8/10/2019 Investigation Rubric

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Big HistoryInvestigation Writing Rubric

Description Exceptional Skilled Proficient Developing Inadequate15 Points 12 Points 8 Points 5 Points 0 Points

Focus:The text focuses on theinvestigation questionand informs the readerwith ideas, concepts,and information tosupport the question

The text clearly focuseson the investigationquestion and informsthe reader with ideas,concepts, andinformation to supportthe question

The text frequentlyfocuses on theinvestigation questionand informs the readerwith ideas, concepts,and information tosupport the question

The text sometimesfocuses on theinvestigation questionand informs the readerwith ideas, concepts,and information tosupport the question

The text rarely focuseson the investigationquestion and informsthe reader with ideas,concepts, andinformation to supportthe question

The text does not focuson the investigationquestion and does notinform the reader withideas, concepts, andinformation to supportthe question

Development:The text presentsrelevant facts,definitions, concretedetails, quotations, andexamples. Theconclusion ties to and

supports theinvestigation question

The text providessignificant facts,definitions, concretedetails and quotationsthat fully develop andexplain theinvestigation and

examples. Theconclusion providesinsight to theimplications, explainsthe significance of thequestion, and projectsto the future.

The text provideseffective facts,definitions, concretedetails, quotations, andexamples thatsufficiently develop andexplain the

investigation question.The conclusionprovides theimplications,significance of andfuture relevance of thequestions, etc.

The text providesrelevant facts,definitions, concretedetails and quotationsthat develop and explainthe investigationquestion. The conclusion

ties to and supports theinformation/explanation.

The text provides somefacts, definitions,details, quotations andexamples that attemptto develop and explainthe investigationquestion. The

conclusion merelyrestates thedevelopment.

The text containslimited facts andexamples related to thetopic. The text may failto offer a conclusion.

Audience:The author anticipatesthe audiencesbackground knowledgeof the investigationquestion.

The text consistently addresses theaudiences knowledgelevel and concernsabout the investigationquestion. The textaddresses the specificneeds of the audience.

The text anticipatesthe audiencesknowledge level andconcerns about theinvestigation question.The text addresses thespecific needs of theaudience.

The text considers theaudiences knowledgelevel and concerns aboutthe investigationquestion. The textaddresses the needs ofthe audience.

The text illustrates aninconsistent awarenessof the audiencesknowledge level andneeds.

The text lacks awareness of theaudiences knowledgelevel and needs.

Cohesion:The text usesappropriate and variedtransitions to link themajor sections of thetext.

The text strategicallyuses words, phrases,and clauses to link themajor sections of text.The text explains therelationship betweenthe investigationquestion and theexamples and/or facts.

The text skillfully useswords, phrases, andclauses to link themajor sections of text.The text identifies therelationship betweeninvestigation questionand the examplesand/or facts.

The text uses words,phrases, and clauses tolink the major sections oftext. The text connectsthe investigationquestion and theexamples and/or facts.

The text containslimited words, phrases,and clauses to link themajor sections of text.The text attempts toconnect theinvestigation questionand the examplesand/or facts.

The text contains few,if any, words, phrases,and clauses to link themajor sections of text.The text does notconnect to theinvestigation questionand the examplesand/or facts.

8/10/2019 Investigation Rubric

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Language and Style:The text presents aformal, objective toneand uses preciselanguage andvocabulary specific tothe investigationquestion to manage the

complexity of thequestion.

The text presents anengaging , formal, andobjective tone and usessophisticated languageand vocabulary specificto the investigationquestion to manage thecomplexity of the

question.

The text presents anappropriate formal,objective tone and usesrelevant language andvocabulary specific tothe investigationquestion to manage thecomplexity of the

question.

The text presents aformal, objective toneand uses preciselanguage and vocabularyspecific to theinvestigation question tomanage the complexityof the question.

The text illustrates alimited awareness offormal tone and usessophisticated languageand vocabulary specificto the investigationquestion.

The text illustrates ainconsistent tone andawareness ofvocabulary specific tothe investigationquestion.

Conventions:The text demonstratesstandard Englishconventions of usageand mechanics alongwith discipline-specificrequirements.

The text intentionally uses standard Englishconventions of usageand mechanics alongwith discipline-specificrequirements.

The text uses standardEnglish conventions ofusage and mechanicsalong with discipline-specific requirements.

The text demonstratesstandard Englishconventions of usageand mechanics alongwith discipline-specificrequirements.

The text demonstratessome accuracy instandard Englishconventions of usageand mechanics.

The text containsmultiple inaccuracies in Standard Englishconventions of usageand mechanics.

10 Points 8 points 5 points 3 points 0 pointsCitations:

The author uses at leastfive sources in theirresearch. At least threeof them must besources from BigHistory and at least twoof them must beoutside sources.

The text includes at

least five properly citedsources. Three of themare Big History sourcesand two of them areoutside sources.

The text includes at

least four properlycited sources.

The text includes at least

three properly citedsources.

The text includes at

least two properly citedsources.

The text includes 0-1

sources or the sourcesthat are provided arenot properly cited.