comparison and contrast essay

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THESIS

Thesis/claim is precise, knowledgeable, significant; thesis has a topic, stand and why. What is being compared and/or contrasted is clear.

Thesis/Claim is complete with a topic, stand and why. What is being compared and/or contrasted is somewhat clear.

Thesis/Claim may be unclear or incomplete. What is being compared and/or contrasted is not completely clear.

Thesis/Claim is missing or incomplete. What is being compared/contrasted is not clear.

PARAGRAPHS AND EVIDENCE

COMPARISONS/

CONTRASTS ARE CLEAR

Develops the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, details or other information and examples

Skillfully integrates information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis

Essay is focused on thesis.

The essay includes clear evidence of the similarities and/or differences to establish the goal of the essay.

Develops the topic by selecting significant and relevant facts, concrete details, or other information and examples

Integrates evidence into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis.

Is mostly focused on thesis

The essay includes some clear evidence of the similarities and/or differences to establish the goal of the essay.

Attempts to develop the topic using evidence, but evidence is inaccurate, irrelevant, and/or insufficient

Attempts to integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas and advance the thesis, but information is insufficient or irrelevant

Essay may veer off of the thesis/topic at times.

The goal of the essay and clear evidence are not clearly established.

Does not develop the topic by selecting evidence to support a thesis

Does not assess the strengths and limitations of evidence.

Essay veers off of topic or topic is unclear throughout the essay

Essay does not have a clear point and there is little or no evidence of a clear comparison and/or contrast.

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CONCLUSION

Conclusion summarizes the main point and topics without repeating previous sentences; thesis is restated in a new way.

Conclusion summarizes main topics; thesis is restated.

Conclusion summarizes main points but is repetitive. Thesis is restated but not in a new way.

Conclusion does not adequately summarize the essay. Thesis is not restated.

Organization,

Writing Style and Conventions

Organization skillfully sequences the claim(s), reasons, and evidence

Provides a concluding statement or section that skillfully follows from or supports the argument presented

Skillfully produces clear, coherent, sophisticated writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

MLA formatting is correct.

Organization logically sequences the claim(s), reasons, and evidence

Provides a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented

Produces clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

MLA formatting is correct.

Attempts to create a logical organization, but may be missing some elements of the assignment

Attempts to provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented, but statement does not support thesis

Attempts to produce clear and coherent writing, but errors in conventions and writing style detract from understanding

Formatting has errors but attempts were made to follow MLA formatting.

Does not provide logical organization

Does not provide

a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented

Does not produce clear and coherent writing

Does not follow the standard format