Senior Inquiry: Writing Component Rubric Name ______________________________________________________

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
The writing skillfully articulates a The writing effectively articulates The writing articulates a student- The writing includes a student- The student-generated question
student-generated question or a student-generated question or generated question or problem generated question or problem or problem is confused or
problem and why it matters, problem and why it matters, and why it matters, placing it in but may ignore why it matters or unclear, may not properly
placing it in meaningful context. placing it in meaningful context. context. fail to place it in context. address the assignment and
may ignore why it matters or fail
to place it in context.

The writing takes a clear and The writing takes a clear stance The writing takes a stance on The writing attempts to take a The writing does not take a
compelling stance on the on the question or problem. the question or problem. stance on the question or stance on the question or
question or problem. problem, but it may be unclear. problem.

The writing offers detailed, The writing offers plausible The writing offers resolutions, The writing attempts to offer The writing may not offer
Focus plausible resolutions, resolutions, conclusions, and/or conclusions, and/or solutions resolutions, conclusions, and/or resolutions, conclusions, and/or
conclusions, and/or solutions solutions and considers the and mentions the limitations solutions but may not mention solutions nor mention the
and and considers the limitations limitations and/or implications of and/or implications of any the limitations and/or limitations and/or implications.
Intent and implications of any any suggested solutions. suggested solutions. implications of any suggested
suggested solutions. solutions.

The writing recognizes and The writing recognizes and The writing mentions but may The writing may not mention or The writing does not mention or
thoughtfully addresses other addresses other perspectives. not adequately address other address other perspectives. acknowledge other
perspectives. perspectives. perspectives.

The scope is appropriate for the The scope is appropriate for the The scope is not entirely The scope is not appropriate for The scope is ill-defined or
task and purpose. (It is not too task and purpose. (It is not too appropriate for the task and the task and purpose. (It may be inappropriate for the task and
broad or general; it is not too broad or general; it is not too purpose. (It may be too broad or far too broad or general; it may purpose.
narrow or specific.) narrow or specific.) general; it may be too narrow or be overly specific.)
specific.)

The writing demonstrates The writing demonstrates sound The writing demonstrates some The writing shows inconsistent The writing shows little to no
insightful reasoning and a reasoning and a good reasoning and a general or little reasoning, and a reasoning or understanding of
thorough understanding of the understanding of the topic. understanding of the topic. superficial understanding of the the topic.
topic. topic.

The writing thoroughly develops The writing develops the topic in The writing develops the topic, The writing attempts to develop The writing lacks development
the topic in an effective, an engaging manner, avoiding mostly avoiding generalization the topic, with some of the topic, relying on
interesting, and imaginative generalization and summary. and summary. generalization and summary. generalization and summary.
way.

The writing skillfully uses and The writing effectively uses and The writing uses and interprets The writing inconsistently or The writing does not use and/or
interprets information/evidence interprets information/evidence information/evidence ineffectively uses and interprets interpret information/evidence
appropriate to the topic and appropriate to the topic and appropriate to the topic and information/evidence (e.g. (e.g. quotations, citations,
purpose (e.g. quotations, purpose (e.g. quotations, purpose (e.g. quotations, quotations, citations, anecdotes, anecdotes, references, charts
Development citations, anecdotes, references, citations, anecdotes, references, citations, anecdotes, references, references, charts and graphs, and graphs, summaries,
charts and graphs, summaries, charts and graphs, summaries, charts and graphs, summaries, summaries, paraphrases, etc., paraphrases, etc., as needed).
paraphrases, etc., as needed). paraphrases, etc., as needed). paraphrases, etc., as needed). as needed).

The writing supports the The writing supports the The writing supports the The writing inconsistently The writing does not support the
author’s stance in a author’s stance in a convincing author’s stance. supports the author’s stance. author’s stance.
sophisticated, convincing, and and engaging manner.
engaging manner.

The writing effectively appeals The writing deliberately and The writing appeals to pathos, The writing does not adequately The writing ineffectively appeals
to pathos, ethos, and/or logos intentionally appeals to pathos, ethos, and/or logos (emotion, appeal to pathos, ethos, and/or to pathos, ethos, and/or logos
(emotion, ethics, and/or reason). ethos, and/or logos (emotion, ethics, and/or reason). logos (emotion, ethics, and/or (emotion, ethics, and/or reason).
ethics, and/or reason). reason).

The writing exhibits purposeful The writing exhibits purposeful The writing exhibits organization The writing exhibits little The writing lacks a clear
Organization and sophisticated organization organization and structure and structure (including organization and structure organization and/or structure
 and structure (including (including transitions that clarify transitions that establish the (missing or misusing transitions (missing or misusing transitions
transitions that enhance the the relationship between and relationship between and among between and among ideas: between and among ideas:
relationship between and among among ideas: paragraphs, ideas: paragraphs, stanzas, paragraphs, stanzas, scene paragraphs, stanzas, scene
ideas: paragraphs, stanzas, stanzas, scene changes, etc.). scene changes, etc.). changes, etc.). changes, etc.).
scene changes, etc.).

The author has made The author has made effective The author has made effective The author has made few The author has made ineffective
sophisticated and effective and deliberate choices choices regarding diction, effective choices regarding choices regarding diction,
choices regarding diction, regarding diction, syntax, syntax, figurative language, diction, syntax, figurative syntax, figurative language,
syntax, figurative language, figurative language, sound sound devices, rhetorical language, sound devices, sound devices, rhetorical
sound devices, rhetorical devices, rhetorical devices, etc. devices, etc. rhetorical devices, etc. devices, etc.
devices, etc.
Language
The writing establishes and The writing establishes an The writing attempts to establish The writing lacks an effective The writing has an inappropriate
and maintains a distinctive tone and effective tone and voice that an effective tone and voice to tone and voice to support the tone and voice for the author’s
Style voice that enhance the author’s enhance the author’s purpose. support the author’s purpose. author’s purpose. purpose.
purpose.

The writing is clear and The writing is clear. It avoids The writing is mostly clear. At The writing is confusing and The writing is confusing and
compelling. It avoids wordiness wordiness and clichés. times it may be wordy and/or unclear at times. unclear.
and clichés. unoriginal.

The writing demonstrates The writing demonstrates The writing demonstrates The writing does not The writing does not
advanced control of conventions control of conventions (e.g. control of conventions (e.g. demonstrate control of demonstrate control of
(e.g. punctuation, capitalization, punctuation, capitalization, punctuation, capitalization, conventions (e.g. punctuation, conventions (e.g. punctuation,
spelling, sentence structure, spelling, sentence structure, spelling, sentence structure, capitalization, spelling, sentence capitalization, spelling, sentence
grammar, usage, etc.) with few grammar, usage, etc.) with grammar, usage, etc.) with structure, grammar, usage, structure, grammar, usage,
errors and exhibits the ability to infrequent errors but may not some errors that do not hinder etc.). Errors occasionally hinder etc.). Errors frequently hinder
Control of make deliberate and purposeful exhibit deliberate and purposeful comprehension. comprehension. comprehension.
use of conventions. use of conventions.
Conventions
The writing appropriately The writing appropriately The writing documents sources The writing does not properly The writing may not consistently
documents sources and documents sources and and adheres to MLA format and document sources and may not adhere to MLA format and
adheres to MLA format and adheres to MLA format and guidelines with occasional errors adhere to MLA format and guidelines, hindering credibility.
guidelines. guidelines. that do not hinder credibility. guidelines. There are errors that
hinder credibility.

Name _______________________________________

Score _____