Descriptive rubric Exceeds Standard Meets Standard Almost to Standard Below (A) (B) C * THESIS Thesis/claim is precise, knowledgeable, significant; thesis has a topic, stand and why. Thesis/Claim is complete with a topic, stand and why Thesis/Claim may be unclear or incomplete Thesis/Claim is missing or incomplete PARAGRAPHS AND EVIDENCE WITH ACTION AND CONFLICT DESCRIPTION AND DESCRIPTIVE WORDS ARE CHOSEN Develops the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, details or other information and examples Skillfully integrates information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis Clearly includes action and conflict. Essay is focused on thesis. The essay includes at least three of the senses. All are incorporated and flow easily into the essay. Descriptive words are chosen over other, less descriptive choices. Develops the topic by selecting significant and relevant facts, concrete details, or other information and examples Integrates evidence into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis. Includes action and conflict. Is mostly focused on thesis The essay includes at least three of the senses. A clear attempt was made to incorporate these into the essay. Descriptive words are often chosen over other, less descriptive choices. Attempts to develop the topic using evidence, but evidence is inaccurate, irrelevant, and/or insufficient Attempts to integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis, but information is insufficient or irrelevant Action and/or conflict is weak or missing. Essay may veer off of the thesis/topic at times. Essay does not use three of the senses. An attempt was made to include senses, but the construction may be clumsy or obvious Descriptive words are rarely chosen over less descriptive choices. Does not develop the topic by selecting evidence to support a thesis Does not assess the strengths and limitations of evidence. Action and/or conflict is missing. Essay veers off of topic or topic is unclear throughout the essay Essay does not use many if any of the senses. There are few, if any, descriptive passages. . CONCLUSION Conclusion summarizes the main point and topics without repeating previous sentences; thesis is restated in a new way. Conclusion summarizes main topics; thesis is restated. Conclusion summarizes main points but is repetitive. Thesis is restated but not in a new way. Conclusion does not adequately summarize the essay. Thesis is not restated. Organization, Writing Style and Conventions Organization skillfully sequences the claim(s), reasons, and evidence Provides a concluding statement or section that skillfully follows from or supports the argument presented Skillfully produces clear, coherent, sophisticated writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, ...

1. Descriptive rubric
Exceeds Standard
Meets Standard
Almost to Standard
Below
(A)
(B)
C
*
THESIS
Thesis/claim is precise, knowledgeable, significant; thesis has a
topic, stand and why.

2. Thesis/Claim is complete with a topic, stand and why
Thesis/Claim may be unclear or incomplete
Thesis/Claim is missing or incomplete
PARAGRAPHS AND EVIDENCE WITH ACTION AND
CONFLICT
DESCRIPTION AND DESCRIPTIVE WORDS ARE CHOSEN
Develops the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant
and relevant facts, details or other information and examples
Skillfully integrates information into the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis
Clearly includes action and conflict.
Essay is focused on thesis.
The essay includes at least three of the senses. All are
incorporated and flow easily into the essay. Descriptive words
are chosen over other, less descriptive choices.
Develops the topic by selecting significant and relevant facts,
concrete details, or other information and examples
Integrates evidence into the text selectively to maintain the flow
of ideas and advance the thesis.
Includes action and conflict.
Is mostly focused on thesis
The essay includes at least three of the senses. A clear attempt
was made to incorporate these into the essay. Descriptive
words are often chosen over other, less descriptive choices.
Attempts to develop the topic using evidence, but evidence is
inaccurate, irrelevant, and/or insufficient
Attempts to integrate information into the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis, but
information is insufficient or irrelevant
Action and/or conflict is weak or missing.

3. Essay may veer off of the thesis/topic at times.
Essay does not use three of the senses. An attempt was made to
include senses, but the construction may be clumsy or obvious
Descriptive words are rarely chosen over less descriptive
choices.
Does not develop the topic by selecting evidence to support a
thesis
Does not assess the strengths and limitations of evidence.
Action and/or conflict is missing.
Essay veers off of topic or topic is unclear throughout the essay
Essay does not use many if any of the senses. There are few, if
any, descriptive passages.
.
CONCLUSION
Conclusion summarizes the main point and topics without
repeating previous sentences; thesis is restated in a new way.
Conclusion summarizes main topics; thesis is restated.
Conclusion summarizes main points but is repetitive. Thesis is
restated but not in a new way.
Conclusion does not adequately summarize the essay. Thesis is
not restated.
Organization,
Writing Style and Conventions
Organization skillfully sequences the claim(s), reasons, and
evidence
Provides a concluding statement or section that skillfully
follows from or supports the argument presented
Skillfully produces clear, coherent, sophisticated writing in
which the development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience
MLA formatting is correct.
Organization logically sequences the claim(s), reasons, and
evidence

4. Provides a concluding statement or section that follows from or
supports the argument presented
Produces clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience
MLA formatting is correct.
Attempts to create a logical organization, but may be missing
some elements of the assignment
Attempts to provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from or supports the argument presented, but statement
does not support thesis
Attempts to produce clear and coherent writing, but errors in
conventions and writing style detract from understanding
Formatting has errors but attempts were made to follow MLA
formatting.
Does not provide logical organization
Does not provide
a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports
the argument presented
Does not produce clear and coherent writing
Does not follow the standard format
Score for this draft: ______________
Teacher notes and additional comments:
Paper Layout
We will use MLA style

5. Page one: Your nameMy nameCourse titleDate dueTitle which
is centeredThe entire paper will be double spaced; you will
indent the first line of each paragraph and there will be no extra
spacing between your paragraphs.
You will transition into them this way.
Page two
Last name 2
This page is also double spaced; you will have your last
name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner.
Again, you will not put extra spacing between paragraphs
but will indent. Your actual font will be Times New Roman
(12).
Things to avoid I will noticeif your marginsare very wide
like this.
I will also notice if your font is larger than 12because it will be
obviouseven if you don’t think so.
I will notice if, on page two, you only get to here. This is not a
page. You need to get to

6. Here….
Also, don’t put extra spacing between your paragraphs to
make up for missing text.
If is obvious if there is spacing like you see above. Or
not…
Descriptive
Writing a Descriptive Essay
Four items of a descriptive: It creates a tone, an image, a
feeling, about your topic.It uses specific examples to support
this tone.It supports those examples with the senses of sight,
sound, smell, taste, and touch.It brings your essay alive for your

7. reader; the reader can actually imagine what you are writing
about because of the vivid details you provide.
Writing a descriptive essay Purpose (a clear thesis)Action
(something will happen)Perhaps conflict (but maybe not)A main
impression supported by at least three of the senses: sight,
sound, smell, taste, touch
Writing your essay Select a topicMake sure it is a topic that
can be described in two or three pages Write your thesis and
focus on one overall impression you want to relate to your
readers.Write your rough draft. Peer edit and revise your
draft.Evaluate and do a final reading.
Essay essentials Your essay must be at least two pages set
up in MLA style.It must include:
1. A clear thesis
2. Supporting evidence (a narrative) for your thesis that
includes a true story about your life.
3. At least three of the five senses (sight, smell, sound, taste
and touch.)
4. Vivid details.
5. A clear conclusion