Opinion Essay - Rubrics & Descriptors

Criteria for Evaluation

Part 1 – Introduction

Attention Grabber General/Background Thesis Statement Total

0.5 pt. Information 1 pt. 2 pts.
0.5 pt.

Part 2 - Body Paragraph Rubric

Topic Sentence Supporting Total

1 pt. Sentences 3 pts.
2 pts.

Part 3 – Conclusion Rubric

Concluding Sentence Supporting Sentence Total

1 pt. 1 pt. 2 pts.

Introduction Descriptors

Categories/Scores 0.5 0
Attention Grabber There is a complete sentence that is interesting and There is no a complete sentence that makes the reader keep
makes the reader keep reading or know more about the reading or know more about the topic.
topic. It is a question, or an anecdote or an interesting
fact/statistics or a quote from a famous/recognized
person
0.5 0
 General/Background There is a complete general sentence that is related to There is no sentence related to the topic given. There is a
Information the topic given. There is no definition of a concept/word. complete sentence that defines the concept/word of the
It perfectly links the Attention Grabber to the Thesis subject-matter.
Statement.
Thesis Statement 1 0.5 0
It answers the question given. It expresses the opinion of It answers the question given. It does not answer the
the author in a clearly and strong way. It expresses the author’s question given.
opinion but it is not strong
enough.

Body Paragraph Descriptors

Categories/Scores 1 0.5 0
Topic Sentence There is a complete sentence that There is a complete sentence that answers There is a complete sentence that does
answers the question by stating the the question given by giving the author’s not answer the question given or does not
author’s opinion in a similar way to opinion, but it is the same as the Thesis state the author’s opinion.
the one of the Thesis Statement. Statement.
Supporting Sentences 2 1 0
There are three complete sentences There are three complete sentences that There are complete sentences that do not
that support the position stated in the are related to the Topic Sentence, but they support the Topic Sentence.
Topic Sentence. They have their are not very well supported. They need
corresponding justification: examples, more justification. An example or an
explanations, details. explanation or a detail is missing.

Conclusion Descriptors

Categories/Scores 1 0.5 0
Concluding Sentence There is a complete sentence that There is a complete sentence that states There is a complete sentence that does
states the author’s opinion by the author’s opinion by answering the not state the author’s opinion or it does
answering the question given with question given, but it is identical to the not answer the question given or there is
different words. It is similar to the Thesis Statement or to the Topic no a complete sentence.
Thesis Statement and the Topic Sentence.
Sentence.
Supporting Sentence 1 0.5 0
There is a complete sentence that There is a complete sentence that There is no sentence or there is a
expresses a recommendation or a call expresses a repeated idea from the complete sentence that expresses a new
for action to the reader. Introduction or Body. idea.