RUBRIC FOR LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYS

Critical
Thinking Student has gone Standards Met Standards Almost Standards Attempted
Standards Beyond the Met but areas of but not met
Expectations of the inaccuracy evident
Standards
Accuracy Paragraphs are completely Paragraphs are accurate Paragraphs are accurate Paragraphs have
(Content/Grammar) accurate. It is evident that and contains very few though there may be inaccuracies that
3rd Person, Present the novel/rules of grammar inaccuracies (grammar or inaccuracies that demonstrate the student
Tense are fully understood. All otherwise) that do not demonstrate student does not understand the
Punctuation components of the detract from overall does not fully understand character, plot or rules of
TS and CS on topic paragraph are true and are quality of paper. the novel. Contractions, grammar. TS/CS only plot
Information stated validated. Present Tense. Mostly all present tense. use of 1st person. Past summary. Use of 2nd
about topic tense. person. Inconsistent tense.

Clarity Introduction is clear. Introduction is clear, with Introduction has almost Introduction fails to include
(Introduction) Throughout introduction, all key components all necessary almost all necessary
TAG Included word choice is powerful though some of these components, but thematic components so its
Thematic Statement and It would make sense components may be choice doesn’t flow with connection to essay is
Incl. Subject, even to someone who had clearer than others. essay or introduction is difficult to understand.
Assertion, Reason not read the book. Better word choice could lacking in one area. Thesis is incomplete or
Plot Summary have been used. non-existent.
Thesis
Depth The commentary explores The commentary The commentary The commentary is
(Commentary) all (or most all) of the explores complexities of attempts to explore the superficial and lacks the
complexities of the prompt the prompt, though some complexities of the exploration of the
Quality of word in great depth. Thesis is in more depth than prompt, though most are complexities of the prompt.
choice included in validated. Excellent choice others. CM validates not discussed in depth. (Only one thing is revealed
TS/CS of CM words as they are aspects of thesis. Word support . CM word about the character).
Validation of Thesis very precise. choice good, not precise. choice is vague. CM is repetitive.

Relevance The concrete details are
(Concrete Details) completely relevant for all
CDs in the paragraph. At
Minimum of 2 CDs least two per paragraph;
used per paragraph; one quotation per
paragraph.
The concrete details are
mostly relevant; yet there
may have been a better
example for one of the
CDs. Only 1 direct
quotation.
The examples have some The concrete details have
relevance, though little relevance to the
stronger CDs should commentary that can be
have been used or better determined or are not
supported with CM. No supported with CM.
direct quotations.

Clarity Lead-ins explain what was
(Lead-Ins) happening and powerful
nouns and verbs are used.
Lead-ins explain what
was happening, though
more powerful
nouns/verbs could have
been used.
Lead-ins may explain Lead-ins are non-existent or
what was happening, but do not accurately explain
only superficially. There what was happening in the
are key aspects of scene story at time the CD took
omitted. place.