Creative Writing Rubric: Criteria for Creative Writing – Prose
Special Award
Story Structure
Characterization
Ideas
Designing Organization
Specific Assignment
Directions
Blue
Red
White
Meaning/Content: the extent to which the assignment exhibits sound understanding/interpretation/analysis
Establishes strong
Establishes plot/setting/character/pt. of
Some elements of story structure; Few/no story structure elements present
plot/setting/character/pt. of view
view
little blending of dialogue and
narration
Develops complex characters through
Develops characters through dialogue,
Some character development
Characters are not developed
dialogue, narration and action
narration and action
Development: the extent to which ideas are elaborated, using specific and relevant evidence
Develops ideas clearly and fully; uses a Develops ideas clearly; uses relevant
Develops ideas briefly; uses
wide range of relevant details
details
some detail
Organization: the extent to which the assignment exhibits direction, shape, and coherence
Maintains a clear focus; exhibits a
Maintains a clear focus; exhibits a
Establishes but does not always
logical, coherent structure through
logical sequence of ideas through
maintain an appropriate focus;
appropriate transitions
appropriate transitions
some inconsistencies in
sequence of ideas
Exceeds all requirements specified for
Meets all requirements specified for this Meets some of the requirements
this assignment
assignment
specified for this assignment
Uses incomplete or undeveloped
details
Lacks an appropriate focus, but
suggests some organization
Meets few/no requirements specified for
this assignment
Description
Language Use: the extent to which the assignment reveals an awareness of audience and purpose
Creative, concrete language; uses
Assignment uses concrete language.
Some use of concrete language,
literary devices and rich sensory detail
literary devices and sensory detail
literary devices, and sensory
detail in assignment
Little use of concrete language, literary
devices or sensory detail in assignment
Word Choice
Uses sophisticated precise vocabulary
Effective word choices
Some effective word choices
Few effective word choices
Sentence Variety
Well-varied sentence structure
throughout
Unique voice; strong sense of audience
Good sentence structure and variety
Occasional use of sentence
variety
Some awareness of voice and
audience
Little sentence variety
Voice/Sense of
Audience
Evident awareness of voice and
audience
Mechanical/unsuitable voice; unaware
of aud.
Grammar/
Punctuation
Conventions: the extent to which the assignments exhibits conventional grammar/spelling/word usage
Smooth, fluid error-free
Mostly correct grammar; errors do not
Errors occasionally interfere with
punctuation/grammar
interfere with communication
communication; verb tense errors
Grammatical errors are awkward and
interfere with communication
Spelling and Word
Usage
Overall assignment
presentation
Correct spelling;
error-free word usage
MLA heading; unique title; professional
presentation
Misspelled and misused words
throughout
No heading/title; no attention to
presentation
Mostly correct spelling and word usage
Errors in spelling and word usage
MLA heading; appropriate title; neat
presentation
Incomplete heading; average
title/presentation
Creative Writing Rubric: Criteria for Creative Writing – Poetry
Special Award
Blue
Red
White
Organizatio
n and
Overall
Impact
The form of the poem is
appropriate to the subject. The
poem enables the reader to
see, hear, feel, or think about
the subject in a new way or in
a more potent way than ever
before.
The form of the poem is
appropriate to the subject.
The poem enables the reader
to see, hear, feel, or think
about the subject.
The form of the poem
should be more appropriate
to the subject. The poem
enables the reader to see,
hear, feel, or think about the
subject, but this is
accomplished through
clichés, un-original images,
or other predictable choices.
The form of the poem is not
appropriate to the subject. The
poem does not enable the reader
to see, hear, feel, or think about
the subject.
Elements
of Poetry
Sensory details and figurative
language create vivid images
that contribute significantly to
the meaning of the poem;
sound devices, such as rhyme,
alliteration, or onomatopoeia,
are used effectively and
contribute to the meaning of
the poem. Word choice is vivid
and exact throughout.
Sensory details and figurative
language contribute to the
meaning of the poem; sound
devices, such as rhyme,
alliteration, or onomatopoeia,
also add to the meaning of
the poem. Most word choices
are precise.
Sensory details and
figurative language may be
overused, under- used, or
inappropriate to the subject;
sound devices, such as
rhyme, alliteration, or
onomatopoeia, may be
overused or under-used, or
they may fail to add to the
meaning of the poem. Word
choices may be vague,
repetitive, or imprecise.
There is no use—or
consistently confusing or
inappropriate use— of sensory
details, figurative language, or
sound devices. Words may be
misused or unclear.
Grammar,
Usage,
Mechanics, and
Spelling
There are few or no errors in
mechanics, usage, grammar,
or spelling.
There are some errors in
mechanics, usage, grammar,
or spelling.
The poem is difficult to
understand at times because
of errors in mechanics,
usage, grammar, or spelling.
The poem is consistently
difficult to understand
because of errors in
mechanics, usage, grammar,
or spelling.
Presentation
There are few or no errors in
mechanics, usage, grammar,
or spelling.
There are some errors in
mechanics, usage, grammar,
or spelling.
The poem is difficult to
understand at times because
of errors in mechanics,
usage, grammar, or spelling.
The poem is consistently
difficult to understand
because of errors in
mechanics, usage, grammar,
or spelling.