Focus	Support	Organization	Integration	
6	•	Sets purpose of composition through thematic introduction, specific preview, or may be achieved inductively through the composition
•	Maintains position/logic throughout
•	Effective closing (may be restatement of points in the introduction)	•	All major points supported with specific detail; some may be developed with more detail than others (not balanced or even)
•	Development of depth clearly evident
•	Word choice enhances specificity
•	Voice is appropriate for topic, purpose, and audience	•	Structure is clear
•	Major points are appropriately paragraphed
•	Coherence and cohesion demonstrated with effective devices (e.g., transitions, pronouns, parallel structure, etc.)
•	Varied sentence structure produces cohesion	•	Fully developed for grade level
•	Clear and purposeful Focus; in-depth, balanced Support; lines of reasoning identified and developed coherently and cohesively throughout the composition	
5	•	Subject/position (or issue) clearly identified by an opening statement (may be general)
•	Maintains position/logic throughout
•	Has closing	•	Most major points developed by specific detail; a few may be general
•	Some development of depth
•	Word choice may enhance specificity
•	Voice is appropriate for topic, purpose, and audience	•	Structure is evident
•	Most major points are appropriately paragraphed
•	Coherence and cohesion demonstrated with most transitional devices appropriate; few transitional devices may be redundant
•	Some varied sentence structure produces cohesion
•	May have minor digressions	•	Developed for grade level
•	All features are not equally well-developed throughout the composition	
4	•	Writer may launch into topic without providing an opening statement
•	If previewed, composition develops only previewed points
•	Sufficient Support to maintain subject (cannot be a giant Focus)
•	May have minor Focus drift or lapses in logic (not really separate ideas – repetitious)
•	May lack closing or end abruptly	•	Some major points developed by specific detail (second-order ideas beyond major point)
•	Some Support may be general
•	May lack depth
•	Voice is present but not consistent	•	Structure is evident
•	Many major points are appropriately paragraphed
•	Some evidence of coherence (paragraph to paragraph) and cohesion (sentence to sentence), but may depend on formulaic structure
•	Transitions may be simplistic, but not intrusive
•	May include minor digressions	•	Bare-bones-developed composition for grade level
•	Simple, clear, presenting nothing more than the essentials
•	Limited depth	
3	•	Subject/position (or issue) may be prompt-dependent (rely on reader’s familiarity with prompt)
•	May have more than one position without a unifying umbrella statement
•	If previewed, develops fewer or more points than delineated in opening (over-promise or over-deliver)
•	Lacks sufficiency to demonstrate a developed Focus	•	Most Support may be general
•	May be list of related specifics with some extension(s)
•	Lacks sufficiency to demonstrate developed Support
•	Voice shifts or disappears	•	Noticeable structure but the reader may have to infer it
•	May have some inappropriate paragraphing
•	May include inappropriate transitions that disrupt progression of ideas (intrusive: “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “Lastly” used within paragraphs)
•	May include major digression
•	Lacks sufficiency to demonstrate developed Organization	•	Partially developed
•	Some (or one) of the features are not sufficiently formed, but all are present
•	Inference is usually required
•	May be insufficient	
2	•	Subject/position (or issue) limited or unclear
•	Unrelated ideas or major drift from Focus
•	Off-mode response NOT serving expository purpose
•	May be insufficient writing to determine that the subject/position (or issue) can be sustained	•	Support is undeveloped, limited, or unclear
•	May be list of unrelated specifics
•	May be insufficient writing to determine that Support can be maintained
•	No evidence of suitable voice	•	Structure is attempted; may be off-mode (NOT serving expository purpose)
•	Little evidence of appropriate paragraphing
•	Little structure within paragraphs (e.g., lacks purposeful ordering of sentences)
•	May be insufficient writing to determine that Organization can be sustained	•	Attempts to address assignment, but only rudiments of techniques for forming Focus,
•	Support, and Organization can be detected
•	Some confusion and/or disjointedness
•	Lacks appropriate expository structure
•	May be insufficient writing to determine that features can be maintained	
1	•	Subject/position (or issue) absent or confusing
•	Insufficient writing to show that criteria are met	•	Support is absent or confusing
•	Insufficient writing to show that criteria are met	•	Confusing; little or no attempt to structure
•	Little or no evidence of appropriate paragraphing
•	Insufficient writing to show that criteria are met	•	Does not fulfill the assignment; barely deals with the topic; or does not present most or all of the features
•	Insufficient writing to show that criteria are met	

	Conventions	
3	•	Strong knowledge of conventions is demonstrated
•	Standards of punctuation, capitalization. and spelling are consistently followed – may have minor lapses
•	May have minor errors in usage and sentence formation
•	A variety of sentence structures is evident	
2	•	Partial knowledge of conventions is evident
•	Severity and density of errors constitute a noticeable pattern
•	Little attempt at varying sentence structures	
1	•	Little or no discernable knowledge of conventions
•	Severity and density of errors is such that meaning is impaired
•	Sentence structure is simplistic or in error