Feedback Rubrics by Eduflow

A booklet by

Foreword by Starr Sackstein ––––––– Effective feedback is essential in the learning process and the teacher shouldn’t be the only one capable of giving it. Students must be

empowered to be a part of this process. Educators can facilitate a shift to peer to peer feedback by modeling what standards aligned, specific actionable feedback looks like. Giving students the vocabulary to

internalize the specifics they are looking for, providing exemplars for them to glean their baseline understanding from and offering lots of practice grows students into expert feedback providers.

The language of feedback must be infused in everything we do in the classroom and as we develop success criteria with students, how

better to involve them in that process for deeper learning than to

embed the experience in everything they do. First, in understanding

the standards, what they look like, and how they apply and then how

to offer strategies and positive articulation of learning on their peer’s work. Then offering opportunities for students to learn to identify areas of growth based on what is happening in the assignments

feedback is being given in. Additionally, students need time to learn to reflect and receive feedback to be able to implement it meaningfully.

The more time students are encouraged to review each other’s work and share ideas and feedback, the better they get at receiving it 1

because they understand the intention they are putting into the work they do. Empowering students in this way, allows them to become more independent and involved in the learning process. They take

ownership of what growth occurs in the process and this is what we must foster in order to ensure optimal student learning.

Starr Sackstein is a Nationally Board Certified English teacher who has made it her mission to transform traditional

assessment practices. Between her TedxTalk on her journey to throw out grades and her books on the same topic, Sackstein

tries to help teachers all over the world #HackAssessment for better student learning. Sackstein currently works as the

Director of Humanities for the West Hempstead Union Free

School District in New York. Oh, and she has written a book about peer feedback, Peer Feedback in the Classroom: Empowering Students to Be the Experts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

1. W hat is a rubric?

2. T he Feedback Rubric

3. C onverting a Matrix Rubric to a Feedback Rubric

4. B est practices of using feedback rubrics

5. F eedback rubrics as a learning tool

6. R ubrics for Effective Feedback

7. R ubrics by Subjects

Conclusion

Resources

Introduction ––––––– One of the most important skills in life is that of giving feedback to

others, yet almost no time is spent on teaching students how to do it. Similarly to riding a bike, giving feedback is best learned by practice -

and where training wheels help when learning to ride a bike, feedback rubrics are a great way to support students learning to give helpful feedback. Feedback rubrics have the ability to open up a piece of work, guiding

the user on a path to reflections about the qualities and aspects of the work that can be improved. When students give feedback using good

feedback rubrics it becomes a powerful way to turn them into editors and experts on the work of their peers.

Making effective feedback rubrics is challenging and can be

time-consuming for teachers. What are criteria for exceptional work?

Will students be able to understand the criteria? Is it too vague, or too limiting? In this guide, we will explain what makes a good feedback

rubric, what effects they can have and give examples to help you make effective rubrics for your own students.

CHAPTER 1

What is a rubric? ––––––– Put simply, a rubric is a set of criteria, instructions or expectations

for a piece of work. It can be used by both teachers and students alike to communicate expectations, frame feedback, and guide assessment.

The most important benefit for students when using rubrics is that it puts them in charge of their own learning. When students are made aware of the expectations, they can start working towards them effectively.

Types of Rubrics Traditionally rubrics come in one of three forms; holistic, analytic or

single-point. A holistic rubric is a general rubric which lists different levels of overall quality for a piece of work. It is meant to assess the

level of competency using broad and general criteria. Analytic rubrics break down the characteristics of an assignment into smaller parts with more specific levels of competency. They are more commonly

used to show a student's progression in learning and pinpoint specific things to improve.

A single-point rubric uses criteria but does not list levels of

fulfillment for each criteria. It leaves the reviewer to explain where

there is room to improve for each criteria and where the work exceeds 5

expectations. Single point rubrics have many benefits one of which is single point rubrics allow students room to exceed expectations on their own terms and in ways you do not have to predict.

Below find examples of each type of rubric. A holistic rubric often looks like a list, the analytic rubric generally takes the form of a matrix and a single point rubric often looks like a table.

Holistic Rubric Score

Criteria

The essay presents a clear, creative and enjoyable story with an

introduction and conclusion. It uses vivid and descriptive language and lacks any major errors.

The essay presents a clear story with an introduction, conclusion. It

The essay presents a story that is lacking certain elements. There are

The essay lacks a clear story and there are many mistakes that

includes vivid and descriptive language with minor errors.

mistakes throughout but the main point can still be conveyed.

make it difficult to understand the purpose of the story.

Analytic Rubric

Exemplary

Accomplished

Emerging

Focus

The essay presents a clear cohesive story that is also imaginative and creative.

The essay presents a clear, cohesive story.

The essay attempts to tell a coherent story but lacks some focus and clarity.

The essay lacks a clear story or direction.

The introduction states the main topic and provides an overview of the essay. A conclusion is included.

The introductions touches on the main topic. A conclusion is attempted.

There is no clear introduction, structure or conclusion.

Organization

The introduction is inviting, presents an overview of the paper. Information is relevant and presented in a logical order. The conclusion is strong. The writer makes no obvious errors.

The writer makes a few errors in grammar and/or spelling but they do not interfere with understanding.

The writer makes several errors in grammar and/or spelling.

The writer makes numerous errors in grammar and/or spelling that interfere with understanding.

The writer uses vivid words and phrases. The placement of words seems accurate, natural and not forced.

The writer uses vivid words and phrases. The choice and placement of words is not always accurate and/or seems overdone at times.

The writer uses words and phrases that communicate ideas clearly but lack variety.

The writer uses a limited vocabulary.

Grammar & Spelling

Word Choice

Beginning

Single Point Rubric Concerns Areas that Need Work

Criteria Standards for Performance

Advanced Evidence of Exceeding Standards

Organization The essay is organized with a clear introduction, body and conclusion.

Grammar/Spelling There are no major mistakes. Even if there are a few mistakes it doesn’t affect the understanding.

Focus Writing has a clear focus and tells a story.

The challenge with holistic and analytic style rubrics is that students

remain a passive participant in peer assessment. Rubrics constructed

for assessment limit the type of feedback students receive to what can fit inside the rubric only. It is not possible for students to exceed the expectations specified by the rubric. While single point rubrics

emphasize a focus on feedback and making students active learners,

they also limit the potential for assessment and getting a clear picture of the quality of the work.

Fortunately, there is another type of rubric available which borrows from all three types of rubrics and emphasizes the feedback

component further. This type of rubric is called a feedback rubric and

has the ability to engage students actively in peer feedback. Feedback rubrics are a more general type of rubric and any holistic, analytic or single-point rubric can be re-framed as a feedback rubric.

Feedback rubrics guide students through the feedback process by

using different prompts, questions, and criteria where the focus is not on simple assessment but on helping students to write constructive,

specific, kind and justified feedback for each other. Engaging students in peer feedback may feel scary at first, but by using feedback rubrics you can safely guide them through the process.

CHAPTER 2

The Feedback Rubric ––––––– Feedback rubrics consists of a number of criteria and prompts

(collectively called questions) with the purpose of helping the student read, assess and give feedback to a piece of work. They generally

consist of three types of questions: scale, yes/no, and text questions.

Text questions Text questions prompt students to give personalized feedback and

explain their reasoning. Some of the most effective text questions ask for examples, focus on specific elements of the assignment or encourage the student to reflect on their own work.

Text question example

Briefly describe what effect the text had on you (if it had any). For example, what mood or feeling you got from it.

Scale questions Scale questions are a form of standards-based learning and are

similar in concept to the criteria in a matrix rubric. A good descriptive scale question helps the student understand the expectations and learning outcomes that should be achieved from the assignment.

Generally, good scale questions use between 3 to 5 levels of mastery and although scales are close to numerical grades, try to avoid

numbers on your scales. Without numbers, the students focus on the content and feedback rather than a score. Scale question example

Does the text contain a claim with supporting data and evidence? Inadequate: The text contains limited data and evidence related to the ●

claim and counterclaims or lacks counterclaims. The text may fail to conclude the argument or position.

●

Developing: The text provides data and evidence that attempts to back up the claim and unclearly addresses counterclaims or lacks counterclaims. The conclusion merely restates the position.

●

Proficient: The text provides sufficient data and evidence to back up the

claim and addresses counterclaims. The conclusion ties to the claim and evidence.

●

Skilled: The text provides sufficient data and evidence to back up the claim and addresses counterclaims fairly. The conclusion effectively reinforces the claim and evidence.

●

Exceptional: The text provides convincing and relevant data and

evidence to back up the claim and effectively addresses counterclaims. The conclusion strengthens the claim and evidence.

Yes / no questions The simple yes / no questions are ideal for gauging if the basic

guidelines and formatting requirements were achieved. Using multiple yes/no questions together acts like a checklist of elements that the students should have fulfilled for the assignment.

Yes / no question

Does the author make a claim about the piece of work?

Yes No Yes / no question

Does the video start with an introduction? Yes

Yes / no question

Did the writer correctly format a citation from where they gathered research? Examine this link for proper format. Yes

Yes / no question

Does the writer have a lead character? Yes

CHAPTER 3

Converting a Matrix Rubric to a Feedback Rubric ––––––– This section will give a step by step guide for converting any matrix rubric into a feedback rubric. To illustrate the process, we will use an example matrix rubric for an essay about time traveling.

Exemplary

Accomplished

Emerging

Focus

The essay presents a clear cohesive story that is also imaginative and creative.

The essay presents a clear, cohesive story.

The essay attempts to tell a coherent story but lacks some focus and clarity.

The essay lacks a clear story or direction.

The introduction states the main topic and provides an overview of the essay. A conclusion is included.

The introductions touches on the main topic. A conclusion is attempted.

There is no clear introduction, structure or conclusion.

Organization

The introduction is inviting, presents an overview of the paper. Information is relevant and presented in a logical order. The conclusion is strong. The writer makes no obvious errors.

The writer makes a few errors in grammar and/or spelling but they do not interfere with understanding.

The writer makes several errors in grammar and/or spelling.

The writer makes numerous errors in grammar and/or spelling that interfere with understanding.

The writer uses vivid words and phrases. The placement of words seems accurate, natural and not forced.

The writer uses vivid words and phrases. The choice and placement of words is not always accurate and/or seems overdone at times.

The writer uses words and phrases that communicate ideas clearly but lack variety.

The writer uses a limited vocabulary.

Grammar & Spelling

Word Choice

Beginning

Turning criteria into rubric questions The main idea is to turn each row of the matrix into a scale question. For example, the second row ‘organization’ will now look like this:

Converted to a scale question

How is the structure and organization of the paper?

There is no clear introduction, structure or conclusion.

The introduction states the main topic. A conclusion is included.

●

The introduction states the main topic and provides an overview of the essay. A conclusion is included. The introduction is inviting, states the main topic, and provides an

●

overview of the paper. Information is relevant and presented in a logical order. The conclusion is strong.

The criteria Organization (which was a row in the matrix) has become the question for the scale and each cell in the matrix is converted into a level on the scale. This way of presenting a scale question is

conceptually the same as representing it as a row in a matrix, but it is much simpler for students to read and use in practice.

Decoupling holistic criteria Converting the matrix-row to a scale is just the first part of improving the rubric and turning it into a feedback rubric. One of the common

challenges students face when using rubrics in peer feedback is that the levels of a scale are never an exact fit. To make it easier for

students to use the rubric, decouple the criteria into a more analytic setup. This will introduce more criteria, but each of level of criteria

will be easier to answer. From the above example, the criteria can be broken up further into three separate scales: Converted to a yes / no question

Is there a structure to the essay? N

There is no clear structure

Information is relevant and presented in a logical order

Converted to a scale question

Is there an introduction?

There is no clear introduction

The introduction states the main topic

The introduction states the main topic and provides an overview of the essay

The introduction is inviting, states the main topic, and provides an overview of the essay

●

Converted to a scale question

Is there a conclusion?

There is no clear conclusion

A conclusion is included

The conclusion is strong

●

Note that the number of levels for each criteria does not have to be the same. In this example, the structure criteria become a two-step (yes / no) criteria.

Improving the wording of criteria An important part of making good feedback rubric criteria is to make

each criteria as explicit as possible in what is expected. If we take the criteria about the conclusion from above we can change it to: Scale question

How strong is the conclusion? The conclusion should restate the thesis statement and summarize the essay.

There is no clear conclusion

The conclusion is present but needs improvement

The conclusion is clear and summarizes the essay

The conclusion is clear, summarizes the essay and restates the thesis statement

●

To fully turn this rubric into a feedback rubric, add in opportunities

for more in-depth analysis and feedback with relevant text questions. Two examples of these types of text questions are:

Text question

What do you think is the thesis statement of the essay?

Text question

Overall, what did you think of the structure and organization of the essay? Name at least one way your peer could improve structure and organization. The first text question simply asks the reader to identify and restate

the thesis statement. This question helps students learn what a thesis statement is and how it should look. The second question relates to

the overall structure and organization of the essay (and to the scale questions from earlier). It asks students to find at least one area of improvement in relation to structure and organization.

CHAPTER 4

Best practices of using feedback rubrics ––––––– Making rubrics a successful learning tool requires some thought about how it’s going to be used and in what way it’ll be introduced to students.

When to use a feedback rubric? Feedback rubrics are highly adaptable and can be used in nearly any subject and any assignment. They can be used as an introduction to

learning goals or to reinforce those that are already in place. The best

part of feedback rubrics is you can adapt and adopt them however you see fit.

Here are some popular ways feedback rubrics and peer feedback are utilized:

⏣ To get feedback on project ideas ⏣ To test out a thesis statement

⏣ To check progress in the middle of a larger project

⏣ As a draft submission before revisions and final submission ⏣ To check learning progression

⏣ To train students in giving and receiving feedback 19

Preparing students to use feedback rubrics Students want to know why they are doing something new and how it

will work. To help ease students into using peer feedback and feedback rubrics discuss what it means to them and address any fears they may have. Be sure to cover the benefits they will get from using feedback

rubrics including an opportunity to revise their work, learn from their peers and gain real world skills.

One way to get students introduced to the feedback rubric is to include them in the creation of the rubric. Discuss and brainstorm in class what are important criteria for the assignment then vote in class

which criteria should be included. When the feedback process is over, revisit the criteria and rubric with the students to find out what was missing or what was still difficult to understand.

Even without using this process, it is still important to introduce

students to the concept of a feedback rubric. It will help the students feel empowered and comfortable with using a new learning tool.

CHAPTER 5

Feedback rubrics as a learning tool ––––––– Letting students give feedback and peer review with feedback rubrics is a great way to teach a range of valuable skills such as critical thinking, self-reflection and how to view things from different

perspectives. And it is possible to construct feedback rubrics that

specifically target each of these purposes by using certain types of criteria. This section will give examples of rubric questions that specifically target some of these areas of higher order thinking.

Critical Thinking Assessing the work of others is an act of critical thinking in itself.

Students need to take the assessment criteria and apply it to their

peers’ work; all the while reasoning and justifying the feedback they are giving and determining if the arguments made in the work they

are assessing are coherent. These rubric questions encourage students to take their critical thinking skills even further and help them find the right perspective for assessing arguments. Here are a few

examples of rubric questions that encourage critical thinking:

Example #1

Imagine that you are someone who strongly disagrees with the argument in this essay. How would you attempt to refute the argument? Think about: ●

The structure of the author’s argument: does it flow? Is it logical?

●

The clarity of their essay: Is it easy to understand what the main points of their argument are?

●

The examples they’ve used; are they convincing / factual / subjective?

Example #2

Find a section in the text where you feel the argument could be

stronger. Explain why it is not strong enough and propose a stronger argument.

Self Reflection The process of peer feedback prompts students to reflect on the

content and quality of their own work. These rubric questions get

students to vocalize what they have learned about their own work by giving feedback to others. Some examples include:

Example #1

What about the video has inspired you for your next video?

Example #2

If you were to go back and redo your own assignment after reading this submission, what would you change? 22

Example #3

What new have you learned from the topic from reading this submission? Example #4

Has your peer used the same method as you did to solve this

problem? If not, explain which method you used and why. Which

method do you think is the most effective for this type of problem?

Example #5

Find one thing in the essay that you think your peer did better than you and explain why (consider structure, style, language,

presentation of research). Explain one thing that you think you did better than your peer in your own essay.

Perspectives Highlighting different perspectives can encourage students to think

about the work in a different way and help them write more effective

feedback. Think of using perspectives as a sort of role-playing for the

peer feedback process which can teach students empathy for differing opinions. A few examples are:

Example #1

From a creative perspective, how could the author have been more innovative with their short film?

Example #2

Only focusing on the positive aspects, what do you consider the best part of the film?

Example #3

Imagine you are a business owner, would you buy this product? Why? Example #4

Imagine you are a film critic, what would be your review of this short film?

CHAPTER 6

Rubrics for effective feedback ––––––– Effective feedback should be kind, justified, specific, and constructive. This can be encouraged through classroom dialogue and the way the rubric is structured. Below each of these characteristics is discussed and examples of rubric questions are given that help brings out all these elements in students’ feedback.

Kind Part of giving feedback is learning how to be kind and fair while at the same time offering constructive criticism. Often students are too nice and don’t offer their peers any helpful feedback so learning to be kind while being constructive can be a challenge. To ensure that there is kindness in students feedback, try using rubric questions such as:

Example #1 · Text question

What is the best part about the submission? Why?

Example #2 · Text question

Find at least one thing about this video you feel has inspired you for your next video. Why?

Justified Students should justify their comments so that the student receiving

feedback understands the reviewer’s decision-making process. When the student giving feedback has to justify their answer, they will be

encouraged to think through the process rather than making a hasty decision. Here are a few examples:

Example #1 · Text question

Explain your evaluation using language from the rubric. You should have a definite reason, based on the rubric, for the evaluation you give. Explain why you assigned that evaluation.

Example #2 · Text question

Explain in your own words what the author is trying to achieve. Are they successful?

Example #3 · Text question

Does the submitted work relate to the task? Explain why.

Specific A common problem is that students will write feedback that is not

specific enough. Some examples of this are the popular “good job” or “nice work” which only offers generalities. To encourage students to be more specific, make text-criteria for the reviewer to point to a specific example. A few examples are: 26

Example #1 · Text question

Find 2 things that you liked. Explain why.

Example #2 · Text question

Find 3 sentences where the grammar is wrong and propose a correct alternative.

Example #3 · Text question

Find a paragraph in the essay that works well. Explain why.

Constructive Constructive feedback is useful and gives the student guidance on how to improve and move forward with their work. Constructive and

specific feedback often work hand in hand by asking the student about a specific portion of the work and then elaborate on how it can be

improved. The rubric questions below can take students from giving simply descriptive feedback (e.g. “these things are good and these things are bad”), to giving helpful and useful feedback.

Example #1 · Text question

If the student were to complete this assignment again, what could

they include or not include, to make the overall assignment better?

Example #2 · Text question

Choose something you like about the essay and explain why you like it. How could the student build on this to make it even better next time?

Example #3 · Text question

Provide at least one suggestion for improvement for you peer.

CHAPTER 7

Rubric by subjects ––––––– Just like any form of assessment, rubrics can be customized for the

subject it is used in. This section includes examples pulled from real feedback rubrics used by teachers using feedback rubrics.

Literature & Language Arts Feedback Rubrics should evaluate the students writing skills and ability to use basic concepts. Rubrics should be clear and concise but allow room for student interpretation. These questions could look like this:

Example #1 · Text question

What is your overall opinion on the quality of the essay? How can your peer improve it? This is the time to offer kind, constructive criticism. Be polite but honest.

Example #2 · Scale question

Does the essay have a hook?

●

No clear hook / essay just begins and does not encourage reader to continue.

Weak hook / attempted but not engaging

Strong and engaging hook

●

Example #3 · Text question

In your own words, what it the author’s purpose? How could this be more clearly phrased?

Example #4 · Text question

Does the writer use adequate expressions for advice and regret? If so, which ones are ‘standouts’? If not, how could they have done better?

Academic Writing When writing academically, a lot of focus is put on using structure,

using formal language and presenting everything in clear and concise arguments. Using the right rubric questions can help students

understand how “proper” academic writing should look. Here are a few examples:

Example #1 · Text question

Pick 3 random references from the reference list and check if they actually claim what the author says.

Example #2 · Scale question

How is the structure and organization?

Absent or very weak explanation, articulation, and balance

Attempt to explain and articulate, but very weak

Attempt to explain and articulate, but unclear and / or confusing

Attempt to explain and articulate, but unclear

Mostly clear and coherent, with lapses

Quite well structured, organized and balanced

Well structured, organized and balanced

Excellent and clear

●

Creative Subjects In creative subjects, it can be hard to think of the criteria that measure student mastery while also allowing students the freedom to interpret

creative works in their own way. Instead of just asking about the piece of work itself, ask students about how the piece made them feel. Try using questions such as: 30

Example #1 · Scale question

Please evaluate the musical success of the piece.

The piece did not really run

The piece ran but did not sound complete

The piece created was successful

The piece created was successful and original

The piece created was successful, original, and spectacular

●

Example #2 · Text question

Pick two elements in the text, which you think work particularly

well (e.g. the idea, the composition, the character description, the

narration, the style, the mood, the language). Explain why.

Example #3 · Text question

Briefly, describe what the effect the text had on you (if it had any). For example, what mood or feeling did you get from it?

Mathematics Great feedback rubrics for math focus on the process leading to the

answer and not simply checking for correctness. Use specific criteria to help students understand the process and encourage the use of mathematical vocabulary. Here are a few examples: 31

Example #1 · Text question

Did the author give an overview of the problem? Is sufficient context provided? Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the introduction? Example #2 · Text question

Did you get a sense of how the author arrived at their proof? What

process did they follow? Where and how might the author make the process more clear?

Example #3 · Text question

Find a step in the solution that could be more clear / less ambiguous. Propose an alternative explanation that is more clear.

Technical and Natural Sciences In the “harder” sciences where problems often have a right answer, making good feedback rubrics can be both simple and challenging.

One approach is to make answer key rubrics using yes/no questions. However, to ensure a focus on the process and not just on checking

solutions, use questions that relate to the problem-solving process.

This is a great way to train students in vocalizing their own process. This includes using rubric questions like:

Example #1 · Text question

Is Exercise 1 solved correctly? The author should get 12 as the correct answer.

Example #2 · Text question

Is Problem 1 solved correctly? If not, find the place where a mistake is made, describe what the mistake is, and how to correct it. 32

Example #3 · Text question

Does the lab report contain all important parts (abstract,

introduction, materials, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and references)? Of not, which are missing?

Language Learning & Grammar Peer feedback is a great way for students to recognize and correct

common grammatical mistakes. Rubric questions should do more than just ask whether the grammar is correct, but encourage students to

understand the grammatical mistakes made. Some examples include: Example #1 · Scale question

How is the grammar?

●

Many basic mistakes (e.g. tenses, subject-verb agreement, pronouns)

A few careless mistakes on basic items (e.g. tenses, subject-verb

Correct most of the time. There are a couple of minor mistakes, but they

●

agreements, pronouns). Be careful.

are easy to understand.

Accurate and a wide range of tenses, collocations, word forms etc.

Example #2 · Text question

What are some positive ‘style’ moments in the essay? Any suggestions?

Example #3 · Scale question

Overall use of correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation through the entire essay.

●

Severe errors – makes reading the essay difficult Moderate errors – several errors, but can easily figure out what the author wanted to say

Some errors – not error-free, but does a good job

No errors – The essay does not have any errors

●

Conclusion ––––––– Letting students partake in the process of giving feedback is one of the most effective ways to train critical thinking, encourage

self-reflection, and improve the skills of giving and receiving feedback. It is not easy to give helpful feedback, but by using feedback rubrics it is possible to support students in the process. An effective feedback rubric can guide students through the work they are assessing,

opening up new perspectives and helping them focus on the right

aspects. Like with other learning tools, there is not one perfect rubric and each feedback rubric has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Additionally having a good feedback rubric is not enough in itself to

ensure that peer feedback is great - it also requires motivation from the teacher and a feeling of safety in the learning environment.

Every class is different and so is every feedback rubric. We could not

fit all the good examples into this one guide so if there is anything you would like us to cover, write us at david@peergrade.io and let us know!

Learning through giving feedback ––––––– When students give feedback to their peers, they are engaging in a highly effective form of learning. We built Peergrade to give students and teachers a platform that encourages constructive and kind feedback. We’ve included features such as anonymity, feedback reactions and flags to give both students and teachers the peace of mind that peer feedback is fair and effective. Start creating your own feedback rubrics by trying out Peergrade for free by visiting peergrade.io.

Resources ––––––– This is an example of a complete feedback rubric

Requirements Question #1 · Yes / no question

Did the writer stay on topic? Y

Yes

No Question #2 · Yes / no question

Did the writer explain their choice of historical events to chronicle?

No, not at all.

Sort of. There is a brief explanation but it could have been explained more.

Yes, there was a good explanation to why they chose to record those events.

●

Content Question #3 · Yes / no question

How is the structure of the essay? Y

There is no clear structure

Information is relevant and presented in a logical order

Question #4 · Scale question

How strong is the introduction? The introduction should provide the main topic and give an overview of the essay.

There is no clear introduction

The introduction only states the main topic

The introduction states the main topic and provides an overview of the

●

essay

●

The introduction is inviting, states the main topic, and provides an overview of the essay

Question #5 · Scale question

How strong is the conclusion? The conclusion should restate the thesis statement and summarize the essay.

There is no clear conclusion.

The conclusion is present but needs improvement

The conclusion is clear and summarizes the essay

●

The conclusion is clear, summarizes the essay and restates the thesis statement.

Question #6 · Scale question

How would you describe the word choice?

●

The writer uses a limited vocabulary

The writer uses words that communicate ideas clearly, but the writing lacks

The writer uses vivid words and phrases. The choice and placement of

●

variety.

words seems accurate, natural, and not forced.

Question #7 · Scale question

How is the grammar and spelling?

The writer makes numerous errors in grammar and / or spelling

The writer makes several errors in grammar and / or spelling

The writer makes a few errors in grammar and / or spelling, but they do not

●

interfere with understanding

●

The writer makes no errors in grammar and / or spelling

Question #8 · Scale question

How would you describe the sentence structure?

Sentences sound awkward, are distractingly repetitive, or are difficult to

Most sentences are well constructed, but they have a similar structure and /

●

understand

or length

Most sentences are well constructed and have a varied structure and length.

Feedback

Question #9 · Text question

Overall, what did you think of the structure and organization of the

essay? Name at least one way your peer could improve structure and organization. Question #10 · Text question

What do you think is the thesis statement of the essay?

Question #11· Text question

What is one thing that can be improved? Why?