Holistic Rubric for an Argumentative Paragraph

Excellent (4 points):

  • Clear and debatable claim: The paragraph presents a clear and arguable claim or thesis statement that takes a definite stance on an issue.

  • Convincing evidence: Uses strong and relevant evidence (facts, statistics, examples, etc.) to support the claim, demonstrating an understanding of the topic.

  • Effective reasoning and analysis: Explains how the evidence supports the claim with logical reasoning and insightful analysis, addressing potential counterarguments.

  • Well-organized and coherent: Presents arguments in a logical order with a strong flow and clear transitions, leading to a strong conclusion.

  • Grammatically correct and polished: Uses precise language, varied sentence structure, and is free of errors.

Good (3 points):

  • Generally clear claim: Presents a claim that takes a stance, but may be somewhat broad or lack nuance.

  • Relevant evidence: Uses evidence to support the claim, but some may be less impactful or not fully explained.

  • Adequate reasoning: Explains the connection between evidence and claim, but analysis may lack depth or sophistication.

  • Mostly organized: Arguments are generally presented in a logical order, but some transitions may be weak.

  • Few grammatical errors: Contains minor errors that don't significantly hinder understanding.

Fair (2 points):

  • Unclear or weak claim: Presents a claim that is vague, too general, or not clearly arguable.

  • Limited evidence: Uses few pieces of evidence or evidence that is not clearly relevant to the claim.

  • Superficial reasoning: Provides basic explanations of the evidence but lacks analysis or connection to the claim.

  • Weak organization: Arguments are presented in a disjointed manner with unclear transitions.

  • Several grammatical errors: Contains errors that may affect clarity and understanding.

Needs Improvement (1 point):

  • Missing or irrelevant claim: Fails to present a clear claim or presents an unrelated argument.

  • Lack of evidence: Provides little to no evidence to support the claim.

  • Missing or inadequate reasoning: Fails to explain how the evidence supports the claim or provides irrelevant explanations.

  • Disorganized and incoherent: Ideas are presented randomly with no clear structure.

  • Numerous grammatical errors: Contains significant errors that impede understanding.