Persuasive Essay

Topic 5 Rubric: Persuasive Essay: First Draft

Criteria	% Value	1: Unsatisfactory	2: Less Than Satisfactory	3: Satisfactory	4: Good	5: Excellent
% Scaling		0%	65%	75%	85%	100%
Content – 80%
Personal Perspective and Position	25%	Addresses a single source or view of the argument and fails to clarify presented position relative to one’s own.	Appropriately identifies one’s own position on the topic. Vague explanation of the position is given. Little reference to specific issues related to the topic is made. Position completely appeals to emotion instead of reason.	Appropriately identifies one’s own position on the topic. Explains the position taken in a coherent way. Sound reference to specific issues related to the topic is made. Position mostly appeals to emotion instead of reason.	Formulates a clear and precise personal point of view of the topic. Clearly explains the position taken. Sound and detailed reference to specific issues related to the topic is made. Position appeals mostly to reason.	Formulates a clear and precise personal point of view of the topic. Comprehensively explains the position taken. Specific issues related to the topic are fully presented in great detail. Position appeals to reason.
Argues to persuade	30%	No real persuasive argument is made. No outside sources are used.	Presents a vague argument relative to the topic and presents no evidence to support the argument. Fewer than three outside sources are used.	Presents an argument relative to the topic and presents minimal evidence to support the argument. Not all evidence is relevant to the argument. At least three outside sources are used.	Presents an argument relative to the topic and presents key evidence to support the argument. At least three outside sources are used.	Presents an argument relative to the topic and presents key evidence to support the argument. Identifies not only the main issues, but also the embedded, implicit, or unspoken aspects of the topic. At least three outside sources are used.
Adheres to principles of critical thinking Manage emotions and avoid fallacies. Provide evidence to support your position. Acknowledge other perspectives and evaluate assumptions about the topic. Use facts and figures when appropriate.	25%	Fails to adhere to almost all principles of critical thinking.	Adheres to few principles of critical thinking.	Adheres to some principles of critical thinking on a surface level.	Adheres to many principles of critical thinking. Use of the principles is clear to see.	Adheres to most of the principles of critical thinking. Attempts to incorporate each one in a logical and fluid way.
Organization and Effectiveness – 15%
Thesis Development and Purpose	7%	Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim.	Thesis and/or main claim are insufficiently developed and/or vague; purpose is not clear.	Thesis and/or main claim are apparent and appropriate to purpose.	Thesis and/or main claim are clear and forecast the development of the paper. It is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose.	Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive; contained within the thesis is the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.
Paragraph Development and Transitions	4%	Paragraphs and transitions consistently lack unity and coherence. No apparent connections between paragraphs are established. Transitions are inappropriate to purpose and scope. Organization is disjointed.	Some paragraphs and transitions may lack logical progression of ideas, unity, coherence, and/or cohesiveness. Some degree of organization is evident.	Paragraphs are generally competent, but ideas may show some inconsistency in organization and/or in their relationships to each other.	A logical progression of ideas between paragraphs is apparent. Paragraphs exhibit a unity, coherence, and cohesiveness. Topic sentences and concluding remarks are appropriate to purpose.	There is a sophisticated construction of paragraphs and transitions. Ideas progress and relate to each other. Paragraph and transition construction guide the reader. Paragraph structure is seamless.
Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)	4%	Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction are used.	Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, and/or word choice are present.	Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used.	Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used.	Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.
Format – 5%
Paper Format (use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)	2%	GCU template is not used appropriately or documentation format is rarely followed correctly.	GCU template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken; lack of control with formatting is apparent.	GCU template is used, and formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present.	GCU template is fully used; There are virtually no errors in formatting style.	All format elements are correct.
Research Citations (In-text citations for paraphrasing and direct quotes, and reference page listing and formatting, as appropriate to assignment and style)	3%	No reference page is included. No citations are used.	Reference page is present. Citations are inconsistently used.	Reference page is included and lists sources used in the paper. Sources are appropriately documented, although some errors may be present.	Reference page is present and fully inclusive of all cited sources. Documentation is appropriate and citation style is usually correct.	In-text citations and a reference page are complete and correct. The documentation of cited sources is free of error.