Commercial Score Point 5 Score Point 4 Score Point 3 Score Point 2

Score Point 1
Rubric

Purpose -Has a clear and -Has a clear and -Has a clear -Topic may be -No position
focused position focused position position unclear. statement or
statement, which is statement, statement. -Weak position focus.
maintained throughout which is -Attempts to statement/focus is -No context.
the piece. maintained maintain focus unclear. -May be rambling,
-Appropriate to throughout the throughout. -May meander or long, or
audience. piece. -Establishes contain unfocused.
-Establishes -Appropriate to context. digressions.
background info. audience. -May have -Does not
(Context) for the -Establishes some -Give some mention
presentation of ideas.background digressions. advantages of advantages or
info. (Context) energy source. disadvantages of
-Addresses advantages for the -Gives many energy source.
and disadvantages of presentation of advantages of
energy source. ideas. energy source.

-Gives
advantages and
one
disadvantage of
energy source.

Organization -May present ideas in -Has a strong -May lack -Introduction -Shows little
unusual or surprising opening, effective and/or conclusion logical
patterns/format. convincing beginning or are weak. arrangement of
-Interesting ideas, body, and a ending. -May possess ideas.
expressed in an strong -Arranges ideas simple, -Too brief.
original way. conclusion. in simple ways, straightforward -No transitions.
-Arranges listing without organization.
arguments, relating them -Lacks transitions.
reasons, and/or to each other. -Weak coherence.
evidence -Weak
effectively and transitions.
persuasively.
-Uses effective
transitions in a
logical
sequence.
-Possesses
overall
coherence and
unity.

Voice/Tone -Language is selected -Language must -Uses -Language is -Language may

with careful attention be persuasive appropriate predictable and be inappropriate
to persuasive appeal. as well as language, but general rather or inexact.
-Writer shows convey may lack than precise.
confidence, conviction, conviction and precision. -Lacks conviction.
and enthusiasm. confidence. -Usually -Little sentence
-Uses precise conveys a variety.
language sense of
effectively and conviction.
purposefully.
-Is appropriate
for the
 anticipated
audience.
-Sentence
structure is
varied.

Details/Elaboratio -Presents unusually -Uses a range of -Some attempt -Little use of -Uses few or no
n perceptive strategies: at using persuasive supporting ideas.
arguments/reasons statistics, persuasive strategies. -Does not
with richly elaborated anecdotes, etc. strategies. -Reasons are recognize the
supporting details. -Relevant facts, -States thinly developed. counter-
-Argue effectively for convincing appropriate -Presents some arguments or the
position. arguments, and arguments or info, but lacks concerns of the
-Insightful in examples are reasons. elaboration. viewer
anticipating and used to -Provides some -May contain
addressing possible elaborate on the supporting irrelevant or
viewer concerns. position evidence for inappropriate
-Embeds prior statement. arguments or details or
knowledge, personal -Anticipates and reasons. examples.
experience, and/or refutes counter- -Assumes the -Does not identify
reflection into the arguments. viewer will find counter-
fabric of argument. the ideas arguments.
credible.
*Meets all criteria listed -Identifies
in score point 3. counter-
arguments, but
may not refute
them.

Presentation Smooth delivery that Fairly smooth Delivery not Delivery not
holds audience delivery that smooth, but smooth and
attention. holds audience able to audience attention
attention most maintain often lost.
of the time. interest of the
audience most
of the time.