English 1 Final Portfolio Scoring Rubric

English 1 portfolios are read holistically, allowing the essays they include to provide an overall sense of the writer's skills and weaknesses. One paper may be stronger than another, for example, and may thus demonstrate an ability to plan, research, develop ideas, write, revise, or edit that is less well demonstrated in the other essay (especially in the case of the longer research paper). While we would like students to achieve the same degree of proficiency in all papers, we are most concerned with whether they can apply the skills they have learned in English 1 the majority of the time. The one exception to this rule is the correct incorporation, use, and citation of sources, which must be demonstrated at all times.

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5: An Exceptional Portfolio

Content, organization, use of sources, and grammar all work together to produce engaging, insightful, informative essays that have something meaningful to say and say it well. Any necessary revisions would be cosmetic (occasional misspellings, comma splices, run-ons, etc; occasional weak transitions or unfocused paragraphs; occasional absent or awkward framing of cited material). A holistic reading of a level 5 portfolio provides a clear sense of the writer's overall skills, including the ability to determine appropriate rhetorical strategies, organizational structures, and sources for a college-level paper; develop effective arguments, comparisons, and analyses using appropriate evidence to support claims; summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize sources; balance sources and create a dialogue between them through the structure of the paper and careful framing of source material; write tight, well focused paragraphs; and edit carefully.

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4: A Portfolio that is Almost as Good as it Could Be

Interesting and generally well-presented essays that reveal some imbalance in content, structure, or grammar and require further revision to enhance either their readability or their argument. A holistic reading of a level 4 portfolio provides a sense that the writer is generally but not always entirely able to determine appropriate rhetorical strategies, organizational structures, and sources for a college-level paper; develop effective arguments, analyses, andcomparisons using appropriate evidence to support claims; summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize sources; balance sources and create a dialogue between them through the structure of the paper and careful framing of source material; write tight, well focused paragraphs; and edit carefully. One or both essays also demonstrate weakness in one or more of these areas sufficient to compromise the overall integrity of the work.

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3: A Portfolio That is Adequate

Essays that fulfill the requirements of their respective assignments, but that do not go beyond them in content or that demonstrate patterns of error that could only be corrected with significant revision and possibly additional explanation or supplemental instruction. A holistic reading of a level 3 portfolio provides a sense that the writer issometimes able to demonstrate the writing skills generally seen in a level 4 or 5 portfolio, and is generally a proficient college-level writer; however, the papers may not be fully developed or the claims not fully supported. There may be a sense that the author of the papers did not engage intellectually with the topic, fully explore the topic, or completely understand some of the sources or issues raised by the topic. Alternatively, the papers may be more fully developed, but demonstrate significant patterns of error (in appropriateness of source selection, grammar, mechanics, structural features, originality of word use, or logic). While source material must be cited, and it must be reasonably clear where source material begin, the framing of that material may be awkward and sometimes absent, and the author may have depended too heavily on too few sources. There may be minor errors on the works cited page, but not sufficient for concern.

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2: An Ineffectual Portfolio

Essays containing unfocussed, digressive, and confusing arguments that lack adequate support and/or contain serious patterns of error that distract the reader or prevent clear comprehension of what the author is trying to communicate. A holistic reading of a level 2 portfolio raises serious concerns in the areas of content, structure, grammar, or source selection. The framing of source material may be awkward or largely absent and there may be errors on the works cited page (although not sufficient to raise suspicion of plagiarism), and the author may have depended too heavily on too few sources. One or both papers may write around the assignment or thesis or seriously fail to support claims. Both papers need serious revision and the student may need supplemental instruction.

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1: A Portfolio that Demonstrates Minimal Effort and/or Execution

Portfolios that demonstrate a strong sense of incompleteness and inappropriateness. Content/ organization/ grammar/ use of sources all lacking. Submissions read more like rough to very rough drafts and not a finished, polished product.

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0: An Unacceptable Portfolio

Portfolios that gravely misuse sources and/or do not remotely fulfill the assignments.