Six Trait Model Rubric for Academic Writing

Assessment

The Six Trait Model of Writing Instruction and Assessment breaks down the complex task of learning to write into a group of teachable and assessable skills. Easy-to-understand, practical, and adaptable vocabulary is utilized as students across all grade levels engage in the various models and genres of writing. This model provides a framework that values the writing process. In addition, the use of literature helps illustrate specific traits, provides stimulus for writing, and promotes the connection between reading and writing.

Category	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Ideas	The author's main point is not understood (or may contain contradictions), demonstrates no understanding of the subject matter, is not original, and includes few if any examples or explanations that support an argument	The author's main point is somewhat vague, demonstrates little understanding of the subject matter, is not original, and includes few examples and explanations needed to support an argument	The author's main point is somewhat understandable, demonstrates some understanding of the subject matter, is somewhat original, and includes the minimum set of examples and explanations needed in order to support an argument	The author's main point is easily understood, demonstrates a clear understanding of the subject matter, is original, and is supported by enough examples and explanations to support a sound argument
Organization	The author's work includes a series of claims that are not logical and/or do not support of the main idea, thesis, or research questions.	The author's work includes a series of claims that are hardly logical and tend to not support the main idea, thesis, or research questions.	The author's work includes a series of claims that are somewhat logical (i.e., at times includes distractions) in support of the main idea, thesis, or research questions.	The author's work includes a series of claims that logically flow in support of the main idea, thesis, or research questions.
Voice	The author's tone and style are completely inappropriate	The author at times demonstrates inappropriate tone and style	The author lacks either appropriate tone or appropriate style	The author demonstrates appropriate tone and style
Word Choice	The author's point of view is not clear at all and ideas are repetitive	The author's point of view is vague and tends to repeat ideas throughout the text	The author's point of view is somewhat clear and for the most part avoids redundancy	The author has a clear point of view and avoids redundancy
Sentence Fluency	The author at relies entirely too much on simple, compound, and/or complex sentences or too many over-extended and/or run-on sentences, has virtually no transitional words, linking-sentences in paragraphs, or repeat ideas.	The author at relies too much on simple, compound, and/or complex sentences or has over-extended and/or run-on sentences, has few transitional words, linking-sentences in paragraphs, or tends to repeat ideas.	The author at times relies too much on simple, compound, and/or complex sentences or may have over-extended and/or run-on sentences, may need more transitional words, linking-sentences in paragraphs, or may repeat ideas	The author uses a combination of simple, compound, and complex sentences (and avoids over-extended and run-on sentences); a variety of transitional words, linking-sentences in paragraphs, and avoids redundancy
Conventions	The author ignores writing conventions entirely (i.e., spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, paragraphing, and APA style)	The author has many errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, paragraphing, and APA style	The author has some errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, paragraphing, and APA style	The author has minimal errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, paragraphing, and APA style

If the student gets:	The grade should be:
No more than 10% of scores lower than a 3, with at least 40% 4s	90%-100%
No more than 30% of scores lower than a 3, with at least 10% 4s	80%-89%
No more than 10% of scores lower than a 2, with at least 20% 3s	70%-79%
No more than 30% of scores lower than a 2, with at least 10% 3s	60%-69%
Anything lower than this	<60%

• Six facets of understanding: 1) explain (i.e., describe, teach, etc.), 2) interpret, 3) apply (i.e, create, construct, etc.), 4) perspective, 5) empathy, and 6) self-knowledge (e.g., self-assess).