Rubric for Descriptive Essay
5 An outstanding essay is characterized by most of the following:
o Essay begins originally and author masterfully reveals tone through concrete detail.
o Essay presents abundant concrete sensory details with a unique voice.
o Essay is coherent and organization creatively serves the author's purpose.
o Figures of speech are creative and apt.
o Diction is concrete and exemplary, and syntax varied and flows exceptionally well.
o Uses conventions of written English effectively, with no errors.
4 A strong essay is characterized by many of the following:
o Essay begins effectively; tone is clear, but voice is less compelling than in a 5 essay.
o Essay presents numerous concrete sensory details.
o Essay is coherent and organization serves author's purpose.
o Figures of speech help to convey author's tone adequately.
o Diction is concrete and above-average in maturity. Syntax is varied, but flows less well.
o Uses conventions of English language effectively, with only a few minor errors.
3 An adequate essay is characterized by many of the following:
o Introduction adequately engages reader.
o Essay presents some concrete sensory details of setting and character, but imagery less effective than in a 4 paper.
o Essay is reasonably coherent, but plan may be flawed, and essay may have small areas of confusion.
o Essay employs figures of speech, but they are hackneyed.
o Diction is accurate but pedestrian. Syntax flows less than a 4 or 5 essay.
o May contain several minor errors in English conventions, but these errors do not impede the reader’s understanding.
2 An inadequate essay is characterized by many of the following:
o Introduction does not adequately lead reader into story, nor is theme/reflection clear.
o Essay may present some concrete sensory details, but subject is not adequately described.
o Essay is incoherent in areas, and plan does not serve author's purpose.
o Essay does not employ figurative language.
o Some diction may be nonstandard or inaccurate; may contain a few sentence errors.
o Errors in English conventions impede the reader’s understanding.
1 A limited essay is characterized by many of the following:
o Introduction does not address the prompt or lead reader into the story; there is no attempt to develop theme/reflect on events narrated.
o Little or no concrete sensory detail is provided.
o Essay is incoherent and difficult to follow; there is little evidence of an organizational plan.
o Essay does not employ figurative language.
o Essay contains numerous sentence errors, and nonstandard or inaccurate diction abounds.
o Makes many errors in English conventions to the point of inhibiting reader understanding.