Professional Writing - Planning

This rubric is designed as a tool to assess activities aimed at student gains in the following learning outcome(s) for the Professional Writing General Education Category.

At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

Understand the stages required to produce competent, professional writing through planning, drafting, revising, and editing.

Professional Writing Rubric- Planning (PDF)

Analyzes the topic and rhetorical situation. Composes a plan for developing the document. Demonstrates knowledge of necessary steps to complete assignment.

Advanced	Proficient	Beginning	Unacceptable
Addresses key issues (such as audience, genre, and research plan) that relate to the rhetorical situation in a substantive way. Develops an effective plan that builds on the analysis of the topic and rhetorical situation.	Addresses most key issues in a substantive way. Develops a plan that builds on the analysis of the topic and rhetorical situation. Sufficiently develops ideas for initial draft that fit stated purpose of document.	Addresses most if not all of the key issues, but not in any depth. Seems unaware of some key steps necessary for the project. Generates some ideas for initial draft, but these ideas may be only loosely connected to the rhetorical situation.	Does not address all key issues. Does not develop a plan that demonstrates sufficient knowledge of steps necessary to complete document. Fails to generate ideas to create draft or generates ideas that aren’t relevant to document.

Completes steps noted in initial plan. Produces a full draft that responds to the analysis. Completes the draft on schedule.

Advanced	Proficient	Beginning	Unacceptable
Draft is fully developed. The plan is addressed in full and adapted as needed. All aspects of the plan, as well as outstanding concerns, are addressed in a substantive way.	Produces a complete draft. Draft is fully developed in most parts. Most aspects of the plan are addressed in a substantive way.	Produces a partial draft, with some key pieces or sections undeveloped. Certain aspects of the plan are unaddressed.	Draft is not created or is poorly executed. Draft demonstrates little if any connection to the plan or assignment.

Builds on and responds to both outside feedback and writer’s own analysis to make effective changes to the document.

Advanced	Proficient	Beginning	Unacceptable
Document is revised in a sophisticated manner that responds to feedback on the draft in complex, original ways and effectively addresses any deficiencies in draft.	Document responds to feedback, but not all changes are as effective as possible. Responds to peer, instructor, or own feedback in a substantive way.	Document demonstrates attempts to respond to feedback but not in ways that work toward the goals of the document or that is based on substantive reflection on the outside feedback or one’s own review of the text.	Document changed in superficial manner that fails to make changes necessary for it to effectively achieve its purpose. Ignores feedback. Does not appear to recognize the deficiencies of the initial draft.

Revisits the document as necessary to create sentences that are clear, correct, and at the appropriate level of complexity for the audience. Makes effective adjustments to visuals and document design, if necessary.

Advanced	Proficient	Beginning	Unacceptable
Document has been polished. Sentences are correct, appropriately complex, and clear for the audience. Consistent voices throughout. Any necessary changes have been made to create an effective document design.	Document has been revisited. Sentences have been changed to clarify and adjust to the appropriate level of complexity. Some language errors remain. Document design is mostly effective.	Many sentences could be made more clear for the audience. The level of sentence complexity was not adjusted for the audience. Many language errors remain. Problems in document design were not adjusted.	Leaves many sentences unclear and unnecessarily complicated or simplistic. The voice is left inconsistent throughout the text. Significant language errors remain. Document design is ineffective throughout the text.

Describes and analyzes the key decisions made during the planning, drafting, revising, and editing process. Analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the text and the process used to develop the text. Identifies writing skills developed or enhanced.

Advanced	Proficient	Beginning	Unacceptable
The reflective writing is clearly connected to the revisions; offers detail and thoughtful analysis of writer’s progress through the process; provides reasons for key decisions that are grounded in the developing analysis of the topic and the rhetorical situation; discusses specific writing skills developed.	Reflection is connected to the revision. Talks about most major decisions in detail and how those decisions relate to the writer’s goals. Much of the analysis is in depth, but may lack sufficient detail on a couple of key points. May note some development of writing skills, but does not discuss in depth.	Attempts to discuss revisions but may focus on small sentence-level issues or fails to adequately connect to the actual revisions. May note some overall writing goals or skills but fails to clearly connect those to this writing process.	Does not discuss major decisions made during the drafting and revising process. Makes little to no reference to the text. Does not discuss overall writing goals or skills in relation to this assignment.

The Professional Writing Rubric Rubric was developed by the Professional Writing Faculty Board, supported by the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment with the Professional Writing instructors upon review of the AAC&U VALUE rubrics and according to standards determined by the Professional Writing Faculty Board for student performance in the General Education Professional Writing courses. The rubric defines the standards for student performance in Professional Writing courses at the University of Maryland.