College Prep Ethnic Studies

The Writing Rubric

The Aim Response, our weekly writing task, is scored out of 10. You get 8 points for “doing the things.” The last two points are for how much your argument builds—the quality of your analysis and development.

Eight points for doing it

Requirement	What counts	Check	Points
Words of the Day	All four, each inside a sentence. Any word from the root counts.	□ □ □ □½ each	2
Appositives	Two. Each is a noun phrase between commas that renames the noun before it.	□ □1 each	2
Quotes	Two. Each is copied exactly, in quotation marks, with its page number: (Alexie 14) or (Syllabus 16).	□ □1 each	2
Explanation and Analysis	After each quote, a sentence on what it says and a sentence on what it shows.	□ □1 per quote	2

Two points for how much it builds

Requirement	0 points	1 point	2 points
DevelopmentHow much does your argument build? Scored against you. Half points exist.	It does not build. The pieces are there, but each sentence stands alone.	It builds in places. Some sentences push the answer forward, and some only fill a slot.	It builds all the way. Every sentence pushes the answer forward, from the first to the last.

Compare the same evidence earning 0, 1, or 2 Development points →

The Development Toolkit

Basics

contrast, result, reason

BUT adds a contrast.
It rained, but we went inside.

SO shows a result.
It rained, so we ran inside.

BECAUSE gives a reason.
We ran inside because it rained.

Conditionals

three versions of if

IF names a condition.
If it rains, we run inside.

UNLESS means if not.
Unless it rains, we stay outside.

WHEN means if with expectation.
When it rains, we run inside.

Fancy Buts

three versions of but

DESPITE takes a noun phrase.
Despite the rain, we kept our plans.

ALTHOUGH takes a subject and a verb.
Although it rained, we stayed outside.

HOWEVER starts a new sentence.
It rained. However, we ran inside.

Use your sentence-expanders to earn your 2 Development Points.