Essay Rubric Student name: Assignment: Criterion Exemplary - Proficient Intermediate - Emerging Not Evident Points and Feedback Introduction Points Possible: Contains an engaging or interesting hook to capture audience attention. Provides a clear overview of the topic. Clear, concise thesis statement provides focus or purpose of essay. Contains a hook that may be somewhat unclear or unrelated to topic. Overview is general or somewhat confusing. Thesis statement is somewhat vague or rambling. Hook is unrelated to topic or missing. No overview is provided or does not preview the topic. Thesis statement is unfocused, off-topic, or missing. Points Earned: Feedback: Body Points Possible: Each body paragraph has a clearly stated main idea that relates directly to the thesis statement. Relevant, accurate support is included for each idea. Each body paragraph has a main idea. The relationship to the thesis statement is sometimes weak. Adequate support is included for each idea. Body paragraphs lack focus. Relationship to thesis statement is often unclear. Little or no support is included. Points Earned: Feedback: Conclusion Points Possible: Summarizes major points without being repetitive. Thesis statement is restated in a way that reminds audience of focus or purpose. No new information is introduced. Summarizes major points. Thesis statement is restated but may be vague or repetition from introduction. No new information is introduced. Major points are not summarized. Reference to thesis statement is lacking or confusing. New information is introduced. Points Earned: Feedback: Structure and Coherence Points Possible: Organization is appropriate for topic and may enhance presentation of topic. Transitions connect paragraphs and ideas and move the reader smoothly from one idea to the next. Organization is appropriate or adequate for the topic. Transitions are used, but may be lacking in some areas or don’t always provide smooth transitions. Organization is not appropriate for topic or little to no organization apparent. Transitions are used incorrectly or rarely/never used. Points Earned: Feedback: Academic Integrity Points Possible: Contains only original language and content. Quotations are used sparingly and formatted as such. If outside sources are used, URLs are included. Contains mostly original language and content. Quotations are formatted as such. If outside sources are used, URLs are included. Contains language or content that is not original. URLs are not related to content or are not included. Points Earned: Feedback: Format Points Possible: Follows all assignment guidelines for formatting. Follows most assignment guidelines for formatting. Follows few or none of the assignment guidelines for formatting. Points Earned: Feedback: Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Points Possible: Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and punctuation with few or no errors. Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usa ...

1. Essay Rubric
Student name:
Assignment:
Criterion
Exemplary - Proficient
Intermediate - Emerging
Not Evident
Points and Feedback
Introduction
Points Possible:
Contains an engaging or interesting hook to capture audience
attention. Provides a clear overview of the topic. Clear, concise
thesis statement provides focus or purpose of essay.
Contains a hook that may be somewhat unclear or unrelated to
topic. Overview is general or somewhat confusing. Thesis
statement is somewhat vague or rambling.
Hook is unrelated to topic or missing. No overview is provided
or does not preview the topic. Thesis statement is unfocused,
off-topic, or missing.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Body
Points Possible:
Each body paragraph has a clearly stated main idea that relates
directly to the thesis statement. Relevant, accurate support is
included for each idea.
Each body paragraph has a main idea. The relationship to the
thesis statement is sometimes weak. Adequate support is
included for each idea.
Body paragraphs lack focus. Relationship to thesis statement is
often unclear. Little or no support is included.

2. Points Earned:
Feedback:
Conclusion
Points Possible:
Summarizes major points without being repetitive. Thesis
statement is restated in a way that reminds audience of focus or
purpose. No new information is introduced.
Summarizes major points. Thesis statement is restated but may
be vague or repetition from introduction. No new information is
introduced.
Major points are not summarized. Reference to thesis statement
is lacking or confusing. New information is introduced.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Structure and Coherence
Points Possible:
Organization is appropriate for topic and may enhance
presentation of topic. Transitions connect paragraphs and ideas
and move the reader smoothly from one idea to the next.
Organization is appropriate or adequate for the topic.
Transitions are used, but may be lacking in some areas or don’t
always provide smooth transitions.
Organization is not appropriate for topic or little to no
organization apparent. Transitions are used incorrectly or
rarely/never used.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Academic Integrity
Points Possible:
Contains only original language and content. Quotations are
used sparingly and formatted as such. If outside sources are
used, URLs are included.
Contains mostly original language and content. Quotations are
formatted as such. If outside sources are used, URLs are
included.
Contains language or content that is not original. URLs are not

3. related to content or are not included.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Format
Points Possible:
Follows all assignment guidelines for formatting.
Follows most assignment guidelines for formatting.
Follows few or none of the assignment guidelines for
formatting.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
Points Possible:
Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and
punctuation with few or no errors.
Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and
punctuation with some errors. Errors don’t interfere with
comprehension of text.
Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and
punctuation with numerous errors. Errors interfere with
comprehension of text.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
© 2015 K12 Inc. All rights reserved. Page 1 of 2
Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is
prohibited.
Essay Rubric
Student name:
Assignment:
Criterion
Exemplary - Proficient
Intermediate - Emerging

4. Not Evident
Points and Feedback
Introduction
Points Possible:
Contains an engaging or interesting hook to capture audience
attention. Provides a clear overview of the topic. Clear, concise
thesis statement provides focus or purpose of essay.
Contains a hook that may be somewhat unclear or unrelated to
topic. Overview is general or somewhat confusing. Thesis
statement is somewhat vague or rambling.
Hook is unrelated to topic or missing. No overview is provided
or does not preview the topic. Thesis statement is unfocused,
off-topic, or missing.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Body
Points Possible:
Each body paragraph has a clearly stated main idea that relates
directly to the thesis statement. Relevant, accurate support is
included for each idea.
Each body paragraph has a main idea. The relationship to the
thesis statement is sometimes weak. Adequate support is
included for each idea.
Body paragraphs lack focus. Relationship to thesis statement is
often unclear. Little or no support is included.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Conclusion
Points Possible:
Summarizes major points without being repetitive. Thesis
statement is restated in a way that reminds audience of focus or
purpose. No new information is introduced.
Summarizes major points. Thesis statement is restated but may
be vague or repetition from introduction. No new information is
introduced.

5. Major points are not summarized. Reference to thesis statement
is lacking or confusing. New information is introduced.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Structure and Coherence
Points Possible:
Organization is appropriate for topic and may enhance
presentation of topic. Transitions connect paragraphs and ideas
and move the reader smoothly from one idea to the next.
Organization is appropriate or adequate for the topic.
Transitions are used, but may be lacking in some areas or don’t
always provide smooth transitions.
Organization is not appropriate for topic or little to no
organization apparent. Transitions are used incorrectly or
rarely/never used.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Academic Integrity
Points Possible:
Contains only original language and content. Quotations are
used sparingly and formatted as such. If outside sources are
used, URLs are included.
Contains mostly original language and content. Quotations are
formatted as such. If outside sources are used, URLs are
included.
Contains language or content that is not original. URLs are not
related to content or are not included.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
Format
Points Possible:
Follows all assignment guidelines for formatting.
Follows most assignment guidelines for formatting.
Follows few or none of the assignment guidelines for
formatting.
Points Earned:

6. Feedback:
Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics
Points Possible:
Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and
punctuation with few or no errors.
Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and
punctuation with some errors. Errors don’t interfere with
comprehension of text.
Respects rules of spelling, capitalization, grammar, usage, and
punctuation with numerous errors. Errors interfere with
comprehension of text.
Points Earned:
Feedback:
© 2015 K12 Inc. All rights reserved. Page 1 of 2
Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is
prohibited.