Narrative Rubric

Narrative Rubric: Writing to Tell a Story

Score Point 4
Exceeds Score Point 3
Meets Score Point 2
Approaching Score Point 1
Not at Standard Score Point .5
Little evidence

Purpose -Shows insight into the characters' motivation and the significance of the events.
-Renders a particularly dramatic recreation of events. -Maintains a clear topic and focus.
-Clearly establishes the background info (context) by establishing the action of the story within a clearly defined setting.
-Is appropriate to audience.
-Presents main character(s) effectively.
_(Autobiographical narrative reflects on the importance of events.) -Establishes adequate context.
-Presents characters in a somewhat stereotypical fashion.
-Focus is mostly consistent throughout the story (few digressions or irrelevant scenes). -May give vague sense of context.
-Identifies characters.
-Establishes a story topic; attempts focus. -Limited or no context present.
-May list characters (little development.)
-Presents topic; no topic.
Organization -Narrative is organized in such a way as to engage and move the reader.
-Series of events are powerful and gripping.
-Conclusion produces an emotional effect upon the reader. -Establishes situation, point of view conflict, and plot as necessary.
-Has an engaging beginning and moves through a series of events to a logical, satisfying ending.
-Uses effective transitions.
-Written in logical sequence. -Presents characters and events in such a way that readers can easily follow the story line.
-Has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
-Ending may rely on external events rather than on characters' decisions and actions. -Relies on straightforward "and then" chronology.
_May lack effective beginning and/or ending or have an abrupt conclusion.
-May present characters and sequence of events in a predictable way. -May have major gaps in coherence.

Voice/Tone -Uses lively and concrete language (e.g., similes, metaphors, etc.)
-Some language and images may invite readers to reflect on the significance of events.
-Uses variety of sentence structures and length purposefully. -Is appropriate and engaging to audience.
-Clear identity of narrator.
-Sentence structure is varied.
-Precise word choice--varied and imaginative
Language is powerful--use of strong verbs, sensory images, and figurative language. -Language is powerful, and word choice is precise. -Generally uses predictable language.
-May vary sentence length and type. -Some inappropriate word choice.
-Little variety of sentence structure or length. -Little attention to word choice.
-Usually short, simple sentences.

Details/Elaboration -Narrative reveals creativity and originality in its development of characters, settings and themes.
-Effective use of narrative strategies.

*Meets all criteria listed in score point 3. -Creates a believable world, real or fictional, developing action by dramatizing rather than telling what happens.
-Develops characters through effective use of dialogue, action, behavior, or relationships with other characters..
-Shows character growth or change or comments on significance of experience.
-Relevant, concrete details enable readers to imagine the world of the story or experience. -Relies on a narrow range of strategies to develop a story line.
-Some strategies , such as dialogue, used with effectiveness.
-Some details may be generic, but they advance action and describe characters' personalities and actions. -May use some dialogue.
-May have problems with pacing.
May list rather than develop relevant detail or character traits. Characters are often stereotypes, lacking motivation. -May list some generic details in haphazard order.
-Lacks description.
-No attempt at narrative strategies.

	Score Point 4 Exceeds	Score Point 3 Meets	Score Point 2 Approaching	Score Point 1 Not at Standard	Score Point .5 Little evidence
Purpose	-Shows insight into the characters' motivation and the significance of the events. -Renders a particularly dramatic recreation of events.	-Maintains a clear topic and focus. -Clearly establishes the background info (context) by establishing the action of the story within a clearly defined setting. -Is appropriate to audience. -Presents main character(s) effectively. _(Autobiographical narrative reflects on the importance of events.)	-Establishes adequate context. -Presents characters in a somewhat stereotypical fashion. -Focus is mostly consistent throughout the story (few digressions or irrelevant scenes).	-May give vague sense of context. -Identifies characters. -Establishes a story topic; attempts focus.	-Limited or no context present. -May list characters (little development.) -Presents topic; no topic.
Organization	-Narrative is organized in such a way as to engage and move the reader. -Series of events are powerful and gripping. -Conclusion produces an emotional effect upon the reader.	-Establishes situation, point of view conflict, and plot as necessary. -Has an engaging beginning and moves through a series of events to a logical, satisfying ending. -Uses effective transitions. -Written in logical sequence.	-Presents characters and events in such a way that readers can easily follow the story line. -Has a clear beginning, middle, and end. -Ending may rely on external events rather than on characters' decisions and actions.	-Relies on straightforward "and then" chronology. _May lack effective beginning and/or ending or have an abrupt conclusion. -May present characters and sequence of events in a predictable way.	-May have major gaps in coherence.
Voice/Tone	-Uses lively and concrete language (e.g., similes, metaphors, etc.) -Some language and images may invite readers to reflect on the significance of events. -Uses variety of sentence structures and length purposefully.	-Is appropriate and engaging to audience. -Clear identity of narrator. -Sentence structure is varied. -Precise word choice--varied and imaginative Language is powerful--use of strong verbs, sensory images, and figurative language. -Language is powerful, and word choice is precise.	-Generally uses predictable language. -May vary sentence length and type.	-Some inappropriate word choice. -Little variety of sentence structure or length.	-Little attention to word choice. -Usually short, simple sentences.
Details/Elaboration	-Narrative reveals creativity and originality in its development of characters, settings and themes. -Effective use of narrative strategies. *Meets all criteria listed in score point 3.	-Creates a believable world, real or fictional, developing action by dramatizing rather than telling what happens. -Develops characters through effective use of dialogue, action, behavior, or relationships with other characters.. -Shows character growth or change or comments on significance of experience. -Relevant, concrete details enable readers to imagine the world of the story or experience.	-Relies on a narrow range of strategies to develop a story line. -Some strategies , such as dialogue, used with effectiveness. -Some details may be generic, but they advance action and describe characters' personalities and actions.	-May use some dialogue. -May have problems with pacing. May list rather than develop relevant detail or character traits. Characters are often stereotypes, lacking motivation.	-May list some generic details in haphazard order. -Lacks description. -No attempt at narrative strategies.