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Rubric for Primary Trait Scoring of Poetry Project
 
 
Excellent: 4
Good: 3
Satisfactory: 2
Inadequate: 1
Literary knowledge and application Explains poetic devices in concise, sophisticated language that demonstrates full understanding.

Exhausts examples from the poem and explains eloquently their use as poetic devices.
Explains poetic devices in own words, appropriate for the audience, that demonstrate understanding.

Recognizes numerous examples and explains fully their use as poetic devices.
States definitions of poetic devices that demonstrate partial understanding.

Recognizes a few examples and tells how they are used as poetic devices.
Names poetic devices used in the poem and attempts an explanation of them.

Gives examples that fail to illustrate the poetic devices or overlooks examples from the poem
Interpretation and critical thinking States with conviction, clear idea of poem's intent.

Uses specific passages and information to fully and convincingly support ideas of poem's intent.
Explains, in clear language, ideas of poem's intent.

Uses numerous passages and information to support ideas of poem's intent.
Gives an idea of poem's intent which is vague in concept and expression.

Uses one or two passages to support somewhat the idea of poem's intent.
Lacks an idea of the poem's intent.

Does not make connections between passages from the poem and the poem's intent.
Presentation and communication Incorporates a creative visual or auditory component which is appropriate to the poem and carries the presentation to a level of unexpected significance.

Uses voice quality as well as eye contact and body to captivate audience.
Incorporates a creative visual or auditory component which enhances the poem and the presentation.

Uses voice quality and variation, as well as eyes and body, to hold the attention of audience.
Includes a visual or auditory component which is somewhat related to the poem.

Frequently varies voice, uses satisfactory voice quality, and makes occasional eye contact with audience.
Presents the poem without a visual or auditory component.

Reads presentation in a monotone of voice and body expressions.
 
(from Stephen Tchudi, ed. Alternatives to Grading Student Writing. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1997. 227)

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