Exemplary 22.5-25 points	Proficient 20-22.25 points	Developing 17.5-19.75 points	Beginning 15-17.25 points	Inadequate 0-14.75 points
Comprehension of Assignment (25% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 25 – 22.5 pts. The persuasive essay presents a convincing and insightful argument. The writer takes a position and supports it with carefully chosen and compelling evidence. Multiple appeals (character, logic, emotions, and timeliness) are incorporated into the argument. The writer addresses opposing arguments and offers strong rebuttals.	Drop down menu: 22.25 – 20 pts. The persuasive essay presents a well-defined argument. The writer takes a position and supports it with sufficient evidence. Multiple appeals are considered. The writer offers counter-arguments.	Drop-down menu: 19.75 – 17.5 pts. The persuasive essay presents a minimally defined argument. The writer takes a position and attempts to support it, but the evidence is underdeveloped or incomplete. One or two appeals may be addressed but need to be reworked to be more effective. The writer may mention opposing arguments, but the rebuttal is weak or absent.	Drop-down menu: 17.25 – 15 pts. The persuasive essay presents a weakly developed argument. The writer takes a position but offers minimal and/or inappropriate evidence to support its claim. Appeals may be unclear or unconvincing.	Drop-down menu: 14.75 – 0 pts. The persuasive essay presents an ineffective argument. The writer may fail to take a position or offer only poorly chosen evidence to support the claim.
Application of Course Knowledge and Content (25% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 25 – 22.5 pts. The essay is focused, demonstrates a clear sense of purpose and audience, and uses appropriate tone and style. Multimodal elements, if used, enhance the overall assignment and contribute to a new understanding of the subject.	Drop down menu: 22.25 – 20 pts. The essay generally maintains its focus and demonstrates a sense of purpose, tone, and audience. Multimodal elements, if used, enhance the overall assignment.	Drop-down menu: 19.75 – 17.5 pts. The essay generally maintains its focus but may occasionally stray off topic. Its sense of purpose, tone, and audience may be unclear. Multimodal elements, if used, add little to the paper but do not distract from the author’s purpose.	Drop-down menu: 17.25 – 15 pts. The writer’s ideas are difficult to follow because of significant problems in one or more the following areas: unclear focus, weak controlling idea, and redundancy. Style and tone may be inappropriate for the audience.  Multimodal elements, if used, contribute little to author’s purpose.	Drop-down menu: 14.75 – 0 pts. Ideas and explanations are absent, irrelevant, unsupported by evidence, or incomprehensible. The essay lacks focus. Style and tone are inappropriate for the audience. Multimodal elements, if used, are distracting or inappropriate.
Organization of Ideas (25% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 25 – 22.5 pts. Organization is coherent with appropriate transitions between and within paragraphs to create a cohesive whole.	Drop down menu: 22.25 – 20 pts. Organization is generally clear with transitions between paragraphs. A competency with language is apparent.	Drop-down menu: 19.75 – 17.5 pts. Organization is clear enough to follow. A limited control of language is apparent.	Drop-down menu: 17.25 – 15 pts. Organization is unclear. Writing demonstrates weak control of language.	Drop-down menu: 14.75 – 0 pts. The essay lacks organization, making the writer’s ideas difficult to follow. Writing demonstrates weak control of language.
Writing Skills (25% of grade)	Drop-down menu: 25 – 22.5 pts. Word choice is precise, sentences are varied, and grammatical errors are rare or absent. The assignment meets the APA requirements.	Drop down menu: 22.25 – 20 pts. Word choice is appropriate and sentences are sometimes varied. Some errors in sentence structure, usage, and mechanics are present. The assignment mostly meets the APA requirements.	Drop-down menu: 19.75 – 17.5 pts. Word choice is imprecise and sentences may be poorly constructed or confusing. Errors in sentence structure, usage, and mechanics are present. APA requirements are attempted.	Drop-down menu: 17.25 – 15 pts. A pattern of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics significantly interferes with meaning. Little or no attempt to follow APA requirements is demonstrated.	Drop-down menu: 14.75 – 0 pts. Errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics are pervasive and obstruct meaning. Little or no attempt to follow APA requirements is demonstrated.