Report on a natural or man-made disaster, a government emergency management agency, or a controversial event that involved emergency management.
Term Paper Rubric – 50 point maximum
Traits | 10 points | 8 points | 5 points | 2 point |
Idea/Content | Engages the reader with a clear thesis or purpose. Information is clearly related to the topic. Relevant evidence and details are strong and used to support the thesis or purpose. | Engages the reader with a thesis or purpose. Information stated is related to the topic. Relevant evidence and details support the thesis or purpose. | Attempts to engage the reader with a thesis or purpose. Information stated is limited in relationship to the topic. Relevant evidence and details are weak and don’t always support the thesis or purpose. | Little attempt to engage the reader; no thesis or purpose. Information stated does not related to the topic. Relevant evidence and details are lacking. |
Organization | Organization is clear including compare and contrast or organization by categories, and transitional expressions. Offers a creative engaging beginning and concluding paragraph that summarizes the thesis or purpose. | Organization is clear and may include use of compare and contrast, organization by categories, and transitional expressions. Offers an engaging beginning and a concluding paragraph that summarizes the thesis or purpose. | Organization may be hampered by minimal details and weak transitional expressions. Attempts a beginning and conclusion. | Organization is lacking and interferes with understanding. Conclusion is not drawn or reached. |
Sentence Fluency | Demonstrates consistent variety and complexity of sentence structure. | Demonstrates variety and complexity of sentence structure. | Demonstrates sentences that are understandable. Sentences are short, repetitive, and lack variety and complexity. | Demonstrates awkward choppy and run-on sentences. No variety or complexity. |
Word Choice | Uses precise and creative verbs, adverbs, nouns, and adjectives; the message is clear. | Uses adequate verbs, adverbs, nouns, and adjectives; the message is clear. | Uses limited word choice; the message is dull or unclear. | Uses dull, repetitive word choice; the message is confusing. |
Convention | Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing and grammar are effective and make the paper easy to read and understand. Contains few if any errors in conventions. | Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing and grammar are mostly correct. Errors don’t make writing difficult to read and doesn’t interfere with the meaning. | Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing, and grammar create problems that slow the reader or cause confusion. Contains frequent convention errors that are noticeable. | Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing, and grammar errors are so numerous that they make writing difficult to follow. |