Synthesis Paper Rubric
Criteria Levels of Achievement
4 3 2 1
Introduction, Intro provides context for the rest Either intro provides insufficient Intro provides little context for Intro does not provide context
thesis, and of the paper; thesis is explicit context for the rest of the paper, the paper; thesis is implicit and for the paper; thesis is
and clear; conclusion recasts thesis is lacking in clarity, or hard to find; conclusion makes undetectable; conclusion
conclusion thesis and provides cohesion to conclusion fails to recast thesis insufficient reference to thesis seems unrelated to the rest of
whole paper effectively the paper
24 18 12 6
Summaries Each text is summarized Summaries support synthesis but Summaries are either unclear Summaries poorly constructed
judiciously and succinctly with could be more clearly related; all or too broad or too narrow to with carelessly selected
ideas that clearly relate to the ideas are not explicitly related to demonstrate relation to details; no connection with
thesis and effectively support the thesis synthesis; little connection synthesis
synthesis between summaries and
20 15 synthesis 5
10
Synthesis Clearly identified synthesis Synthesis identifiable but could Synthesis is hard to find or No connection among texts or
based on well-supported and be more explicit and better poorly developed; insufficiently no apparent attempt at
well-selected points of developed; sufficiently supported supported by ideas from the developing a synthesis
comparison and/or departure by ideas from the texts texts
among the texts
24 18 12 6
Organization Logical sequence of paragraphs; Sequence of paragraphs is good Sequence of paragraphs Paragraphs seem to be out of
and coherence transition sentences and but could be improved; some seems to be out of logical order and haphazard
cohesion markers used transition sentences and sequence; insufficient throughout; no transition
effectively throughout paper cohesion markers are used but transitions and cohesion sentences or cohesion
could be more effective markers markers are used
20 15 10 5
Mechanics and Superior editing – limited errors Good editing – few errors per Careless editing – several No editing – many errors
citations in spelling, grammar, word order, page in spelling, grammar, word errors per paragraph in throughout in spelling,
word usage, and punctuation; usage, and punctuation; few spelling, grammar, word order, grammar, word order, word
proper citation of texts errors in citations word usage, punctuation; usage, punctuation, and
several errors in citations citations
12 9 6 3
Total possible
Score 100 75 50 25
