Narrative Essay Rubric

This document is for college or high school instructors who need a beginning point for writing a Narrative Essay. It can be used freely for educational purposes. Feel free to adjust it in any way that suits you. This rubric can also guide students who are provided no guide to write a narrative essay. Always ask the instructor for guidance. This rubric was used in a college classroom giving students the option to write a fiction or nonfiction piece. Hence, the flexibility in grading.

Narrative Essay Grading Rubric

Criteria	Exemplary (A)	Proficient (B)	Satisfactory (C)	Developing (D)	Unacceptable (F)
Content and Development	The essay presents a compelling, well-developed narrative with clear purpose. The narrative is engaging, original, and connects well to broader themes or lessons.	The essay presents a coherent and engaging narrative that fulfills the assignment’s requirements, but lacks some depth or originality. The connection to broader themes or lessons is present but not fully explored.	The narrative meets the basic requirements of the assignment. While the story is coherent, it may lack depth, originality, or a clear connection to broader themes or lessons.	The narrative is underdeveloped, lacking coherence, depth, or clear purpose. It may be difficult to follow or overly simplistic, with little insight or reflection.	The narrative fails to meet the assignment’s requirements. It is unclear, lacks development, and does not demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of the essay.
Thesis and Purpose	The thesis is clear, engaging, and sets up the narrative effectively. It provides insight into the story’s significance and guides the reader through the essay. In a creative piece, the thesis may be implied.	The thesis is present and effectively introduces the narrative but may lack full engagement or clarity. It guides the essay but with less precision or insight.	The thesis is present but may be weak, unclear, or not fully connected to the narrative. It offers minimal guidance to the reader.	The thesis is vague, unclear, or disconnected from the narrative. It does not effectively guide the essay or provide insight into the story’s significance.	The thesis is absent or fails to address the purpose of the narrative. It does not guide the essay or provide any meaningful context.
Organization	The essay is well-organized with a logical structure that enhances the narrative. Transitions are smooth, and the sequence of events is easy to follow. The introduction and conclusion are strong and contribute to the overall impact of the essay. In a creative piece, a student may have flashbacks, etc. that seem out of order as long as it makes sense at the end.	The essay is generally well-organized with a clear structure. Transitions are adequate, though some parts may lack smoothness. The sequence of events is mostly logical. The introduction and conclusion are effective but may not be as strong.	The essay has a basic organizational structure but may be disjointed or unclear in parts. Transitions are present but may be abrupt or lacking. The introduction and conclusion are present but weak.	The essay lacks clear organization, making the narrative difficult to follow. Transitions are poor or nonexistent, and the sequence of events may be confusing. The introduction and conclusion are unclear or ineffective.	The essay is disorganized and lacks a coherent structure. There is little to no logical flow, and the narrative is difficult or impossible to follow. Transitions are absent, and the introduction and conclusion are missing or irrelevant.
Language and Style	The essay is written in a clear, engaging, and fluent style. The language is vivid (Engages the senses – click link to read about it) and appropriate for the narrative. The tone is consistent and contributes to the overall effectiveness of the essay.	The essay is generally well-written with clear language and a consistent tone. The language is appropriate, though it may lack the vividness or precision of higher-level work. The tone is mostly effective.	The essay is adequately written but may lack clarity, vividness, or consistency in tone. The language is basic and may include some awkward or unclear expressions. The tone may be inconsistent.	The essay is poorly written with unclear, vague, or awkward language. The tone may be inappropriate or inconsistent, detracting from the overall effectiveness of the narrative.	The essay is very poorly written, with unclear, vague, or incorrect language. The tone is inconsistent or inappropriate, making the narrative difficult to read or understand.
Grammar and Mechanics	The essay is virtually free of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors. The writer demonstrates a strong command of standard academic English. In creative writing, grammar errors can exist if they are part of the story (ex: dialogue).	The essay contains a few minor grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors that do not detract from the overall clarity of the essay.	The essay contains several grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors that may distract the reader or affect clarity, but do not impede understanding.	The essay contains frequent grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors that detract from the clarity and effectiveness of the narrative.	The essay is riddled with grammatical, punctuation, or spelling errors that significantly impede understanding and clarity.
Use of Narrative Techniques	The essay effectively uses narrative techniques such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection to enhance the story. These techniques contribute to the depth and engagement of the narrative.	The essay uses narrative techniques effectively, though they may be less developed or not as impactful. These techniques contribute to the overall quality of the narrative.	The essay includes some narrative techniques, but they may be basic, underdeveloped, or inconsistently applied. They contribute to the narrative but not significantly.	The essay attempts to use narrative techniques, but they are ineffective or poorly executed, contributing little to the overall quality of the narrative.	The essay does not effectively use narrative techniques, or they are absent altogether, resulting in a flat and unengaging narrative.

Grading Scale

• A (90-100%): Exceptional work that goes beyond the assignment’s requirements and demonstrates a high level of insight, creativity, and mastery of narrative writing. *This essay may be creative, so there is quite a bit of flexibility in grading.
• B (80-89%): Good work that meets the assignment’s requirements and shows clear understanding and application of narrative writing techniques, though it may lack some depth or originality.
• C (70-79%): Average work that meets the basic requirements of the assignment but lacks depth, originality, or coherence in narrative writing.
• D (60-69%): Below-average work that does not fully meet the assignment’s requirements, with significant weaknesses in development, organization, or language.

Note: If a student is going to fail this particular essay, the student will be asked to rewrite it for partial credit.