The document outlines a scoring rubric for evaluating narrative essays. It provides criteria for 5 levels of performance from excellent to poor. The highest level (5) describes an essay that tells an entertaining story using vivid details, dialogue, and temporal transitions to fully immerse the reader. It shows the significance of events and meaning through dramatization. Lower levels (4, 3, 2, 1) receive progressively lower scores for including fewer narrative elements, details, and significance explanation or containing grammatical errors.

1. Narrative Scoring Guide Rubric
A Well-Told Story A Vivid Presentation of Places and
People
An Indication of the Event’s
Significance
Language Use Mechanics
5 The story is entertaining
and memorable. The
writer uses specific
narrative action with
action verbs and verbal
phrases.
The writer uses temporal
transitions to cue readers
and move the narrative
through time. Finally, the
writer uses dialogue to
convey immediacy and
drama.
The writer re-creates the place where the
event occurred and lets readers “hear” what
people said. Vivid language and specific
details make the writing memorable. The
writer names objects to create clear scenes.
The writer provides details about some
objects. The writer uses similes and
metaphors to draw comparisons and help
readers understand the point.
The writer provides descriptive details to
present people. The writer details
characters’ appearances and behaviors, and
speech.
The writer shows and tells us
that the event was significant.
The event is dramatized for
readers to appreciate its
importance. Readers
understand the writer’s
feelings.
The writer also comments on
the event’s meaning and
importance. The significance
is not appended artificially,
like a moral tagged onto a
fable.
The
writer
conveys
interest,
passion
and
engagement
to
the
reader.
The
writer
uses
precise,
expressive
language,
which
includes
appropriate
rhetorical
strategies.
Vivid
vocabulary
and
a
compelling
voice
energize
the
topic.
The
essay
includes
a
variety
of
sophisticated
sentence
structures.
Sentences
are
free
from
major
grammatical
errors.
There
are
no
major
punctuation
problems
and
few
to
no
typographical
errors.
The
essay
is
formatted
in
MLA
style
The
essay
meets
the
assignment
criteria.
All
references
to
sources
are
accompanied
by
in-­‐text
citations.
Quotations
are
used
and
integrated
appropriately
There is an accurate
works cited page.
4 The story is entertaining
and memorable. The
writer uses some narrative
action with action verbs
and verbal phrases.
The writer uses some
temporal transitions to
cue readers and move the
narrative through time.
Finally, the writer uses
dialogue in an attempt to
convey immediacy and
drama.
The writer re-creates the place where the
event occurred. Vivid language and specific
details make the writing memorable. The
writer names some objects in an effort to
create clear scenes.
The writer provides details about some
objects. The writer uses occasional similes
and metaphors to draw comparisons and
help readers understand the point.
The writer provides some descriptive details
to present people. The writer details
characters’ appearances and behaviors, or
speech.
The writer shows or tells us
that the event was significant.
The event is dramatized for
readers to appreciate its
importance. Readers generally
understand the writer’s
feelings.
The writer also comments on
the event’s meaning and
importance, though the
meaning may be a bit unclear.
The significance is not
appended artificially, like a
moral tagged onto a fable.
Clear
sentences
and
accurate
vocabulary
engage
the
readers
in
the
topic
The
writer
attempts
to
use
the
appropriate
rhetorical
strategies.
The
essay
includes
a
variety
of
sentence
structures
Sentences
have
only
a
couple
of
major
grammatical
errors
and
no
pervasive
pattern
of
error.
The
essay
may
include
some
punctuation
problems
or
typographical
errors
The
essay
is
formatted
in
MLA
style
The
essay
meets
the
assignment
criteria.
References
to
sources
have
in-­‐text
citations.
Quotations
are
used
and
integrated
appropriately
The works cited page has
an error or two
3 The story is appropriate.
The writer uses some
narrative action with a
few action verbs and
verbal phrases.
The writer occasionally
uses temporal transitions
to cue readers and move
the narrative through
time. Finally, the writer
uses little dialogue.
The writer attempts to re-create the place
where the event occurred. The writer names
a few objects in an effort to create clear
scenes.
The writer provides few details. The writer
uses a simile or metaphor to draw
comparisons and help readers understand
the point.
The writer provides some descriptive details
to present people.
The writer attempts to show or
tell us that the event was
significant. Readers generally
understand the writer’s
feelings but at times feel
distant from the event.
The writer also comments on
the event’s meaning and
importance, though the
meaning is unclear. The
significance seems superficial,
like a moral tagged onto a
fable.
Sentences
show
mostly
accurate
vocabulary.
This
essay
may
contain
minor
problems
in
grammar,
punctuation,
or
word
choice,
which
distract
the
reader
but
do
not
get
in
the
way
of
ideas.
Sentences
show
some
variation
of
structure
and
style.
Meets
some
MLA
criteria
The
essay
meets
most
of
the
essay
criteria.
In-­‐
text
citations
are
present,
but
are
insufficient.
Most
quotations
are
used
and
integrated
appropriately
The
works
cited
page
has
errors
or
is
missing
sources

2. 2 The story is appropriate
but the writer uses little
narrative action. The story
is told but not shown.
The writer does not use
temporal transitions to
cue readers and move the
narrative through time.
Finally, the writer uses
little or no dialogue.
Details about the place where the event
occurred are vague or absent. The writer
does not name objects or identify sensory
detail in an effort to create clear scenes.
The writer provides few details, similes, or
metaphors to draw comparisons and help
readers understand the point.
The writer lacks descriptive details to
present people.
The writer neither shows nor
tells us that the event was
significant. It is difficult to
understand the writer’s
feelings about the event.
The significance of the event
seems superficial, like a moral
tagged onto a fable.
• Sentences
are
very
simple,
showing
little
to
no
variation
in
structure.
• The
essay
contains
serious
grammatical
errors,
making
the
essay
difficult
to
understand
at
times
• Word
choices
are
very
repetitious
or
frequently
inaccurate.
• The
essay
meets
some
of
the
assignment
criteria.
• No
in-­‐text
citations.
• Some
quotations
are
used
and
integrated
appropriately
• The
works
cited
page
has
errors
or
is
missing
sources
1 The story is inappropriate
or doesn’t meet the
criteria of the prompt. The
story is told but not
shown.
The writer does not use
temporal transitions to
cue readers and move the
narrative through time.
The writer uses no
dialogue
The story lacks details about the place
where the event occurred, or there is no
setting.
The writer lacks descriptive details to
present people, or there are no people in the
story.
The writer neither shows nor
tells us that the event was
significant. The writer’s
feelings about the event are
not included in the narrative.
The event is insignificant.
• Errors in grammar, spelling, or misused
vocabulary seriously impede
comprehension.
•
The
essay
does
not
meet
the
assignment
criteria.
• No
in-­‐text
citations.
• Quotations
are
not
used
or
integrated
appropriately
• There
is
no
works
cited
page