Scoring Guideline: College 1st Year (General/Business-focued)
Score = 6
You have put together a convincing argument. Here are some of the strengths evident in your writing.
Your essay:* Looks at the topic from a number of angles and responds to all aspects of what you were asked to do* Responds thoughtfully and insightfully to the issues in the topic* Develops with a superior structure and apt reasons or examples (each one adding signiﬁcantly to the readerʼsunderstanding of your view)* Uses sentence styles and language that have impact and energy and keep the reader with you* Demonstrates that you know the mechanics of correct sentence structure, and American English usage̶virtually free oferrors

Score = 5
You have solid writing skills and something interesting to say.
Your essay:* Responds more eﬀectively to some parts of the topic or task than to other parts* Shows some depth and complexity in your thinking* Organizes and develops your ideas with reasons and examples that are appropriate* Uses the range of language and syntax available to you* Uses grammar, mechanics, or sentence structure with hardly any error

Score = 4
Your writing is good, but you need to know how to be more persuasive and more skillful at communicating your ideas.
Your essay:* Slights some parts of the task
* Treats the topic simplistically or repetitively* Is organized adequately, but you need more fully to support your position with discussion, reasons, or examples* Shows that you can say what you mean, but you could use language more precisely or vigorously* Demonstrates control in terms of grammar, usage, or sentence structure, but you may have some errors

Score = 3
Your writing is a mix of strengths and weaknesses. Working to improve your writing will deﬁnitely earn you more satisfactory
results because your writing shows promise. In one or more of the following areas, your essay needs improvement.
Your essay:* Neglects or misinterprets important parts of the topic or task
* Lacks focus or is simplistic or confused in interpretation* Is not organized or developed carefully from point to point* Provides examples without explanation, or generalizations without completely supporting them
* Uses mostly simple sentences or language that does not serve your meaning* Demonstrates errors in grammar, usage, or sentence structure

Score = 2
You have work to do to improve your writing skills. You probably have not addressed the topic or communicated your ideas
eﬀectively. Your writing may be diﬃcult to understand.
In one or more of the following areas, your essay:* Misunderstands the topic or neglects important parts of the task
* Does not coherently focus or communicate your ideas* Is organized very weakly or doesnʼt develop ideas enough* Generalizes and does not provide examples or support to make your points clear* Uses sentences and vocabulary without control, which sometimes confuses rather than clariﬁes your meaning* Contains too many errors in grammar, word usage, and sentence structure

Score = 1
You have much work to do in order to improve your writing skills. You are not writing with complete understanding of thetask, or you do not have much of a sense of what you need to do to write better. You need advice from a writing instructor
and lots of practice.
In one or more of the following areas, your essay:* Misunderstands the topic or doesnʼt show that you comprehend the task fully* Lacks focus, logic, or coherence* Is undeveloped--there is no elaboration of your position* Lacks support that is relevant* Shows poor choices in language, mechanics, usage, or sentence structure which make your writing confusing
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