Career Pathways

Framing a composition with a relevant introduction and conclusion.

Introduces the topic and a clear main idea or claim; maintains a consistent focus on the main idea or claim. Provides a concluding statement or conclusion that relates to the main idea or claim.

Introduction includes related background or context information about the topic and introduces the main idea(s) or claim(s); conclusion logically follows from the content presented and ties back to main idea(s) or claim(s).

Introduction includes relevant background or context information about the topic, introduces main idea(s) or claim(s), and establishes purpose for writing. Conclusion summarizes the content presented and pulls multiple ideas together in relation to the main idea(s) or claim(s).

Introduction includes relevant and sufficient background or context information about the topic, introduces main idea(s) or claim(s), and establishes purpose for writing; introduction is engaging. Conclusion summarizes, pulls ideas together, and highlights important points of the content presented; when appropriate, conclusion considers some implication(s) of the content presented.

Developing a strong opinion/ argument through clear, well-sequenced claims.

Introduces a clear opinion/claim and provides logically ordered reasons that support student's point of view.

Claims and subclaims are clearly introduced throughout writing and organized so that relationships between claims and subclaims are evident.

Claims and subclaims are clearly introduced and organized in a way that makes relationships among claims & subclaims clear and supports the reader's understanding. Some attention is given to the significance of claims.

Claims and subclaims are clear, focused, and consistent throughout the writing; the sequencing of the claims and subclaims builds the reader's understanding throughout the writing. The significance of the claims is clearly established.

Using relevant and sufficient evidence to support claims

Selects relevant evidence that supports main claim(s). Evidence for subclaims is limited or weakly related.

Selects relevant evidence that supports both main claim(s) and subclaims.

Selects a variety of relevant evidence that is sufficient to support main claim(s); evidence still only generally supports subclaims.

Selects a variety of detailed, relevant evidence that is sufficient to support both main claim(s) and subclaims.

Representing evidence accurately (via notes, summary, and/or paraphrase) and including evidence in text.

Presents relevant evidence from experiences or sources through accurate summary or paraphrase at appropriate places within the text.

Evidence from sources is presented objectively and accurately and inserted at appropriate points in the text to support an argument, explanation, or analysis.

Evidence is presented objectively and accurately, positioned appropriately in the text, and contextualized with introductory and/or explanatory phrases or statements.

Evidence is presented objectively and accurately, positioned and contextualized appropriately, and purposefully excerpted, paraphrased, or summarized to highlight the aspects that are most relevant or important to the argument, explanation, or analysis.

Analyzing how the selected evidence support the writer's statements (e.g., claims, controlling ideas).

Explains relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, and/or quotations, and/or examples (as well as illustrations or multimedia when appropriate) that support the opinion/main idea.

Provides relevant analysis that explains how the selected evidence supports claims or statements; analysis stays rooted in the evidence but at times may be vague, illogical, or overly general.

Provides clear analysis that accurately explains how the selected evidence supports claims or statements.

Provides insightful and clear analysis that thoroughly and accurately explains how the evidence supports claims or statements; where applicable, analysis acknowledges some weakness(es) or gaps in the evidence.