NJSLA-A Grades 6–8 Informative and Explanatory Rubric
The NJ NJSLA-A Grades 6–8 Informative and Explanatory Rubric scored out of 15 points across 3 criteria, for informative writing at grades 6-8. Published by New Jersey Department of Education.
3 pages, US Letter, black and white. Free, no account, no email. Includes every performance level and a blank scoring sheet.
How it is scored
- Ideas and Focus5 pts · 5 levels
- Organization5 pts · 5 levels
- Expression and Word Choice5 pts · 5 levels
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The full rubric
Ideas and Focus · 5 points
5 points
Focused response, clear understanding of task and purpose. Characteristics: clearly conveys ideas, concepts, and information about a topic; relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples to clearly develop the topic; analysis of relevant content that clearly develops the topic.
4 points
Mostly focused response, general understanding of task and purpose. Characteristics: generally conveys ideas, concepts, and information about a topic; relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples to generally develop the topic; analysis of relevant content that generally develops the topic.
3 points
Basic response, some understanding of task and purpose. Characteristics: somewhat conveys ideas, concepts, and information about a topic; facts, details, quotations, or information and examples to somewhat develop the topic; explanation of relevant content that somewhat develops the topic.
2 points
Limited response, partial understanding of task and purpose. Characteristics: conveys limited ideas, concepts, or information about a topic; limited information and examples related to the topic; limited explanation of relevant content that attempts to develop the topic.
1 point
Minimally written response, minimal understanding of task and purpose. Characteristics: conveys minimal information about a topic; minimal, missing, or irrelevant information or examples; minimal, missing, or unclear explanation of relevant content.
Organization · 5 points
5 points
Focused response. Characteristics: clear introduction of a topic (G7 & G8 also preview what is to follow); text structure(s) that clearly organize(s) ideas, concepts, and information; a clear concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (G7 also reflects on the topic; G8 also synthesizes the information or explanation presented); appropriate use of transitions to clarify relationships among ideas and concepts (G7 & G8 also create cohesion among ideas and concepts).
4 points
Mostly focused response. Characteristics: general introduction of a topic (G7 & G8 also preview what is to follow); text structure(s) that generally organize(s) ideas, concepts, and information; a concluding statement or section that generally follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (G7 also generally reflects on the topic; G8 also generally synthesizes the information or explanation presented); appropriate use of transitions to generally clarify relationships among ideas and concepts (G7 & G8 also generally create cohesion among ideas and concepts).
3 points
Basic response. Characteristics: basic introduction of a topic (G7 & G8 also preview what is to follow); text structure(s) that somewhat organize(s) ideas, concepts, or information; a concluding statement or section somewhat related to the information presented; appropriate use of transitions to somewhat clarify relationships among ideas and concepts (G7 & G8 also somewhat create cohesion among ideas and concepts).
2 points
Limited response. Characteristics: limited introduction of a topic; attempted use of text structure to organize ideas, concepts, or information; an attempted concluding statement; attempted use of transitions to relate ideas and concepts.
1 point
Minimally written response. Characteristics: minimal or missing introduction of a topic; minimal or missing text structure; a missing or unclear concluding statement; minimal or missing use of transitions to relate ideas and concepts.
Expression and Word Choice · 5 points
5 points
Focused response. Characteristics: precise use of language to inform about or explain the topic; acknowledges and attempts a formal/academic style, approach, and form (G7 & G8 establishes and maintains a formal/academic style, approach, and form).
4 points
Mostly focused response. Characteristics: appropriate use of language to inform about or explain the topic; generally acknowledges a formal/academic style, approach, and form (G7 & G8 generally establishes a formal/academic style, approach, and form).
3 points
Basic response. Characteristics: basic use of language to inform about or explain the topic; somewhat acknowledges a formal/academic style, approach, or form (G7 & G8 somewhat establishes a formal/academic style, approach, or form).
2 points
Limited response. Characteristics: attempted use of language to inform about or explain the topic; attempts a formal/academic style, approach, or form.
1 point
Minimally written response. Characteristics: minimal or unclear use of language to inform about or explain the topic; minimal or missing formal/academic style, approach, or form.
This rubric applied to a real essay
Below is a sample essay scored against the rubric above, shown the way it looks inside the grader. The marks, the scores and every comment are the grader’s own output, not written by hand for this page. It scored 12 out of 15.
The essay is written for this page, at roughly a B grade so both the strengths and the weaknesses are worth seeing. It is not a real student’s work.
The prompt
Write an essay explaining the role a public library plays in its community. Use specific examples to develop your explanation.
Most people think a public library is just a building full of books to borrow. Our town library does lend books, but the more time I spend there, the more I notice that lending books is only a small part of what it actually does for the people who live here.1
The library is one of the only indoor places in town where nobody has to buy anything to stay. On a weekday afternoon the study rooms are full of high school students who do not have a quiet place to work at home, and the tables near the window are usually taken by adults using the free wifi. Our library has fourteen public computers, and when I asked, the librarian told me that the most common thing people use them for is filling out job applications.2 For someone without a computer at home, that is not a convenience. It is the only way to apply.3
The library also runs programs for people at both ends of their lives.4 There is a story hour for toddlers on Tuesday mornings, and a computer help session for older adults on Thursdays5 where volunteers show people how to use email or read a document their doctor sent them.
All of this is paid for by the town, which means it belongs to everyone equally. A library card costs nothing and gives a person the same access whether they live in the biggest house in town or are staying with a relative.7 That is unusual, and it is worth protecting.8
Your whole class, marked like this
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How it scored, criterion by criterion
The essay responds directly to the prompt with a clear, consistent focus on the library's community role beyond book-lending. It includes a compelling firsthand detail (the librarian quote about job applications) and develops ideas about equity, programs for different age groups, and shared access. However, one body paragraph ('The library lends things besides books now too. There are a lot of items available.') is left almost entirely undeveloped, offering no specific examples at all, which prevents the essay from reaching the top level.
The essay has a recognizable introduction that reframes a common assumption about libraries, body paragraphs organized around distinct functions (space/access, programs, lending), and a concluding paragraph that ties everything together with a point about equity. Transitions like 'The library also' and 'The library lends things besides books now too' help sequence ideas. However, the stub paragraph about lending items breaks the organizational flow badly, and the introduction does not explicitly preview the points that follow, keeping this at a 4 rather than 5.
The writing is clear and controlled throughout, with generally formal diction and no significant colloquialisms. Several sentences are genuinely precise and pointed (e.g., the distinction between 'convenience' and 'only way to apply'). The style is consistent and appropriate for the informative task. It does not quite reach the top level because the language, while clean, rarely rises to precision — word choices are serviceable rather than carefully selected to illuminate the topic.
What the student was told to fix
- Develop the 'lends things besides books' paragraph with named, specific examples and an explanation of why they matter
- Expand body paragraphs (especially programs) to include a sentence of analysis — not just what happens, but what it accomplishes
- Strengthen the conclusion by synthesizing the essay's main points rather than only offering a closing sentiment
Graded on 2026-08-09. A teacher can change any score before it goes back to the student.
Source
New Jersey Department of Education. Official document. Rubrics are revised periodically, so check the source before using this for a graded assessment.
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