Diary Rubric

A personal diary is a daily journal, a recording of the significant moments of the day. It begins with the date. Some diary writers begin, "Dear Diary," but that's not a rule. Since a diary is meant to be personal, it often reveals feelings and thoughts that people tend to keep private. You should include diary entries for several days. This genre is a good way to show a process over time.

CATEGORY

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Heading

Heading includes all four details (name, persona, place, and year) and the date is logical in the context of the letter.

Heading includes four details but the date is not logical.

Heading includes less than four details.

Heading is absent.

Format

Diary begins with a complete date (month, day and year) followed by a greeting.

Diary begins with an incomplete date but does contain a greeting.

Diary begins with an incomplete date and does not contain a greeting.

Diary format is absent.

Ideas and Content

Diary includes details that bring the time and place alive; the paper has personality and shows how the writer thinks and feels.

The time and place in the Diary is clear; the voice is engaging but may fade in and out.

 The time and place in the Diary is clear, but the writing is bland.

Diary could have been written by any person, in any place, at any time.

Conventions

Student used the correct grammar, capitals, spelling, and punctuation.

Diary contains up to 1 errors in grammar, capitals, spelling, and punctuation.

Diary contains up to 2 errors in grammar, capitals, spelling, and punctuation.

Diary contains more than 2 errors in grammar, capitals, spelling, and punctuation.

Adapted from "Rubric for the Historical Fiction Essay" on the Project Zero web site, Harvard College.

 Resource: http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/faculty/kmman/civil%20war/rubric.html