Argumentative Essay Rubric: Master Writing Skills and Improve Grades

3 August 2023

last updated

A grading rubric is an essential tool that instructors use to assess the work of their students. Basically, an argumentative essay rubric is an example of this tool, whose purpose is to assess the degree to which students have aligned their essays to acceptable standards. In turn, these standards include organization, formatting, content quality, and thesis development. As such, the argumentative essay rubric differs from the rubric of other types of essays in that it assesses whether students have captured counter-arguments and refutations in their texts.

General Aspects of Argumentative Essay Grading Rubric

When students write academic texts, their instructors grade their work by assessing it against an established grading rubric. Therefore, an argumentative essay grading rubric is an assessment tool that instructors use to measure students’ performance. Ideally, the rubric, which takes the form of a table, has assessment criteria and grading criteria. In this case, the former appears as a row on the left, and the latter appears as an upper column. Moreover, the argumentative essay grading rubric differs from the rubric of other types of academic texts in that one of the assessment criteria is the content of the text. In the argumentative paper rubric, students are assessed by whether they have captured counter-arguments and refutations. Besides, no other essay assesses these details.

Argumentative essay rubric

Rubric for an Assessment of an Argumentative Essay

1. organization.

3 Points: The essay has a natural, logical, and compelling progression of ideas. The structure is clear and enhances the central idea and readability of the text. The text utilizes transitions gracefully throughout the paper.

2 Points: Overall, the paper has a natural, logical progression of ideas. The flow of ideas makes sense and enhances readability. There is evidence of strong transitions throughout the text.

1 Point: The essay has an awkward progression of ideas, yet the reader can read the text without much confusion. There is sporadic use of transitions in parts of the paper.

0 Points: There is an unclear and illogical arrangement of the text. There is evidence of a lack of direction. There is a loose or random use of ideas and details. The text lacks an identifiable internal essay structure , which complicates the flow of thought. The text has a few transitions that have been used loosely and randomly. Hence, the paper fails to meet the basic requirements of the argumentative essay rubric.

Score: ___ .

2. Formatting

3 Points: There is a well-developed sentence structure throughout the essay. There is a correct use of punctuation and capitalization.

2 Points: Overall, the sentence structure is correct. However, there is evidence of some awkward sentences in parts of the paper. There is also evidence of punctuation and capitalization errors.

1 Point: The essay is poorly structured and has notable grammatical errors. There is evidence of punctuation and capitalization errors.

0 Points: The paper has multiple incorrect sentence structures. There are plenty of punctuation and capitalization errors. Hence, this paper must be improved by considering the criteria of the argumentative essay rubric.

3 Points: The essay’s content is well-developed with three or more main arguments and supporting details. There is a counter-argument paragraph with at least two claims. There is a refutation paragraph(s) that acknowledges the counter-argument and summarizes the main arguments.

2 Points: The paper has three or more main arguments but without sufficient supporting details. There is a counter-argument paragraph. There is a refutation paragraph that acknowledges the counter-argument but does not summarize the main arguments.

1 Point: The essay has three or more main arguments that are not well-developed. There is a counter-argument with a vague claim. There is a refutation paragraph that does not acknowledge the counter-argument.

0 Points: The written work has less than three main arguments, which are not well-developed. There is neither a counter-argument nor a refutation paragraph. Hence, the work must be revised to follow the argumentative essay rubric.

3 Points: The essay has a clearly structured thesis statement . The introduction is well-developed and contextualizes the thesis.

2 Points: The paper has a clearly stated thesis. The introduction offers some background information that connects with the thesis.

1 Point: The text has a thesis, but the introduction offers no background information that helps to contextualize the thesis.

0 Points: The written piece has a vague thesis. The background information in the introduction seems random and does not relate to the stated thesis. Hence, the student needs to develop the thesis statement to cover the expectations of the argumentative essay rubric.

Final Score: ___ .

Grade Equivalent:

A = 10-12 points B = 9-7 points C = 5-6 points D = 3-4 points F = 0-2 points

Summing Up on Argumentative Essay Rubric

The argumentative essay grading rubric is a tool that instructors use to assess students’ work. Basically, the grading assesses students’ work in terms of organization, formatting, content, and thesis development. In turn, students should master the following tips about the argumentative paper grading rubric:

  • create an introduction that offers a background for the thesis;
  • observe correct formatting standards as per applicable formats, such as APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian;
  • utilize transitions to create a natural and logical progression of ideas.

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  4. Argumentative Essay Rubric

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  5. 001 Argumentative Essay Rubric ~ Thatsnotus

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  1. What is an Argument Essay

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COMMENTS

  1. PDF Argument Essay Grading Rubric

    Document available in alternative formats by contacting the Director of Access & Disabili ty Resources at 651.846.1547 or [email protected]. Saint Paul College is an Equal Opportunity employer and educator and a member of Minnesota State. Argument Essay Grading Rubric . Saint Paul College . Beginning. Developing Proficiency Mastery ...

  2. PDF Argumentative essay rubric

    Rubric for the Assessment of the Argumentative Essay Comments: Grade Equivalent: A= 13 - 15 points B= 10 - 12 points C = 7 - 9 points D = 4 - 6 points F = 3 or less Grade: ___________

  3. PDF AP® English Language

    Free-Response Question 1: Synthesis Essay Free-Response Question 2: Rhetorical Analysis Free-Response Question 3: Argument Essay Effective Fall 2019 AP English Language Scoring Rubric, Free-Response Question 1-3 | SG 1 Scoring Rubric for Question 1: Synthesis Essay 6 points Reporting Category Scoring Criteria Row A Thesis (0-1 points) 4.B

  4. PDF YALE COLLEGE ENGL 114: Grading Rubric

    Essay addresses the assignment and demonstrates effort to produce a complex argument. However, the essay is hindered by either a lack of nuance in the thesis or by structural, analytical, or stylistic problems in the execution of its ideas.

  5. PDF AP English Literature and Composition

    AP® English Literature Scoring Rubrics Free-Response Question 1: Poetry Analysis Free-Response Question 2: Prose Fiction Analysis Free-Response Question 3: Literary Argument Efective Fall 2019 © 2019 College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement, AP, AP Central, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of College Board.

  6. PDF 3 Argumentative Essay Rubric

    Argumentative Essay Rubric Categories & Criteria - each worth eleven points Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Thesis Written with a clear and outstanding ... college-level style. Attempts to use varied sentence length and structure, and is almost at a mature, college-level style. Overuses short or long sentences, has similar sentence structure

  7. AP Scoring Rubric for Argument Essay (6 points)

    AP Scoring Rubric for Argument Essay (6 points) Reporting Category Scoring Criteria Row A Thesis (0-1 points) 0 points For any of the following: • There is no defensible thesis. • The intended thesis only restates the prompt. • The intended thesis provides a summary of the issue with no apparent or coherent claim.

  8. AP United States Government and Politics Course

    Students cultivate their understanding of U.S. government and politics through analysis of data and text-based sources as they explore topics like constitutionalism, liberty and order, civic participation in a representative democracy, competing policy-making interests, and methods of political analysis. Course and Exam Description Download

  9. PDF AP English Language and Composition Scoring Guidelines

    9 − Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in development, or impressive in their control of language. 8 − Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively develop a position on the role, if any, that public libraries should serve in the ...

  10. PDF AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2015 SCORING GUIDELINES

    AP English Language and Composition Question 3: Argument (2015) is a free-response question that requires students to analyze how the author of a given passage constructs an argument. The question also asks students to develop their own argument based on evidence from the passage. The question is worth 9 points and has a suggested time of 40 minutes. The pdf file provides sample responses and ...

  11. Rubrics

    Rubrics take a variety of forms, from grids to checklists, and measure a range of writing tasks, from conceptual design to sentence-level considerations. As with any assessment tool, a rubric's effectiveness is entirely dependent upon its design and its deployment in the classroom. Whatever form rubrics take, the criteria for assessment must ...

  12. PDF AP® Comparative Government and Politics

    Scoring Rubric for Question 4: Argument Essay 5 points . Reporting Category Scoring Criteria. Row A Claim/Thesis (0-1 points) 5.A; 0 points: 1 point: ... AP Comparative Government and Politics Free-Response Question 4 Scoring Rubric, Effective Fall 2019 Author: College Board Subject:

  13. PDF AP United States Government and Politics 7 points Scoring Rubric for

    Scoring Rubric for 2020 Question 1: Argument Essay 7 points Reporting Category. Scoring Criteria Row A; Claim/Thesis (0-1 points) 5.A: 0 points: 1 point: ... AP United States Government and Politics Free-Response Question 4 Scoring Rubric, Effective Fall 2019 Author: College Board Subject:

  14. PDF AP® English Language and Composition

    Argument Essay 6 points Colin Powell, a four-star general and former United States secretary of state, wrote in his 1995 autobiography: "[W]e do not have the luxury of collecting information indefinitely.

  15. AP English Language and Composition

    Unit 1. You'll learn to identify and analyze the claims in a text and determine whether the writer backs up their assertions with reasoning and evidence. Skills you will practice may include: Identifying the purpose and intended audience of a text. Examining how evidence supports a claim. Developing paragraphs as part of an effective argument.

  16. PDF AP English Language and Composition Question 3: Argument (2019) Sample

    Question 3: Argument (2019) Sample Student Responses 1 The student responses in this packet were selected from the 2019 Reading and have been rescored using the new rubrics for 2020. Commentaries for each sample are provided in a separate document. ... While the Electoral College was created in the name of equality for smaller states, it is ...

  17. Can you grade essays better than an auto-grader?

    Whether an essay has a succinct thesis statement that is original, imaginative and sophisticated and that builds on existing scholarship. Whether an argument is developed with nuance and a respect for historical complexity. Whether the essay supports its argument with evidence. Whether the essay situates its arguments in an appropriate context.

  18. Argumentative Essay Rubric Examples

    4: Argument is stated clearly and developed with evidence over the course of the essay. 3: Argument is present but vague and only somewhat developed over the course of the essay. 2: Argument is ...

  19. English 104

    Read about the required argumentative essay assignment while getting familiar with the rules, APA standards, and grading rubric. Updated: 03/01/2023 Create an account

  20. Argumentative Essay Rubric: Master Writing Skills and Improve Grades

    Rubric for an Assessment of an Argumentative Essay. 1. Organization. 3 Points: The essay has a natural, logical, and compelling progression of ideas. The structure is clear and enhances the central idea and readability of the text. The text utilizes transitions gracefully throughout the paper.

  21. PDF Skyline College Composition Essay Rubric

    the essay but is formulaic . The essay is loosely unified around one clear argument but there are gaps. The sequence of ideas and transitions are effective. Introduction engages and orients the reader; body paragraphs are focused and cohesive; topic sentences are strong; conclusion illuminates the central idea and explores

  22. PDF AP Goverment Argument Essay Rubric (2019)

    POINTS: This rubric is based on guidelines found in the 2019 AP US Government and Politics Course and Exam Description. For more materials, visit tomrichey.net.

  23. Argument Essay Rubric Teaching Resources

    Argument Essay Rubric and Score Card. Created by. Meghan McArdle. This rubric is aligned with the College and Career Readiness/ Common Core State Standards-- specifically for 7th grade writing. This is not a fast-paced grading rubric; instead, it should follow deep-level instruction in each of the areas it assesses.

  24. Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for College Students

    An easy way to pick a topic for an argument essay is to take a strong statement and argue for or against it. Here are some sample statements from college students that you can argue for or against: Divorce destroys family life. There shouldn't be a minimum age to drive a car. God is undoubtedly real. A college education is worth the cost.