Writing Skills

Evaluation Forms for Writing Skills

Whether students write reports, creative compositions, or personal letters, it is helpful to have a way to evaluate their writing so that they can improve and learn. Two evaluation forms for this purpose are provided for the teacher. The second form is similar to the first but includes more details for older students. If you are keeping samples of the student’s work, attach the evaluation form to the rough draft and final draft. Over the years you will be amazed at the progress your student makes. Words that are misspelled may also be copied by the student onto a weekly spelling list. Though many of the aspects of good writing are fairly obvious, such as punctuation and capitalization, a note of explanation is given for a few of the more advanced terms:

• Verb tense or agreement: Examples of problems might be:
  1. Switching tenses throughout a composition so that the reader is confused.
  2. The verb does not agree with its noun. E.g. "He run." should be "He runs."
• Proper case of pronouns Examples of problems might be:
  1. Using the nominative case instead of the objective case: "Bob likes Joe and I." should be "Bob likes Joe and me."
  2. "We whom are here..." should be "We who are here..."
• Participial phrases that begin the sentence modify the subject:

Here is a problem sentence: "Playing with the mouse, he saw a cat." The phrase "playing with the mouse" should follow cat if it is meant to describe the cat.

• Improve word choice
• Avoid slang words (or even real words that are used in a slang sense.)
• Avoid trite expressions (e.g. "raining cats and dogs)
• Omit unnecessary words (look out for "very," "really," "as to whether" instead of just "whether," or constructions like "She is one who," when "She is.." would be fine.)
• Use concrete words (Concrete words are specific and call up pictures. In other words, try to show your rather than tell your reader. Weak: "She showed amusement as the clown took the stage." vs. Stronger: "She laughed as the clown performed.")
• Avoid too many passive verbs (Even descriptions can avoid the passive: For example: Passive: "The lake was sparkling in the sun." vs. Active "The lake sparkled in the sun.")

A good, concise source on good writing is Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.

• Student Self-Evaluation Form
  • Report Writing Evaluation Form
  • Advanced Report Writing Evaluation Form

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