Rubric for Evaluating Literary Analysis Essays

Content/Ideas

Organization

Style

Mechanics

Excellent (A)

Completed all assigned tasks

Insightful analysis of the book
Rich in thought and detail
Fresh and original concepts
Fully developed
Tightly focused thesis
Strong assertion in the thesis
Lucid throughout
Clear understanding of literary
terms and conventions

Effective overall design

Coherent and unified paragraphs
Clear and varied transitions
Effective opening and closing
Quotations are contextualized and
well-integrated into the discussion
Never strays off topic

Good title
Has a consistent and strong voice
Impressive sentence variety
Effective word choice
Skillful use of language
Shows a sense of audience and
purpose
Uses proper MLA format

No major errors
Few or no minor errors
Clear control of syntax,
punctuation, usage, etc.

Good (B)

Completed all assigned tasks,

but perhaps with less originality
or thoroughness
Logical/Insightful
Clear thesis
Follows literary conventions
Clear understanding of literary
terms
Well-developed

Effective overall design

Coherent and unified paragraphs
Transitions less varied and
perhaps unclear
A sense of beginning and ending
Never or very rarely strays off
topic
Quotations are contextualized but
perhaps not fully integrated into
the overall discussion

Functional title
Has a consistent voice
Substantial sentence variety
Competent word choice
Uses proper MLA format with
perhaps only a few minor errors

Perhaps one major error

A few minor errors
Rare lapses in syntax,
punctuation, usage, etc.

Average (C)

Main tasks completed

Occasional gaps in logic or
clarity
Underdeveloped in minor ways
Unclear focus
Generalizes about
readers/topics
Does not use sufficient
evidence from the text

Functional overall design

Mostly coherent paragraphs
Awkward and/or occasionally
missing transitions
Weak beginning or ending
Quotes and examples are included
but not contextualized

Generic title
Inconsistent and/or weak voice
Some sentence variety
Ordinary and/or occasionally
incorrect word choice
Uses proper MLA format but with
some significant errors

One or two serious errors

More than a few minor errors
Some lapses in syntax,
punctuation, usage, etc.

Poor (D or
below)

One or more tasks neglected or

mismanaged
Misreading of the text or
misunderstanding of literary
terms
Logic flawed
Little use of detail
Little original thought
Confusing and/or significantly
underdeveloped

Very little attention paid to the

organization of the paper
Paragraphs are not coherent
Poor or absent transitions
Incomplete or absent beginning or
ending
No quotes or textual examples (or
very few)

Missing title
Almost no sense of personal voice
Limited vocabulary
Misuse of or confusion of words
Very little sentence variety or
sophistication
Makes little or no attempt to use
MLA format

Repeated serious errors

Minor errors so frequent that
they impede reading
Frequent lapses in syntax,
punctuation, usage, etc.