A Glossary of Terms
The following list of terms and their definitions will help you to understand better the elements of the rubric .
Process – the writing process
Pre-writing refers to thoughtful reflection that leads to a topic for writing.
Composing is the act of creating sentences, paragraphs, essays, and other writings.
Revising is the task of reviewing your initial drafts for coherency, organization of ideas, and the plan of the paper as a whole.
Editing is the process of looking for and correcting errors.
Development – the building of ideas in a paper
Organization is the orderly arrangement of ideas in the paper. Patterns are the types of papers such as process analysis,
comparison/contrast, cause/effect analysis, etc. Modes are the functions the paper may serve: to inform, to entertain, to express, or
to persuade.
Sufficient paragraph development refers to the amount of information that you need to include to explain the main idea of the
paper for a specific audience.
Single discernible thesis is the one sentence, usually appearing in the introduction, which controls what you discuss in the whole
paper.
Topic sentences are the sentences that include the main idea of the paragraph. These ideas should be related to the main idea of
the whole paper found in the thesis sentence.
Appropriate audience is the intended reader(s) of a paper. Usually, this is a specific (rather than a general) group of related readers
who share common interests and experiences.
Usage – the use of appropriate or standard language elements
Spelling refers to the correct spelling of words according to the standards established in general use or by specific professional or
social groups.
Grammar refers to the use of accepted language rules of expression in the formation of phrases and sentences.
Punctuation is the markings – like periods, exclamation marks, and commas – that are used to express the separation of ideas,
emphasis, the joining of ideas, and the ending of ideas.
Vocabulary is the choice of words appropriate for discussing a subject for a specific audience.
Use of Information Resources
Appropriate citations identify whose ideas you are using.
Appropriate documentation identifies where the ideas you are using come from.
Incorporate information appropriate to the audience and subject refers to the careful selection of outside information to support
your discussion of a subject for an appropriate audience.
Credible sources are outside articles or other publications that are reliable and truthful.
Appropriate use of library-based resources refers to the sources of outside information that may have been assigned or which best
provide information useful to a discussion.
Analysis breaks a subject apart into its various components. Interpretation explains the meaning of ideas. Synthesis joins ideas from
various sources. Evaluation takes a position or makes a judgment about information.
Critical Thinking Writing Components
Accuracy refers to thoughts that are reasonable and supported by outside accepted authorities.
Precision refers to the clear and specific expression of a thought, economically—avoiding wordiness.
Relevance is the introduction of ideas that relate clearly to the topic sentence of the paragraph or thesis of the paper.
Depth refers to the level of development of ideas in paragraphs: primary development, words that explain the main idea; and
secondary development, words that explain the primary words or other secondary words in the paragraph.
Breadth refers to the range of information reflected in a paper.
Logic refers to the reasonableness of your conclusions in the argument(s) of your paper.
Significance refers to the value and/or the appropriateness of your subject or its discussions.
Fairness refers to the balance you have given in recognizing the various positions on the subject you are addressing.