The grading rubric

How are your essays scored?

Each essay is scored on a scale of 0-6, with 6 as the highest score. The College Board provides a detailed rubric that explains exactly what earns each point. If you know what the rubric is looking for, you can make deliberate choices in your writing to earn those points.

Each prompt type has its own rubric, so you’ll want to read the one that matches the question you’re answering. The next chapter focuses on strategies for meeting the highest standards. For now, use the rubrics below to spot what you already do well and what you need to practice.

Question 1: poetry analysis

Thesis (0-1 point)

1 Point:

• Responds to the prompt with a thesis that clearly presents an interpretation of the poem that can be supported through analysis.

0 Points: There is no defendable thesis, or the thesis does any of the following:

• Simply repeats the wording or idea of the prompt
• Gives a summary of the topic instead of taking a position
• Describes what happens in the poem without making a claim
• Does not actually address the task in the prompt

Additional guidance:

• A thesis that earns the point can be placed anywhere in the response.
• A thesis may be more than one sentence as long as the sentences appear close together and form one connected idea.
• A defendable thesis is one that could reasonably be supported by references to the poem even if the paragraph does not supply those references yet.
• A thesis can introduce a line of reasoning to guide the essay, although this is helpful rather than required.

Evidence and commentary (0-4 points)

4 Points:

• Provides specific and accurate evidence from the poem to support every claim in the argument.
• Consistently explains how the chosen evidence strengthens the reasoning of the essay.
• Discusses how several literary techniques or stylistic choices work together to create meaning in the poem.

3 Points:

• Provides specific evidence that supports all the claims made in the argument.
• Explains how some of this evidence connects to the reasoning in the essay.
• Discusses at least one literary technique and shows how it helps shape meaning.

2 Points:

• Provides some relevant evidence, although it may not fully support all claims.
• Includes some explanation of the evidence, but the reasoning may feel incomplete or loosely connected.
• May rely on general statements or repeated ideas, and explanations may have occasional errors.

1 Point:

• Provides mostly general or vague references to the poem.
• Restates or summarizes evidence without explaining how it supports the argument.
• Mentions literary techniques without analyzing how they influence the poem.

0 Points:

• The response is unclear, unfocused, or unrelated to the prompt.
• Offers personal opinions without grounding them in the poem or uses examples that do not apply.

Additional guidance:

• To earn top credit, students must explain how the poem’s techniques contribute to the interpretation rather than simply naming those techniques.
• Evidence must be directly connected to the claims being made. If examples feel random, disconnected, or overly general, they will not support higher scores.
• A response earning 4 points should show mostly clear writing, without frequent mechanical issues that make the reasoning hard to follow.
• Students may explore several examples of the same technique, but each example must help the analysis grow and deepen.

Sophistication (0-1 point)

1 Point:

• Shows depth of thought or develops a richer argument through one or more of the following: Exploring subtleties, tensions, or layered meanings within the poem
• Placing the interpretation within a thoughtful or meaningful broader context, such as thematic or cultural connections
• Acknowledging other ways the poem could be understood and responding to those possibilities
• Writing with a voice that feels purposeful, confident, and engaging throughout the response

0 Points:

• Simplifies the poem in a way that ignores its complexity
• Leans on vague generalities that do not offer meaningful insight
• Only briefly touches on complexity or alternate interpretations without developing them
• Uses overly complicated or dramatic language that does not actually improve the argument
• States a theme without showing how the poem supports that theme throughout the analysis

Additional guidance:

• Sophistication should appear as part of the overall argument, not as a single sentence or decorative remark.
• This point rewards depth, clarity, and thoughtful engagement with the text rather than stylistic flourishes. Students should aim to show genuine insight into how the poem works.

Question 2: prose fiction analysis

Thesis (0-1 point)

1 Point:

• Responds to the prompt with a thesis that clearly expresses an interpretation of the passage that can be supported through analysis.

0 Points: There is no defendable thesis, or the thesis does any of the following:

• Only repeats the prompt without adding insight
• Summarizes the situation or issue in the passage but does not take a stance
• Describes events or features of the passage without making an arguable claim
• Does not actually address what the prompt is asking

Additional guidance:

• A defendable thesis must make a claim that could reasonably be supported by details from the passage. Students do not need to include evidence in the thesis itself.
• A thesis may be placed anywhere in the essay. It can appear in the introduction, conclusion, or even in the middle, as long as it is clear.
• A thesis may take more than one sentence as long as those sentences are close together and express one unified idea.
• A thesis may preview or suggest a line of reasoning, but this is optional rather than required.

Evidence and commentary (0-4 points)

4 Points:

• Provides specific evidence throughout the essay that supports every claim and contributes to a clear line of reasoning.
• Consistently explains how the evidence strengthens the argument and connects logically to the claims being made.
• Shows how several literary elements or techniques in the passage work together to shape meaning or deepen understanding.

3 Points:

• Provides specific evidence that supports all claims in the argument.
• Explains how some of the evidence connects to the reasoning, even if a few explanations are less developed.
• Demonstrates how at least one literary element or technique contributes to the passage’s meaning.

2 Points:

• Provides some specific and relevant evidence from the passage.
• Explains how some of this evidence relates to the claims, but either the reasoning is unclear, inconsistent, or not fully established.
• Reasoning may feel incomplete, overly general, or occasionally inaccurate.

1 Point:

• Provides mostly general references or observations.
• Summarizes evidence without showing how it supports the argument.
• Lists or mentions literary elements without analyzing how they shape meaning.

0 Points:

• Repeats the thesis or prompt without offering meaningful evidence or analysis.
• Gives opinions without support from the passage or uses examples that do not apply.
• Does not answer the prompt.

Additional guidance:

• A strong line of reasoning connects claims and evidence throughout the essay in a way that feels intentional and easy to follow.
• Simply pointing out literary techniques is not enough. Students must explain how those techniques matter to the argument.
• Repetition, vague wording, or inaccurate interpretation can weaken an otherwise strong essay.
• Serious grammatical or mechanical issues that make the writing difficult to understand can prevent the response from earning the highest score.

Sophistication (0-1 point)

1 Point:

• Shows sophistication of thought or develops a complex interpretation by doing at least one of the following:
• Identifies and explores subtle tensions, conflicts, or layers within the passage
• Enriches the interpretation by connecting it to a broader context, such as genre conventions, the character’s world, or an idea beyond the passage
• Thoughtfully considers how the passage might reasonably be interpreted in different ways
• Writes in a voice that feels vivid, confident, and consistently persuasive

0 Points:

• Attempts to create context with vague or overly broad claims that do not deepen the analysis
• Mentions alternative interpretations without exploring them
• States a thematic idea without developing it or connecting it throughout the argument
• Reduces the passage to an oversimplified reading
• Uses overly complex language that does not actually strengthen the ideas or clarity

Additional guidance:

• Sophistication must appear throughout the argument. It is not earned by a single impressive sentence or a dramatic phrase. It is awarded for genuine insight, clarity of thinking, and a deeper level of engagement with the text.

---

Question 3: literary argument

Thesis (0-1 point)

0 Points: No defendable thesis is present. This includes responses that do any of the following:

• Repeat the prompt without offering a claim
• Summarize the work or topic without presenting an argument
• State a thesis that does not actually respond to what the prompt asks

1 Point:

• Presents a thesis that clearly interprets the selected work in a way that responds to the prompt.

Additional guidance:

• The thesis may be placed anywhere in the essay.
• The thesis may be more than one sentence if the ideas are closely connected.
• A defendable thesis must make a claim about how some aspect of the prompt contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

Evidence and commentary (0-4 points)

0 Points:

• Does not address the prompt or provides only unsupported opinions or irrelevant references.

1 Point:

• Evidence: Mostly general and not specific.
• Commentary: Summarizes the evidence without explaining its significance.

2 Points:

• Evidence: Contains some specific and relevant examples.
• Commentary: Makes an effort to connect evidence to the argument, but the reasoning is unclear, flawed, or not fully developed.

3 Points:

• Evidence: Provides specific and relevant support for all claims.
• Commentary: Shows how some of the evidence supports a line of reasoning, though a few explanations may need more development.

4 Points:

• Evidence: Provides specific and relevant support for every claim.
• Commentary: Clearly and consistently explains how the evidence strengthens a well structured line of reasoning.

Additional guidance:

• To earn this top point, the essay must address the work as a whole and should be mostly free of grammar or mechanical issues that interfere with communication.

Sophistication (0-1 point)

0 Points:

• Does not meet the criteria for sophistication.

1 Point: Shows sophistication of thought or constructs a complex literary argument by doing one or more of the following:

• Identifies and explores complexities or tensions within the work
• Places the interpretation in a broader literary, cultural, or philosophical context
• Considers possible alternative interpretations and responds thoughtfully to them
• Writes in a clear, engaging, and persuasive style that strengthens the argument

Additional guidance:

• The sophistication must genuinely enhance the argument. It cannot be earned through decorative language or surface level stylistic choices.

Takeaway

The rubrics reward clear thinking and well-supported analysis. You don’t need a “perfect” essay to earn a 6, but you do need to consistently hit the categories the rubric measures.

What matters most is that you:

• Write a clear, defensible thesis.
• Support your argument with specific, relevant evidence.
• Explain how your evidence connects to your argument.
• Address the work as a whole.
• Stay organized, focused, and intentional throughout your essay.

It’s also worth paying close attention to the criteria for a score of 0. Those descriptions work like a checklist of common pitfalls (for example: drifting off-topic, relying on unsupported opinions, or summarizing without analysis).

As you move into the next chapter, identify your strongest and weakest areas. Then prioritize practice where you lose points most often - for many students, that’s commentary (explaining how evidence proves the claim) rather than finding evidence in the first place.