text; parts of source text; not supported by
well-supported analysis of supported but could be improved; rhetorical triangle or appeals may examples; overuse of summary and
(30pt) structure, rhetorical triangle focus is mostly on analysis (not be missing; little support is discussion about the issue (not the
(audience, author, purpose), summary or author’s own ideas of the provided; overuse of summary; use analysis)
and rhetorical appeals (ethos, issue) of discussion about the issue
pathos, logos); focus is on instead of analysis
analysis (not summary or
author’s own ideas of the
issue);

Organization Smooth flow of ideas ordered Flow of ideas could be more Ideas do not always flow in a Sequence of ideas and paragraphs
(10pt) in a logical sequence that effectively sequenced; most logical, cohesive manner; seems aimless and haphazard; no
effectively guides the reader; paragraphs have clear and supported paragraphs often do not have clear transitions present; no topic sentences
each paragraph has a well main point; most topic sentences and supported main idea; topic or topic sentences focus entirely on
supported clearly-stated main focus on analysis transitions are sentences often focus on issue not the issue, not the analysis
point; topic sentences focus present but could be improved analysis
on analysis; effective use of
transitions

Audience Awareness Engages audience throughout Engages audience through most of May appeal to a limited audience; Neither captures nor sustains interest;
(10pt) paper; tone and word choice the paper; can capture but not sustain has little engaging qualities; tone is may be overly emotional and
are appropriate for audience interest; tone and word choice are inappropriate for audience & opinionated to engage audience;
mostly appropriate for audience purpose

Language use and correct, appropriate, and mostly correct and appropriate many incorrect sentences structures pervasive incorrect sentence
Mechanics varied integration of textual integration of textual examples, integrating textual examples, structures integrating textual
examples, including in-text including in-text citations; few errors including in-text citations; several examples; no in-text citations; many
(10pt) citations; limited errors in per page in spelling, grammar, word errors per paragraph in spelling, errors throughout in spelling,
spelling, grammar, word order, word usage, sentence grammar, word order, word usage, grammar, word order, word usage,
order, word usage, sentence structure, and punctuation; very few sentence structure, and punctuation; sentence structure, and punctuation;
structure, and punctuation; problems with using academic informal language used in multiple informal or inappropriate language
good use of academic English English instances

Total:_________________________