Communication Rubric

Communicate effectively in multiple contexts using a variety of tools/media

Criteria
Position
(Thesis
statement)

Evidence

Organization

Mastering
4
Takes and
develops a
clear,
thoughtful
position. Keen
awareness of
audience and
specific
purpose.
Consistently
supports
position with
the use of
evidence
(quotes, wellchosen details,
and
examples.)
Information
from sources
in insightfully
used to
support,
extend, and
inform the
position.
Consistently
sustains a
progression of
ideas logically
connected to a

Proficient
3
Takes and
develops a
position; some
awareness of
audience and
purpose.

Adequately
supports
position with
the use of
accurate and
relevant
information
(quotes, wellchosen details,
and
examples.)
Sources are
frequently
used to
support and
inform the
position.
Frequently
sustains a
progression of
ideas
connected to

Developing
2
Takes a
position but
may not be
clearly
developed;
little if any
awareness of
audience and/
or purpose.
Offers limited
support for the
position with
some
inaccurate or
irrelevant
information.
Sources are
occasionally
used to
support and
inform the
position.

Emerging
1
Takes no clear
position or is
difficult to
understand;
little or no
awareness of
audience
and/or
purpose.
Poorly and
inconsistently
develops the
position, and
information
may be
inaccurate or
irrelevant.
Sources are
rarely used to
support and
inform the
position.

Occasionally
sustains a
progression of
ideas with
digressions or

Rarely sustains
a progression
of ideas
connected to
the main idea,

Fluency

Usage and
Mechanics

main idea.

the main idea.

Consistently
demonstrates
exceptional
control of
sentence
structure with
precise of use
of language,
including
transitions,
and
academic/dom
ain specific
vocabulary.
Sentence
structure is
correct and
sentences are
varied
(beginnings,
lengths,
structures).
Punctuation,
spelling and
capitalization
are correct. No
other
mechanical
errors.

Frequently
demonstrates
control of
sentence
structure with
adequate use
of language,
including
transitions,
and
academic/dom
ain specific
vocabulary.
Sentence
structure is
generally
correct. Some
awkward
sentences do
appear. Some
examples of
poor/incorrect
word choices.
There are a
few errors in
punctuation,
spelling,
capitalization
and/or other

abrupt shifts.
Progression of
ideas is
somewhat
connected to
the main idea.
Occasionally
demonstrates
control of
sentences

which
interferes with
meaning.

Essay contains
some sentence
errors (2 or 3)
and
grammatical
errors. There
are three or
four errors in
punctuation,
spelling,
capitalization,
and/or other
mechanics.

Essay contains
multiple
incorrect
sentence
structures
(more than 3).
There are more
than 4 errors in
punctuation,
spelling,
capitalization,
and/or other
mechanics.
There are
many
examples of

mechanics.
Citing
Sources

Student
properly cites
sources
throughout the
entire paper

Student
properly cites
sources
throughout the
majority of the
paper (may be
missing one
citation)

Written presentation: format of paper, appropriate style

Student
properly cites
sources in
some of the
paper, but is
missing a few
citations

poor/incorrect
word choice.
Student is
missing
multiple
citations, or
there are
multiple
incorrect
citations