Thesis StatementProvide a clear thesis statement with sufficient support. |
The thesis statement consists of an original observation that is clear, focused, and well-supported. |
The thesis statement consists of an original observation that is adequately supported. |
The thesis statement consists of an identifiable main idea that is generally supported. |
The thesis statement consists of an identifiable main idea, but it is not not well supported or does not match most of essay's content. |
The thesis statement is missing or completely unsupported. |
Evidence and AnalysisEvaluate a single source based on the characteristics of credibility and usefulness. |
The analysis includes specific examples from the text as support; claims for credibility and usefulness are fully developed. |
The analysis includes examples from the text as support; claims for credibility and usefulness are adequately developed. |
The analysis includes some examples from the text, though they potentially vague or abstract; claims for credibility and usefulness are established but need further development. |
The analysis includes one or two examples from the text, but they are of a vague, abstract nature; claims for either credibility or usefulness are missing. |
The analysis includes little to no examples for support; there are no established claims for either credibility or usefulness. |
OrganizationExhibit competent organizational writing techniques. |
Presents all of the required components of a source evaluation essay, including an engaging introduction with background information and a clear thesis, a body paragraph or paragraphs addressing the source's credibility, a body paragraph or paragraphs addressing the source's usefulness, and a conclusion with a concluding statement. |
Presents all of the required components of a source evaluation essay, including an introduction with background information and a clear thesis, a body paragraph or paragraphs addressing the source's credibility, a body paragraph or paragraphs addressing the source's usefulness, and a conclusion with a concluding statement. |
Presents nearly all of the required components of a source evaluation essay; however, one component is missing. |
Presents most of the required components of a source evaluation essay, but is lacking two components; sequences ideas and paragraphs such that the connections between ideas (within and between paragraphs) are sometimes unclear and the reader may have difficulty following the progression of the essay. |
Lacks several or all of the components of a source evaluation essay; sequences ideas and paragraphs such that the connections between ideas (within and between paragraphs) are often unclear and the reader has difficulty following the progression of the essay. |
StyleEstablish a consistent, informative tone and make thoughtful stylistic choices. |
Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices, avoids redundancy and imprecise language, and uses a wide variety of sentence structures. |
Demonstrates effective word choices, primarily avoids redundancy and imprecise language, and uses a variety of sentence structures. |
Demonstrates generally effective style choices, but may include occasional redundancies, imprecise language, poor word choice, and/or repetitive sentence structures. |
Frequently includes poor word choices, redundancies, imprecise language, and/or repetitive sentence structures. |
Consistently demonstrates poor word choices, redundancies, imprecise language, and/or repetitive sentence structures. |
ConventionsFollow conventions for standard written English. |
There are only a few, if any, negligible errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. |
There are occasional minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. |
There are some significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. |
There are frequent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. |
There are consistent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. |
ReflectionAnswer reflection questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. |
Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses, following or exceeding response length guidelines. |
Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; includes multiple insights, observations, and/or examples, following response length guidelines. |
Primarily demonstrates thoughtful reflection, but some responses are lacking in detail or insight; primarily follows response length guidelines. |
Shows limited reflection; the majority of responses are lacking in detail or insight, with some questions left unanswered or falling short of response length guidelines. |
No reflection responses are present. |