AMERICAN STUDIES Individual and National Identity

“Who am I?” Essay Scoring Rubric

Name ____________________

____ Ideas and Development

15 __ clear thesis statement (highlight it)

__ thorough response to how others see you and how you see yourself

__ clear focus on your identity

__ use of showing, not telling (specific, strong, and ample use of details, including reference to at

least three of the seven listed factors that shape identity - culture, history, environment,

geography, families, religion, and crises)

__ no vague details which do not enhance your point

__ focus on opinion and support, not summary

__ minimum of one and a half to two pages typed

____ Organization

15 __ relevant and effective title

__ effective introductory paragraph: engaging lead statement, overview of the assignment, summary of how others see you, thesis statement that agrees with the others’ view, or disagrees with the others’ view of you.

__ well-organized paragraphs, with smooth transitions. These paragraphs support or disagree with how you see yourself in regards to how others see you. Make reference to at least three of the seven listed factors that shape identity – culture, history, environment, geography, family, religion, and crises)

__ effective conclusion: restate the thesis, mention the strong points you made in the essay, connect your points to the world, hook back to the lead.

____ Sentence Fluency, Voice, and Word Choice

10 __ sentences flow smoothly and have variety of structure

___ one 3 word sentence. Highlight it.

___ one 25+ word sentence. Highlight it.

__ good use of word choice to get your point across

__ contains your voice or personality, stay standard or better.

____ Conventions

10 __ neat and legible, typed, double-spaced, 12 point font

__ spelling, punctuation, and usage are strong

__ no sentence structure errors (fragments, run-ons, comma splices)

____ Total Score

50