Persuasive Essay Rubric
Criteria	4	3	2	1
The claim	I make a claim and explain why it is controversial.	I make a claim but don't explain why it is controversial.	My claim is buried, confused and/or unclear.	I don't say what my argument or claim is.
Reasons in support of the claim	I give clear and accurate reasons in support of my claim.	I give reasons in support of my claim but I may overlook important reasons.	I give 1 or 2 weak reasons that don't support my claim and/or irrelevant or confusing reasons.	I do not give convincing reasons in support of my claim.
Reasons against the claim	I discuss the reasons against my claim and explain why it is valid anyway.	I discuss the reasons against my claim but leave some reasons out and/or don't explain why the claim still stands.	I say that there are reasons against the claim but I don't discuss them.	I do not acknowledge or discuss the reasons against the claim.
Organization	My writing has a compelling opening, an informative middle and a satisfying conclusion.	My writing has a beginning, middle and end. It marches along but doesn't dance.	My writing is organized but sometimes gets off topic.	My writing is aimless and disorganized.
Voice and tone	It sounds like I care about my argument. I show how I think and feel about it.	My tone is OK but my paper could have been written by anyone. I need to tell more about how I think and feel.	My writing is bland or pretentious. There is either no hint of a real person in it or it sounds like I'm a fake.	My writing is too formal or too informal. It sounds like I don't like the topic of the essay.
Word choice	The words I use are striking but natural, varied and vivid.	I make routine word choices.	The words I use are often dull or uninspired or sound like I am trying too hard to impress.	I use the same words over and over and over and over. Some words may be confusing to a reader.
Sentence fluency	My sentences are clear, complete, and of varying lengths.	I have well-constructed sentences.	My sentences are sometimes awkward, and/or contain run-ons and fragments.	Many run-ons, fragments and awkward phrasings make my essay hard to read.
Conventions	I use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.	I generally use correct conventions. I have a couple of errors I should fix.	I have enough errors in my essay to distract a reader.	Numerous errors make my paper hard to read.