Assessment rubrics of letter writing

Analytical Score_

Level

Score

Criteria

Cognitive aspect of communicative competence in writing

Organiza-

tion and coherence structure

Proficiency

3

2

1

Ideas are clearly focused on the topic throughout the response. Organization demonstrates a logical, well-executed progression of ideas that effectively supports the persuasive purpose and is relevant to the writer’s approaches to organization (e.g., analyzing,

evaluating, narrating, etc.). Transitions effectively convey relationships among ideas.

Sentence structure is well controlled and varied to communicate relationships among ideas.

Advavced

3

2

1

Ideas are usually focused on the topic. Organization is clear and may demonstrate a logical progression of ideas that supports the communicative purpose and is relevant to the

writer’s approaches to organization. Transitions clearly convey relationships among ideas.

Sentence structure is well controlled to communicate relationships among ideas and varied as appropriate for the writer’s purpose.

Basic

3

2

1

Ideas are usually focused on the topic, and an organizational structure is evident. Ideas are logically grouped and adequately reflect the writer’s use of relevant approaches to organization. Relationships among ideas are mostly clear.

Marginal

3

2

1

Most ideas are focused on the topic. The response uses a simple organizational structure, and, for the most part, ideas are logically grouped. There is some evidence of the writer’s

use of approaches to organization, but they may not be clearly relevant, or they may be confusing. Relationships among ideas are sometimes unclear.

Sentence structure is usually correct and there may be a little sentence variety to

communicate relationships among ideas.

0

Response is too brief to score; not written in English; off topic; or

illegible.

Style and word choice

Proficiency

3

2

1

Approaches to the development of ideas (e.g., summarizing, narrating, etc.) are used skillfully to support the communicative purpose.

Word choice is precise and evaluative and supports the communicative purpose.

Voice and tone are well controlled and effective for the writer’s purpose and audience.

Advanced

3

2

1

Approaches to the development of ideas are usually used skillfully to support

the communicative purpose.

Word choice is usually precise and evaluative and usually supports the communicative purpose.

Voice and tone are usually

controlled and effective for the writer’s purpose and audience.

Basic

3

2

1

Approaches to the development of ideas are adequate, but their relevance to the communicative purpose may not always be clear.

Word choice is clear, often evaluative, and adequately

supports the communicative purpose. Voice and tone are mostly controlled and usually effective for the writer’s purpose and audience.

Marginal

3

2

1

Approaches to development of ideas are evident, but they may not be clearly relevant to the persuasive purpose. Word choice is usually clear and sometimes evaluative but at times may not be appropriate for the writer’s purpose. Voice and tone

show some understanding of what is appropriate for the writer’s purpose and audience.

0

Response is too brief to score; not written in English; off topic; or

illegible.

Linguistic aspect of communicative competence in writing

content

Profociency

3

2

1

The response formulates a clear position that recognizes and acknowledges multiple significant aspects of the issue and insightfully addresses the complexities of the issue.

The response demonstrates insight by fully addressing other perspectives, by using affective arguments, examples, justifications so that communicative purpose is achieved

Advanced

3

2

1

The response formulates a position that recognizes and acknowledges multiple

significant aspects of the issue but may not fully address some of the complexities of the

issue. The response demonstrates some insight by acknowledging and partially

addressing other perspectives,

by using affective arguments, examples, justifications so that communicative purpose is mostly achieved

Basic

3

2

1

The response takes a position and may acknowledge significant aspects of the issue. The response demonstrates some understanding of other perspectives and may evaluate some

implications of the writer’s position. If affective arguments, examples, justifications are used, they fulfill communicative purpose of the written paper. While details, examples, arguments, justifications provide adequate evidence to support the writer’s position, their development may be somewhat uneven.

Marginal

3

2

1

The response states a position but addresses only some of the aspects of the issue. Some relevant reasons and evidence (details, examples, arguments, justifications) for the writer’s position are used, but they are not

developed enough to fulfill the communicative purpose, or they may be unevenly developed.

0

Response is too brief to score; not written in English; off topic; or

illegible.

Language and vocabulary use

Proficiency

3

2

1

Word and grammar choice is precise, clear throughout the response and supports the communicative purpose. Effective complex constructions are used; few errors in agreement, almost no errors in tense, number, word order, articles, prepositions, pronouns

Advanced

3

2

1

Word and grammar choice is usually correct, with a few distracting errors, the meaning and communicative purpose is mostly clear. Effective but simple constructions are used; several errors of agreement, tense, number, word order, articles, prepositions, pronouns

Basic

3

2

1

Word and grammar choice are mostly incorrect with frequent distracting errors, the response shows an attempt to organize thoughts, but the meaning is confused throughout the response. Problems in simple complex constructions; frequent errors of agreement, tense, number, word order, articles, prepositions, pronouns

Marginal

3

2

1

Word and grammar choice are mostly incorrect with frequent distracting errors that impede understanding and achievement of communicative purpose. No mastery of sentence construction rules, abundance of errors.

0

Word and grammar choice is illegible, or the response is too brief to score; off topic.

Spelling

Proficiency

3

few errors in spelling, capitalization.

Advanced

2

occasional errors in spelling, capitalization.

Basic

1

frequent errors in spelling, capitalization.

Marginal

0

abundance of errors in spelling, capitalization.

Punctuation

Proficiency

3

few errors in punctuation, paragraph division.

Advanced

2

occasional errors in punctuation, paragraph division.

Basic

1

frequent in punctuation, paragraph division.

Marginal

0

abundance of errors in punctuation, paragraph division.

Level

Description of the achievement level

54 – 49 (100-90 %)

Proficiency level

Response demonstrates effective skill in responding to the writing task. All elements of the response are well controlled and effectively support the writer’s purpose, audience, and form.

48 – 43 (88 – 80 %)

Advanced level

Response in this range demonstrates competent skill in responding to the writing task. Elements are usually well controlled and clearly support the writer’s purpose, audience, and form.

42 – 33 (77 – 60 %)

Basic level

Response demonstrates adequate skill in responding to the writing task. Most elements are controlled and support the writer’s purpose, audience, and form.

32 – < (< 60 %)

Marginal level

Response demonstrates developing skill in responding to the writing task. Some elements are controlled and provide some support for the writer’s purpose, audience, and form.

Level

Description of the achievement level:

Students performing at the level should be able to:

Basic achievement level descriptions

Create an appropriate response to the topic,

purpose and audience

Present ideas that are relevant to the topic,

purpose, and audience and show evidence of

thinking and writing approaches that support

development of ideas

Use supporting details relevant to the topic,

purpose, and audience

Create a response that usually focuses on the topic

and whose organizational structure shows some

evidence of appropriate thinking and writing

approaches

Sentences are correct and the response uses some

sentence variety as appropriate to communicate

relationships among ideas

Use word choice that is clear and appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience

Use voice and tone that are appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience

Use grammar, usage, and mechanics that are

mostly correct but with a few distracting errors

that may occasionally impede understanding

Marginal Achievement Level Descriptions

Create a response that`s inappropriate to the topic, purpose and audience

Present the ideas that are mostly unsupported, undeveloped, unclear. Present the ideas that do not progress fluently in the response, there are some unity problems

Present a response that length is inappropriate for the task. Create the writing piece that is too short, without development of ideas

Present a response that has a poor organization, the organization shows the writer`s problems with thinking and writing approaches, the organization interferes with the meaning

Use sentences that are incorrect; word choice is unclear and inappropriate; and

there is little or no control of appropriate voice and tone.

Grammar, usage, and mechanics are sometimes correct but with frequent distracting

errors that impede understanding

Advanced Achievement Level Descriptions

Create an insightful response to the topic,

purpose, and audience

Present thoughtful and complex ideas to support the topic and effectively use approaches for

thinking and writing that support development of ideas

Create a response with an organizational structure

that has a clear and effective logical progression

of ideas and that reflects effective use of relevant

thinking and writing approaches

Use sentences that are well controlled and varied,

as appropriate, to communicate relationships

among ideas

Use specific and precise word choice appropriate

for the topic, purpose, and audience

Use voice and tone that are well controlled for the

topic, purpose, and audience

Demonstrate strong command of grammar, usage,

and mechanics and use these elements to enhance

the presentation of ideas

Proficiency Achievement Level Descriptions

Create a competent response to the topic, purpose,and audience

Present some ideas that support the topic, purpose, and audience and show consistent evidence of effective thinking and writing approaches that support development of ideas

Use specific and relevant supporting details to

develop ideas

Create a response that is organized logically,

using effective and relevant thinking and writing

approaches to support a logical progression of

ideas

Use sentences that are controlled and that are

varied, as appropriate, for the topic, purpose, and audience

Use some specific and precise word choice that is appropriate to communicate relationships among ideas

Use voice and tone that are controlled and

appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience

Use grammar, usage, and mechanics that are

mostly correct but with a few distracting errors