Writing Workshop Rubric

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Writing Process	Student devotes a lot of time and effort to the writing process (prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works hard to make the story wonderful.	Student devotes sufficient time and effort to the writing process (prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works and gets the job done.	Student devotes some time and effort to the writing process but was not very thorough. Does enough to get by.	Student devotes little time and effort to the writing process. Doesn't seem to care.
Introduction	First paragraph has a "grabber" or catchy beginning.	First paragraph has a weak "grabber".	A catchy beginning was attempted but was confusing rather than catchy.	No attempt was made to catch the reader's attention in the first paragraph.
Organization	The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions.	The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used.	The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear.	Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged.
Creativity	The story contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used his/her imagination.	The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used his/her imagination.	The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use his/her imagination.	There is little evidence of creativity in the story. The author does not seem to have used much imagination.
Setting	Many vivid, descriptive words are used to tell when and where the story took place.	Some vivid, descriptive words are used to tell the audience when and where the story took place.	The reader can figure out when and where the story took place, but the author didn't supply much detail.	The reader has trouble figuring out when and where the story took place.
Dialogue	There is an appropriate amount of dialogue to bring the characters to life and it is always clear which character is speaking.	There is not quite enough dialogue in this story, but it is always clear which character is speaking.	There is too much dialogue in this story, but it is always clear which character is speaking.	It is not clear which character is speaking.
Problem/Conflict	It is very easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.	It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem.	It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face but it is not clear why it is a problem.	It is not clear what problem the main characters face.

Audience	Demonstrates a clear understanding of the potential reader and uses appropriate vocabulary and arguments. Anticipates reader's questions and provides thorough answers appropriate for that audience.	Demonstrates a general understanding of the potential reader and uses vocabulary and arguments appropriate for that audience.	Demonstrates some understanding of the potential reader and uses arguments appropriate for that audience.	It is not clear who the author is writing for.
Sentence Structure	All sentences are well-constructed with varied structure.	Most sentences are well-constructed and there is some varied sentence structure in the essay.	Most sentences are well constructed, but there is no variation is structure.	Most sentences are not well-constructed or varied.
Grammar & Spelling	Author makes no errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Author makes 1-2 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Author makes 3-4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.	Author makes more than 4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content.
Capitalization & Punctuation	Author makes no errors in capitalization or punctuation, so the essay is exceptionally easy to read.	Author makes 1-2 errors in capitalization or punctuation, but the essay is still easy to read.	Author makes a few errors in capitalization and/or punctuation that catch the reader's attention and interrupt the flow.	Author makes several errors in capitalization and/or punctuation that catch the reader's attention and interrupt the flow.

Editing Checklist

Name________________________ Date___________________

Title: ________________________

Reread your writing carefully. Put a check mark in each box under “Author” as you complete each editing item. Once all the boxes are checked, give this editing checklist to the teacher for the final edit.

Editing Checklist	Author	Teacher
1. Clarity - Read, asking, “Will this make sense to a stranger?” Find confusing spots and rewrite to make them clearer. Note places where you stumble as you reread and revise to make them easier to read.
2. Punctuation - Read, paying attention to the actual road signs you’ve given readers. If you followed the punctuation as you’ve written it, will the piece sound the way you want it to sound? Have you guarded against sentences that run on and on? Have you punctuated dialogue?
3. Spelling - Do your words look correctly spelled to you? Circle ones that feel as if they could be wrong, try them again, get help with them. Check that the words on the word wall are correctly spelled.
4. Paragraphs - Narrative writers use a new paragraph or a new page for each new episode in the sequence of events. Do you paragraph to show the passage of time? Do you also paragraph to show changes in who is speaking?


Punctuation Have I written with periods and capital letters? Do I avoid using and or so to combine lots of short sentences together into one run-on sentence? Have I used complex punctuation and varied sentences to help readers read my story with expressiveness and in a way that creates the mood I want to create? Have I used a mentor author to give me ideas for new ways to use punctuation to create a powerful effect in part of my story?
Spelling When tackling long and challenging words, have I tried to record every sound I hear in the word? Have I used what I know about how other words are spelled to help me spell parts of the challenging word? Have I reread my spelling and circled the parts of words that I think could be wrong? Have I used spellings I know (and especially those on the word wall) to help me tackle words of which I’m unsure?

Michael J Allen

Class 0f 2011-2012

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