Writing: Students will move through the processes of writing: inventing, composing, revising, and editing according to the conventions of Standard Written English.

Critical reading: Students will critically read and respond to a variety of texts

Audience, purpose, voice: Students will compose in a voice appropriate to the audience and the purpose of the writing

Thesis: Students will formulate a thesis and support it with evidence

Organization: Students will compose coherent and cohesive essays and other texts

Research, documentation: Students will locate, evaluate, integrate, and document primary and/or secondary source materials to support a position

Novice

Writing shows little change from invention to final draft, despite consistent problems with content and/or Standard Written English.

Writing demonstrates little comprehension of relevant texts, limited inferential skills, and a lack of awareness of authorial bias.

Writing demonstrates lack of awareness of audience and does not fulfill writer’s purpose; voice is inauthentic and/or inappropriate as demonstrated by tone, diction, and vocabulary.

Writing exhibits no central idea, or a disconnect between idea and supporting evidence, or insufficient supporting evidence.

Introduction, body, and/or conclusion are unfocused or absent; ideas may be arranged illogically.

Writing demonstrates inappropriate use or lack of sources, faulty integration of researched materials, and/or incorrect or absent documentation.

Practitioner

Though competent, writing could improve from better application of one or two steps of the writing process.

Writing shows adequate comprehension and some inferential ability; writing shows an ability to engage with the text.

Writing demonstrates a basic awareness of audience and generally fulfills writer’s purpose; tone, diction, and vocabulary are functional and appropriate.

Thesis is clear and substantially supported by evidence in a straightforward though perhaps mechanical way.

Writing shows a basic sense of beginning, middle, and end; a functional introduction, body, and conclusion; and, for the most part, focused and orderly paragraphs.

Most sources are appropriate and correctly documented.  Research is sufficient to the assignment and adequately integrated.

Expert

Writing is polished and insightful, demonstrating a synthesis of the writing process.

Writing engages fully with the text, demonstrating developed inferential and evaluative skills.

Writing demonstrates a clear sense of audience and effectively fulfills the writer’s purpose. Voice is distinctive; vocabulary is aptly chosen, lively, and sophisticated.

Thesis is clear, thought-provoking, and well focused, supported by vivid and concrete evidence.

Writing demonstrates a logical and clear structure, incorporating graceful transitions and unified paragraphs.

Primary and/or secondary sources are skillfully interwoven into the text to support the thesis.  Research is thorough, and sources are correctly cited.