Assessment of Student Writing

David S. Goldstein, Ph.D.

University of Washington, Bothell

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Writing and revising constitute an ongoing process for all writers. To try to take this fact into account and to make my assessment of your writing consistent with it, I prefer to emphasize formative rather than summative assessment. This means that I endeavor to provide helpful, constructive feedback on each draft that you submit to me, rather than simply to impose a final grade. I try to "locate each draft in a specific stage on the route to maturity," as Profs. Edwina L. Helton and Jeff Sommers put it ("Repositioning Revision: A Rhetorical Approach to Grading." TETYC, December 2000, 157-64). Helton and Sommers offer this analogy:

"We use E, M, and L the same way a coach would describe a team's performance in a practice or the way a director would describe actors' performances in rehearsal. We use letter grades, however, the same way the coach uses game films to critique the team's performance in the actual game or the way a theater critic would evaluate the cast's performances on opening night of the drama" (163).

To accomplish the goal of emphasizing formative assessment, I will write substantial comments on each of your drafts. I consider these comments to be the most important feedback that I can provide. Recognizing that students also want a clearer sense of "where they stand," however, I also will identify each piece of writing as either an "early" ("E"), "middle" ("M"), or "late" ("L") draft. Below is a description of each of those terms.

Early Draft ("E")

An E means that your draft seems to be an early one--one that could benefit from some rethinking and reseeing. The draft may not fully explore the ideas that it has introduced or may lack a clear focus on its subject or a clear sense of purpose. Perhaps it would benefit from a stronger sense of organization. It might also contain numerous mechanical errors that significantly interfere with clear communication of ideas.

Middle Draft ("M")

An M means that your draft appears to be in the middle stages of the writing process. This draft has some solid and interesting ideas, but it could benefit from some revision and editing in order to prepare it for presentation. Usually, these drafts have established a clearly focused subject and have begun to explore the subject in ways that suggest a strong sense of purpose. Sometimes, middle drafts need further fleshing out of ideas or sharpening of the structure through which those ideas are presented. They sometimes also contain some mechanical errors that sometimes interfere with clear communication of ideas.

Late Draft ("L")

An L means that your draft is close to being a "portfolio draft"--a draft that is ready to be presented in your portfolio. These drafts usually have a clearly focused discussion with sufficient substance to achieve their purpose. The writing itself might not yet be as clear and effective as it might be (the draft might need some polishing and editing), but it is mechanically sound enough to permit clear communication of ideas.

Note that E, M, and L do not represent traditional grades. They are not comments on the quality of writing. Instead, they are designed to let you know how much more revising each paper needs.

[The preceding information is adapted, with slight modifications, from "Repositioning Revision: A Rhetorical Approach to Grading," by Edwina L. Helton and Jeff Sommers, TETYC (Dec. 2000): 157-64.]

For better or for worse, our course will come to an end, which means that the last draft of each paper will have to serve as the basis of a final evaluation. In some cases, I will append an evaluative score (either a letter grade or a numerical score) to the E, M, or L designation that I give the final draft. In other cases, your grade will be determined by the E, M, or L stages that each of your paper eventually reaches by the end of the course. The course syllabus explains how my assessment of your writing fits into the overall grading for this particular course.

I use different rubrics for argumentative essays and for research papers .

RUBRIC FOR ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS:

This is the rubric that I apply to each draft of an argumentative essay to help me determine in which stage (E, M, or L) your draft appears to be, and serves as the criteria for your evaluative assessment (i.e., your score or grade) for the final draft.

A. Command of Topic

25 Essay addresses the assignment, demonstrating both familiarity with pertinent critical issues and independent thought. Responds thoroughly to the assignment.

20 Essay addresses the assignment, both topic and strategies. Responds well to the assignment.

15 Subject is clear—although essay misses some element of assigned topic and/or strategies. Responds adequately to the assignment.

10 Subject is generally clear but not in keeping with assigned topic and/or strategies. Responds inadequately to the assignment.

5 Essay is not in keeping with assigned topic and/or strategies. Responds very inadequately to the assignment.

B. Argumentative Development

25 Essay shows especially careful development of related ideas in coherent, sequential paragraphs. Consistently uses strong, persuasive evidence.

20 Essay shows careful development of related ideas in coherent, sequential paragraphs. Uses mostly strong, persuasive evidence.

15 Sequence of ideas is traceable—although paragraphing and structure are faulty. Uses some persuasive evidence.

10 Essay relies on unrelated generalizations, vague argument, uncertain information. Evidence should be more persuasive.

5 Essay is not coherent, showing little development of or relationship among ideas. Evidence is weak.

C. Organization

20 Student has edited the essay, ensuring that sentences are forceful and clear and logical.

16 While the student has edited the essay, some tangential ideas, unassimilated quotations, needless summary, and organizational flaws remain.

12 Incomplete editing is evident in excess (summary, unassimilated ideas and accessory information) and absence (support, transitions, flow).

8 Faulty editing shows in flawed sequence of ideas.

4 Student has neglected to edit the paper for content or paragraph construction.

D. Formatting

15 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to an exceptional degree.

12 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline for the most part, but a few deviations are evident.

9 Student has partially followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline, but significant deviations are evident.

6 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to a small degree, and numerous deviations are evident.

3 Student has not followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline.

E. Control of Mechanics

15 Essay is generally free from errors in word choice and mechanics.

12 Essay may have a few errors in word choice and mechanics.

8 Essay has an accumulation of errors in word choice and mechanics.

6 Essay is marred by numerous errors in word choice and mechanics.

4 Essay has serious and persistent errors in word choice and mechanics.

[Adapted from the Student Writing Assessment Project by Mary Wardell and Silverio Haro of the Literature and Writing program at California State University, San Marcos: <http://www.csusm.edu/lwap/lessessayrubric.html >.]

RUBRIC FOR RESEARCH PAPERS:

This is the rubric that I apply to each draft of a research paper to help me determine in which stage (E, M, or L) your draft appears to be, and serves as the criteria for your evaluative assessment (i.e., your score or grade) for the final draft.

A. Content

25 Balanced presentation of relevant and legitimate information that clearly supports a central purpose or argument and shows a thoughtful, in-depth anaylsis of a significant topic. Reader gains important insights.

20 Information provides reasonable support for a central purpose or argument and displays evidence of a basic analysis of a significant topic. Reader gains some insights.

15 Information supports a central purpose or argument at times. Analysis is basic or general. Reader gains few insights.

10 Central purpose or argument is not clearly identified. Analysis is vague or not evident. Reader is confused or may be misinformed.

B. Organization

25 The ideas are arranged logically to support the purpose or argument. They flow smoothly from one to another and are clearly linked to each other. The reader can easily follow the line of reasoning.

20 The ideas are arranged logically to support the central purpose or argument. They are usually clearly linked to each other. For the most part, the reader can follow the line of reasoning.

15 In general, the writing is arranged logically, although occasionally ideas fail to make sense together. The reader is fairly clear about what the writer intends but needs to work at it.

10 The writing is not logically organized. Frequently, ideas fail to make sense together. The reader cannot identify a line of reasoning and loses interest.

C. References and Citations

20 Compelling evidence from professionally legitimate sources is given to support claims. Attribution is clear and fairly represented. The reader is confident that the information and ideas can be trusted.

16 Professionally legitimate sources that support claims are generally present and attribution is, for the most part, clear and fairly represented. Although most of the references are professionally legitimate, a few are questionable. The reader is uncertain about the reliability of some of the sources.

12 Although attributions are occasionally given, many statements seem unsubstantiated. The reader is confused about the source of information and ideas. Most of the references are from sources that have uncertain reliability. The reader doubts the accuratcy of much of the material presented.

8 There are virtually no sources that are professionally reliable. The reader seriously doubts the value of the material and stops reading.

D. Formatting

15 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to an exceptional degree.

12 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline for the most part, but a few deviations are evident.

9 Student has partially followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline, but significant deviations are evident.

6 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to a small degree, and numerous deviations are evident.

3 Student has not followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline.

E. Control of Mechanics

15 Paper is generally free from errors in word choice and mechanics.

12 Paper may have a few errors in word choice and mechanics.

8 Paper has an accumulation of errors in word choice and mechanics.

6 Paper is marred by numerous errors in word choice and mechanics.

4 Paper has serious and persistent errors in word choice and mechanics.

[Adapted from the Assessment and Research program at Winona State University: <http://www.winona.edu/air/resourcelinks/research%20paper%20rubric.pdf >.]

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Last updated June 14, 2007.

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A. Command of Topic
25 Essay addresses the assignment, demonstrating both familiarity with pertinent critical issues and independent thought. Responds thoroughly to the assignment.
20 Essay addresses the assignment, both topic and strategies. Responds well to the assignment.
15 Subject is clear—although essay misses some element of assigned topic and/or strategies. Responds adequately to the assignment.
10 Subject is generally clear but not in keeping with assigned topic and/or strategies. Responds inadequately to the assignment.
5 Essay is not in keeping with assigned topic and/or strategies. Responds very inadequately to the assignment.
B. Argumentative Development
25 Essay shows especially careful development of related ideas in coherent, sequential paragraphs. Consistently uses strong, persuasive evidence.
20 Essay shows careful development of related ideas in coherent, sequential paragraphs. Uses mostly strong, persuasive evidence.
15 Sequence of ideas is traceable—although paragraphing and structure are faulty. Uses some persuasive evidence.
10 Essay relies on unrelated generalizations, vague argument, uncertain information. Evidence should be more persuasive.
5 Essay is not coherent, showing little development of or relationship among ideas. Evidence is weak.
C. Organization
20 Student has edited the essay, ensuring that sentences are forceful and clear and logical.
16 While the student has edited the essay, some tangential ideas, unassimilated quotations, needless summary, and organizational flaws remain.
12 Incomplete editing is evident in excess (summary, unassimilated ideas and accessory information) and absence (support, transitions, flow).
8 Faulty editing shows in flawed sequence of ideas.
4 Student has neglected to edit the paper for content or paragraph construction.
D. Formatting
15 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to an exceptional degree.
12 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline for the most part, but a few deviations are evident.
9 Student has partially followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline, but significant deviations are evident.
6 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to a small degree, and numerous deviations are evident.
3 Student has not followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline.
E. Control of Mechanics
15 Essay is generally free from errors in word choice and mechanics.
12 Essay may have a few errors in word choice and mechanics.
8 Essay has an accumulation of errors in word choice and mechanics.
6 Essay is marred by numerous errors in word choice and mechanics.
4 Essay has serious and persistent errors in word choice and mechanics.

A. Content
25 Balanced presentation of relevant and legitimate information that clearly supports a central purpose or argument and shows a thoughtful, in-depth anaylsis of a significant topic. Reader gains important insights.
20 Information provides reasonable support for a central purpose or argument and displays evidence of a basic analysis of a significant topic. Reader gains some insights.
15 Information supports a central purpose or argument at times. Analysis is basic or general. Reader gains few insights.
10 Central purpose or argument is not clearly identified. Analysis is vague or not evident. Reader is confused or may be misinformed.
B. Organization
25 The ideas are arranged logically to support the purpose or argument. They flow smoothly from one to another and are clearly linked to each other. The reader can easily follow the line of reasoning.
20 The ideas are arranged logically to support the central purpose or argument. They are usually clearly linked to each other. For the most part, the reader can follow the line of reasoning.
15 In general, the writing is arranged logically, although occasionally ideas fail to make sense together. The reader is fairly clear about what the writer intends but needs to work at it.
10 The writing is not logically organized. Frequently, ideas fail to make sense together. The reader cannot identify a line of reasoning and loses interest.
C. References and Citations
20 Compelling evidence from professionally legitimate sources is given to support claims. Attribution is clear and fairly represented. The reader is confident that the information and ideas can be trusted.
16 Professionally legitimate sources that support claims are generally present and attribution is, for the most part, clear and fairly represented. Although most of the references are professionally legitimate, a few are questionable. The reader is uncertain about the reliability of some of the sources.
12 Although attributions are occasionally given, many statements seem unsubstantiated. The reader is confused about the source of information and ideas. Most of the references are from sources that have uncertain reliability. The reader doubts the accuratcy of much of the material presented.
8 There are virtually no sources that are professionally reliable. The reader seriously doubts the value of the material and stops reading.
D. Formatting
15 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to an exceptional degree.
12 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline for the most part, but a few deviations are evident.
9 Student has partially followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline, but significant deviations are evident.
6 Student has followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline to a small degree, and numerous deviations are evident.
3 Student has not followed the appropriate formatting conventions for academic writing in this discipline.
E. Control of Mechanics
15 Paper is generally free from errors in word choice and mechanics.
12 Paper may have a few errors in word choice and mechanics.
8 Paper has an accumulation of errors in word choice and mechanics.
6 Paper is marred by numerous errors in word choice and mechanics.
4 Paper has serious and persistent errors in word choice and mechanics.