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17
Purpose:
Improve Writing Skills
GOAL
Below Standard
1 point
Developing
3 points
At Standard
4 points
Above Standard
5 points
Purpose & Form
No clear topic sentence
to indicate main idea of
summary.
Supporting details are
weak and it is not clear
what idea they are sup-
porting.
Summary not com-
pleted in sentence
and paragraph form.
Main idea presented
in summary is evident
but supporting details
only minimally sup-
portive; therefore,
reader is vague about
content of original
article.
Some paragraphing
in summary.
Summary is too long
OR too short to be
effective.
Clear main idea & suffi-
cient and relevant sup-
porting details within
summary gives reader
adequate understand-
ing of content of origi-
nal article.
Is one third to a half
the length of the origi-
nal
Is written in sentence
and paragraph form.
Summary demon-
strates a strong
focus and concisely
catches the main
points of the origi-
nal article.
The main idea is
clear, sustained
and supporting
details presenting
in same order as
original.
Length of
summary is
appropriate
Is in correct para-
graph form.
Organization
No clear beginning,
middle or ending
No use of transitions
within written sum-
mary
Distinguishable be-
ginning, middle and
end
Use of transitions is
attempted within
written summary.
Overall organization of
summary demon-
strates a strong begin-
ning, middle and end-
ing.
Clear use of tran-
sitions
Organization of
summary is logical
& coincides with the
original.
There is a well-
linked beginning,
middle and end
Excellent use of
transitions within
summary.
Style
No distinguishable
voice.
Vocabulary is sim-
ple but sufficient to
convey basic ide-
as.
Writer's voice is evi-
dent and summary
reflects the writer's
opinions.
Attempting to use
vocabulary from with-
in original article.
Voice is objective and
no personal opinion is
evident.
Vocabulary is appropri-
ate to the purpose of
the writing.
Effective use of
some sentence vari-
ety.
Voice is objective
and impartially
presents article's
point of view.
Vocabulary is ap-
propriate for in-
tended audience
and reflects accu-
rately the degree of
complexity of the
original.
Exceptional use of
sentence variety
Mechanics &
Spelling
Writing has not been
edited & contains many
spelling & mechanical
errors.
Many errors in
spelling and me-
chanics that dis-
tract the reader.
Writing has been well
edited.
Occasional spelling &
mechanical errors do
not distract the reader.
Writing is free of
conventional
spelling and me-
chanical errors.
DoDEA Virtual High School (DVHS)
Strategy: Summary Writing—Rubric