Kite runner Essay

 | SG 7AP English Literature Scoring Rubric, Free-Response Question 1-3

Scoring Rubric for Question 3: Literary Argument 6 points

Reporting Category Scoring Criteria

Row A Thesis

(0-1 points)

7.B

0 points

For any of the following: • There is no defensible thesis. • The intended thesis only restates the prompt. • The intended thesis provides a summary of the issue with

no apparent or coherent thesis. • There is a thesis, but it does not respond to the prompt.

1 point

Responds to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation of the selected work.

Decision Rules and Scoring Notes

Responses that do not earn this point: • Only restate the prompt. • Make a generalized comment about the selected work

that doesn’t respond to the prompt.

Responses that earn this point: • Provide a defensible interpretation in response to the prompt.

Additional Notes: • The thesis may be more than one sentence, provided the sentences are in close proximity. • The thesis may be anywhere within the response. • For a thesis to be defensible, the selected work must include at least minimal evidence that could be used to support that thesis; however, the student need not

cite that evidence to earn the thesis point. • The thesis may establish a line of reasoning that structures the essay, but it needn’t do so to earn the thesis point. • A thesis that meets the criteria can be awarded the point whether or not the rest of the response successfully supports that line of reasoning.

 | SG 8AP English Literature Scoring Rubric, Free-Response Question 1-3

Reporting Category Scoring Criteria

Row B Evidence

AND Commentary (0-4 points)

7.A

7.C

7.D

7.E

0 points

Simply restates thesis (if present), repeats provided information, or offers information irrelevant to the prompt.

1 point

EVIDENCE: Provides evidence that is mostly general. AND COMMENTARY: Summarizes the evidence but does not explain how the evidence supports the argument.

2 points

EVIDENCE: Provides some specific, relevant evidence. AND COMMENTARY: Explains how some of the evidence relates to the student’s argument, but no line of reasoning is established, or the line of reasoning is faulty.

3 points

EVIDENCE: Provides specific evidence to support all claims in a line of reasoning. AND COMMENTARY: Explains how some of the evidence supports a line of reasoning.

4 points

EVIDENCE: Provides specific evidence to support all claims in a line of reasoning. AND COMMENTARY: Consistently explains how the evidence supports a line of reasoning.

Decision Rules and Scoring Notes

Typical responses that earn 0 points: • Are incoherent or do not

address the prompt. • May be just opinion with

no textual references or references that are irrelevant.

Typical responses that earn 1 point: • Tend to focus on

overarching narrative developments or description of a selected work rather than specific details.

Typical responses that earn 2 points: • Consist of a mix of

specific evidence and broad generalities.

• May contain some simplistic, inaccurate, or repetitive explanations that don’t strengthen the argument.

• May make one point well but either do not make multiple supporting claims or do not adequately support more than one claim.

• Do not explain the connections or progression between the student’s claims, so a line of reasoning is not clearly established.

Typical responses that earn 3 points: • Uniformly offer evidence

to support claims. • Focus on the importance

of specific details from the selected work to build an interpretation.

• Organize an argument as a line of reasoning composed of multiple supporting claims.

• Commentary may fail to integrate some evidence or fail to support a key claim.

Typical responses that earn 4 points: • Uniformly offer evidence

to support claims. • Focus on the importance

of specific details from the selected works to build an interpretation.

• Organize and support an argument as a line of reasoning composed of multiple supporting claims, each with adequate evidence that is clearly explained.

Additional Notes: • Writing that suffers from grammatical and/or mechanical errors that interfere with communication cannot earn the fourth point in this row. • To earn the fourth point in this row, the response must address the interpretation of the selected work as a whole.

 | SG 9AP English Literature Scoring Rubric, Free-Response Question 1-3

Reporting Category Scoring Criteria

Row C Sophistication

(0-1 points)

7.C

7.D

7.E

0 points

Does not meet the criteria for one point. 1 point

Demonstrates sophistication of thought and/or develops a complex literary argument.

Decision Rules and Scoring Notes

Responses that do not earn this point: • Attempt to contextualize their interpretation, but such attempts

consist predominantly of sweeping generalizations. • Only hint at or suggest other possible interpretations. • Oversimplify complexities of the topic and/or the selected

work. • Use complicated or complex sentences or language that is

ineffective because it does not enhance the student's argument.

Responses that earn this point may demonstrate a sophistication of thought or develop a complex literary argument by doing any of the following: 1. Identifying and exploring complexities or tensions within the selected

work. 2. Illuminating the student’s interpretation by situating it within a

broader context. 3. Accounting for alternative interpretations of the selected work. 4. Employing a style that is consistently vivid and persuasive.

Additional Notes: • This point should be awarded only if the sophistication of thought or complex understanding is part of the student’s argument, not merely a phrase

or reference.