College Achieve Public Schools: Toulmin Rubric

5- Advanced 4-Proficient 3-Basic 2-Below Basic 1-Far Below Basic

Claim ● Insightfully addresses ● Competently ● Superficially ● Partially ● Minimally
all aspects of the addresses all addresses all addresses aspects addresses some
prompt aspects of the aspects of the of the prompt aspects of the
● Introduces insightful, prompt prompt ● Introduces prompt
precise, & ● Introduces precise, ● Introduces superficial or ● Fails to introduce
knowledgeable claim in knowledgeable reasonable claim flawed claim in a a relevant claim
a sophisticated assertion in a clear in a statement weak statement and/lacks a
statement statement quality statement

Clarification ● Language of discipline ● Language of the ● Language of the ● Language of the ● The clarification
is insightfully defined discipline is discipline is discipline is does not exist
and scope of argument competently included and is partially defined and/or is not
is narrowed thoughtfully included defined in defined in a or definition is connected to the
and precisely. a clear and concise superficial weak. existing claim.
manner. manner.
Evidence ● Provides substantial ● Provides sufficient ● Provides limited ● Provides minimal ● Provides
and pertinent evidence and relevant and/or superficial and/or irrelevant inaccurate, little, or
to support claim(s) evidence to evidence to evidence to no evidence to
● Seamlessly and support claim(s) support claim(s) support claim(s) support claim(s)
effectively integrates ● Ineffectively ● Incorrectly ● Does not use or
and cites credible integrates and integrates or cites cite sources
sources and/or text cites adequate sources and/or and/or text
evidence sources and/or text evidence that evidence
text evidence may not be
credible

Warrant ● Shows insightful ● Shows competent ● Shows simplistic ● Shows limited ● Shows no
understanding of understanding of understanding of understanding of understanding of
topic/text topic/text topic/text topic/text topic/text
● Uses persuasive and ● Uses valid ● Uses some valid ● Uses limited, ● Reasoning is
valid reasoning to reasoning to and accurate simplistic and/or missing or does
connect evidence with connect evidence reasoning to flawed reasoning not connect
claim(s) with claim(s) connect evidence to connect evidence with
with claim(s) evidence with claim(s)
● Student clearly links claim(s)
the claim and
evidence with
reasoning that is
correct and easily
followed.
 College Achieve Public Schools: Toulmin Rubric

Counter ● Convincingly refutes ● Competently ● Minimally refutes ● Acknowledges ● Fails to

Argument specific counterclaim(s) integrates and specific alternate or acknowledge
cites credible counterclaim(s) opposing claim(s) alternate or
sources and/or text ● Uses some opposing claim(s
evidence rhetorical devices
to support
assertions with
limited success

Rebuttal ● Skillfully uses specific ● Competently ● Uses specific ● Uses some ● Lacks rhetorical
rhetorical devices to refutes specific rhetorical rhetorical devices devices to support
support assertions (e.g., counterclaim(s) devices to to support assertions
logos, pathos, ethos) support assertions
assertions

Conventions ● Uses purposeful and ● Uses correct and ● Uses mostly ● Uses limited ● Lacks sentence
& Language varied sentence varied sentence correct and some and/or repetitive mastery (e.g.,
structure structure varied sentence sentence structure fragments/
● Contains minimal to no ● Contains few, structure ● Contains run-ons) Contains
errors in conventions minor errors in ● Contains some numerous errors in serious and
(grammar, punctuation, conventions errors in conventions which pervasive errors in
spelling, capitalization) ● Competently uses conventions which cause confusion conventions
● Strategically uses academic and may cause Inadequately uses ● Fails to use
academic and discipline domain-specific confusion academic and academic and
specific vocabulary vocabulary clearly Superficially uses discipline-specific discipline specific
clearly appropriate for appropriate for the academic and vocabulary clearly vocabulary clearly
the audience and audience and discipline -specific appropriate for the appropriate for the
purpose purpose vocabulary clearly audience and audience and
appropriate for the purpose purpose
audience and
purpose