more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. Essays earning a score of 6 adequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence and You reasonably address the prompt, using explanations used are appropriate and sufficient, and reasonable evidence to support your 6 the argument is coherent and adequately developed. argument. Your writing is generally good The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but but may have some mistakes. generally the prose is clear. Essays earning a of 5 develop a position on the You do address the prompt, although the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used support for your argument may be sparse 5 may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing or not wholly convincing. Your writing is may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually usually clear, but not always. conveys the student’s ideas. Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or You do not adequately address the explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or form a strong argument. Your evidence or unconvincing. The argument may have lapses in 4 may be sparse or unconvincing, or your coherence or be inadequately developed. The prose argument may be too weak. Your writing generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be not consistently clear. inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the 3 essays meet the criteria for a 4 but have score of 4 but demonstrate less success in developing a 3 either weaker arguments or less position on the issue. The essays may show less writing. maturity in control of writing. Essays earning a of 2 demonstrate little success in developing a position on the issue. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, or substitute a simpler task You barely addressed the assigned task. by responding to the prompt tangentially with Your essay may misunderstand the 2 unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. prompt. Your evidence may be irrelevant The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses or inaccurate. Your writing is weak on in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of multiple levels. development or organization, or a lack of coherence and control.
more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient, and the argument is coherent and adequately developed. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You reasonably address the prompt, using reasonable evidence to support your argument. Your writing is generally good but may have some mistakes. 5 Essays earning a of 5 develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You do address the prompt, although the support for your argument may be sparse or not wholly convincing. Your writing is usually clear, but not always. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The argument may have lapses in coherence or be inadequately developed. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You do not adequately address the or form a strong argument. Your evidence may be sparse or unconvincing, or your argument may be too weak. Your writing not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in developing a position on the issue. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing. 3 essays meet the criteria for a 4 but have either weaker arguments or less writing. 2 Essays earning a of 2 demonstrate little success in developing a position on the issue. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of coherence and control. You barely addressed the assigned task. Your essay may misunderstand the prompt. Your evidence may be irrelevant or inaccurate. Your writing is weak on multiple levels.