Expressive Writing Rubric—High School

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Clarity Innovations

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Ideas: Self-Expression	I use writing to thoughtfully and carefully share my personal experiences, opinions, and feelings through a variety of formats such as letters, notes, e-mail, personal essays, blogs, and a personal Web site.	I use writing to share my experiences and feelings in several formats.	Sometimes, I use writing to share my experiences and feelings.	I rarely use writing to share my experiences and feelings with others.
Ideas: Self-Analysis	I use writing to analyze and evaluate my learning, set goals, and accurately describe complex feelings.	I use writing to reflect on my learning, set goals, and describe feelings.	I sometimes use writing to reflect on my learning and describe feelings.	I rarely use writing to reflect on my learning or describe feelings.
Ideas: Exploration	I often, on my own and in school, use writing to generate and explore information, feelings, and ideas.	I use writing to generate and explore information, feelings, and ideas.	Sometimes, with help, I use writing to generate and explore information, feelings, and ideas.	I rarely use writing to generate and explore information, feelings, and ideas.
Organization for an Audience: Title	My writing has an engaging, powerful title that provides a clue to the meaning of the writing and captures the attention of potential readers.	My title clearly describes the topic of the writing.	My title attempts to describe the topic of the writing.	If I have a title, it does not accurately describe the topic of the writing.
Organization for an Audience: Transitions	I use a variety of words, phrases, and structures to connect ideas so they flow in a natural and logical way and build on each other. My writing flows at a pace appropriate for the audience and the topic, elaborating when appropriate.	I use transitions to connect ideas so they flow together. The pace of my writing is appropriate.	I attempt to connect ideas with transitions. The flow of my writing is sometimes awkward. Some parts may be too detailed and others may be too sketchy.	I do not connect my ideas with transitions. My writing rarely flows smoothly. It is often too detailed or too sketchy.
Organization for an Audience: Paragraphs	My paragraphing provides structure and enhances meaning for the reader.	My paragraphs facilitate understanding.	My paragraphs sometimes detract from the meaning of the writing.	Excessive paragraphing, or the lack of it, detracts from the meaning of the writing.
Organization: Format	I choose a format that is appropriate for the topic and the audience, and I follow its conventions effectively to communicate what I want to say.	I choose an appropriate format in which to share my thoughts.	With help, I can choose an appropriate format to share my thoughts.	I always use the same format to share my thoughts.
Voice: Honesty	I write truthfully and sincerely, expressing my thoughts about a topic or idea I think is important and meaningful.	I write honestly about ideas I think are important.	I try to write honestly about ideas I think are important, but parts of my writing may sound like I am just doing an assignment.	My writing sounds like I am just doing an assignment or saying what I think readers want to hear.
Voice: Rhythm	My writing has a cadence and rhythm that give it a natural sound when read out loud.	My writing sounds natural when read out loud.	Parts of my writing may sound natural when read out loud, but other parts sound choppy and awkward.	My writing sounds choppy and awkward when read out loud.
Voice: Concrete Details	I select appropriate details from my personal life to add interest and support to the ideas I am writing about.	I use personal details appropriately to enhance my writing.	I try to use personal details to enhance my writing, but often the details are inappropriate or irrelevant.	The personal details I use to enhance my writing are usually inappropriate or irrelevant.
Word Choice	The words I use are precise, specific, and accurate. I use powerful and interesting words and phrases to engage readers by creating memorable pictures in their minds.	The words I use are accurate. I use interesting words to engage readers.	The words I use are sometimes vague, general, and not descriptive. I sometimes use predictable, uninteresting language.	The words I use are usually vague, general, and not descriptive. I usually use predictable, uninteresting language.
Sentence Variety	My sentences vary in length and structure to enhance meaning. My sentence beginnings are varied and interesting.	My sentences are generally varied in length and structure. My sentence beginnings are often varied.	The length and structure of my sentences vary somewhat. I attempt to vary sentence beginning structures, but some are repeated.	The length and structure of my sentences vary little. I vary my sentence beginnings very little.
Sentence Fragments	I use sentence fragments appropriately to enhance interest and meaning.	I use sentence fragments effectively.	I try to use sentence fragments effectively, but sometimes they are confusing.	When I use sentence fragments, they usually confuse the reader.
Conventions	I have no errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. I use Standard English throughout the writing.	My spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are mostly correct, and no errors detract from meaning. I use Standard English throughout the writing.	I make some errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization that make my writing harder to understand. I occasionally use non-Standard English in inappropriate ways that detract from the meaning.	I make errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization that make my writing very difficult to understand. I use non-Standard English in ways that often detract from the meaning.
Conventions: Flexibility	I successfully manipulate conventions of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and Standard English, when appropriate, to enhance meaning and style.	I sometimes successfully manipulate conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and Standard English.	Sometimes, I try to manipulate conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and Standard English, but my attempts often confuse readers.	I rarely try to manipulate conventions, and when I do, my attempt takes away from the meaning of my writing.
Conventions: Personal Writing	If my writing is just for learning or just for me to read, my spelling, punctuation, and capitalization do not keep me from understanding what I wrote.	If my writing is just for learning or just for me to read, my spelling, punctuation, and capitalization rarely keeps me from understanding what I wrote.	If my writing is just for learning or just for me to read, I sometimes make errors and I cannot understand what I wrote.	If my writing is just for learning or just for me to read, I often make so many errors that I cannot understand what I wrote.