Name ______________________________________________

RESEARCH PAPER RUBRIC

(4) (3) (2) (1) (0)

Thesis clearly stated and clearly stated but thesis phrasing too thesis lacks a clear thesis not evident
appropriately focused focus could have simple, lacks objective and/or does
been sharper complexity; or, not not fit content of
clearly worded essay

Supporting thorough and relevant less thorough but adequate; relevance insufficient; relevance irrelevant, missing, or
Research still substantial and made clear not always made clear relies on assertion
relevant rather than research

Focus & sharp, distinct focus; Clear focus; specific, adequate focus, but essay contains too absence of focus and
Content balanced, substantial, illustrative, and unbalanced content; much research relevant content;
specific, and/or balanced content more analysis needed information without content doesnt fit
illustrative content; analysis or thesis
sophisticated, mature commentary
ideas are particularly
well-developed
Organizatio obviously controlled logical and organization attempted, inconsistent absence of planned
n and/or subtle appropriate but unclear or organization organization
organization; strong organization; clear inappropriate
topic sentences topic sentences topic sentences
Style writers voice is strong; precision and variety limited, but mostly several awkward no apparent control
precision in tone, in sentence structure correct, sentence and/or unclear over sentence
sentence structure, and word choice structure variety and sentences; problems structure and word
and word choice word choice with word choice choice

Mechanics free of mechanical and few mechanical and some mechanical and mechanical and usage mechanical and usage
& Usage usage errors usage errors usage errors, but not errors which interfere errors that
severe enough to with writers purpose significantly interfere
interfere significantly with the writers
with writers purpose purpose

MLA: In-Text all sources are all sources are most sources are several sources lack sources are not
Citations accurately documented, but a documented, but many proper documentation accurately
documented in the few are not in the are not in the desired documented, and MLA
proper MLA format desired format format format is not
attempted or followed
properly
Name ______________________________________________

MLA: Works all sources on Works few of the sources on none the sources on
Cited Page Cited page follow most sources on Works Cited page follow Works Cited page Works Cited page
proper MLA format proper MLA format follow proper MLA follow proper MLA
format format