What this rubric measures
The MCAP Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric, Grades 6–8, 10 is the official scoring guide used to evaluate student writing on Maryland MCAP assessments. It is an Holistic rubric that scores responses across 2 distinct criteria, allowing teachers to give precise, targeted feedback on each area of writing.
All 2 scoring criteria
Click any criterion to expand its score level descriptors. The language below is taken verbatim from the official Maryland State Department of Education MCAP scoring guide.
1 Written Expression
The response demonstrates the following:
- Demonstrates a full and complete understanding of ideas in the texts by providing an accurate analysis supported with effective and convincing textual evidence.
- Examines and conveys complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- Develops clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- Includes ideas that are presented clearly and logically from beginning to end; there are strong connections between and among ideas.
The response demonstrates the following:
- Demonstrates an adequate understanding of ideas in the texts by providing a mostly accurate analysis supported with adequate textual evidence.
- Examines and conveys mostly accurate ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- Develops mostly clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are mostly appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- Includes ideas that are mostly clear and logical from beginning to end; there are connections between and among ideas.
The response demonstrates the following:
- Demonstrates basic understanding of ideas in the texts by providing a somewhat accurate analysis supported with basic textual evidence.
- Examines and conveys somewhat accurate ideas, concepts, and information through the basic selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- Develops generally clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are somewhat appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- Includes ideas that are generally clear and logical but may be uneven; there are general connections between and among ideas.
The response demonstrates the following:
- Demonstrates limited understanding of ideas in the texts by providing a minimally accurate analysis supported with limited textual evidence.
- Examines and conveys minimally accurate ideas, concepts, and information through the minimally effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- Shows limited development of writing in which the development, organization, and style are limited to task, purpose, and audience.
- Includes ideas that are limited; there are minimally effective connections between and among ideas.
The response demonstrates the following:
- Demonstrates no understanding of ideas in the texts. The response provides inaccurate or no analysis and no textual evidence.
- Examines and conveys missing or inaccurate ideas, concepts, and information; lacks selection, organization, and analysis of content.
- Lacks coherent writing, organization, and style for the task, purpose, and audience.
- Includes ideas that are inappropriate, inaccurate, or ideas are missing; there are few or no connections between and among ideas.
A score is based on an overall analysis of what is included in a student's response rather than what is missing. It is not necessary for a response to include all the sample characteristics.
2 Written Conventions
The response demonstrates the following:
- The response demonstrates a full command of conventions of standard English at the appropriate level of complexity.
- Sentence structures are varied, well-formed, and effectively controlled.
- Grammar and usage are strong and effective, enhancing the content of the response.
- Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are mostly correct.
The response demonstrates the following:
- The response demonstrates a partial command of conventions of standard English at the appropriate level of complexity.
- Sentence structures show some variety and are generally controlled.
- Grammar and usage may be uneven and may occasionally impede understanding.
- Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization are generally correct.
The response demonstrates the following:
- The response demonstrates little command of conventions of standard English at the appropriate level of complexity.
- Sentence structure and control are limited.
- Errors in grammar and usage may be frequent and may impede understanding.
- Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization may be incorrect and/or unclear.
The response to the prompt does not demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English at the appropriate level of complexity.
- Frequent and varied errors in mechanics, grammar, and usage impede understanding.
The MCAP Written Conventions sub-scale is identical across every genre and grade band. Descriptors are verbatim from the MSDE 2023 to 2024 rubric.
How to score with the MCAP Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric, Grades 6–8, 10.
A practical guide for teachers and norming teams. How to apply each descriptor consistently, the pitfalls that hurt inter-rater reliability, and a workflow for calibrating with colleagues.
Two-trait holistic, scored independently
- Score Written Expression (0 to 4) first, then Written Conventions (0 to 3). Sum for the rubric total out of 7.
- Score holistically based on the overall response. The four sample characteristics describe what writing at each score point looks like across understanding, complex-ideas presentation, development, and connections.
- A response does not need to satisfy every sample characteristic to earn a given score. Read the response, then pick the score-point description that fits best overall.
What the Grades 6-8/10 descriptors expect
- The secondary Informative rubric expects complex ideas, concepts, and information to be examined and conveyed through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. This is the secondary-grade upgrade over the Grades 4-5 'examines a topic and conveys ideas and information accurately' descriptor.
- Analysis of content is part of the second sample characteristic at every score above 0. A response that lists information accurately without analyzing it typically caps Written Expression at 2 or 3.
- Strong connections between and among ideas push the response toward 4. Connections that exist but are general or uneven fit 3 or 2.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Awarding 4 to a well-organized list of facts. The rubric expects analysis of content (effective selection, organization, AND analysis) at the top score.
- Counting quoted material as analysis. A direct quote with no explanation of its significance is evidence, not analysis.
- Confusing Informative with Argumentative. The Informative rubric does not include a claim or opposing-claims expectation; analysis is informational, not persuasive.
Tips for norming with your team
- Anchor with 3 to 5 sample responses scored by your most experienced grader before the session, including responses that demonstrate analysis and responses that only summarize.
- Score the first 5 silently, then compare. Discuss any trait where graders are more than one point apart.
- Re-norm halfway through a long batch. Drift is real, especially on the 0 to 3 Conventions scale.
Notes for the MCAP Informative/Explanatory Rubric, Grades 6–8, 10
The Grades 6-8/10 Informative rubric is the secondary-grade upgrade of the Grades 4-5 version. Both use the 0 to 4 Written Expression scale, but the secondary version uses 'complex ideas, concepts, and information' and references 'effective selection, organization, and analysis of content' rather than the simpler 'examines a topic and conveys ideas and information clearly.'
Analysis of content is the load-bearing descriptor that separates the secondary rubric from the elementary version. Graders should look for evidence that the writer selected source material purposefully, organized it logically, and explained how it supports the topic.
Written Conventions on MCAP is identical across every grade band and genre. A mechanically clean response earns a 3 on Conventions regardless of which Written Expression score it receives.
MCAP does not administer ELA/Literacy at Grade 9. The Grades 6-8/10 rubric covers Grades 6, 7, 8, and 10 (the high-school ELA assessment, sometimes called English 10).
See this rubric in action.
EnlightenAI scores student writing on this exact rubric, with per-criterion feedback that mirrors how you grade by hand. The sample response below shows how the rubric applies to a real piece of student writing, scored against every criterion.
How artificial light at night is changing wildlife
Cities have become brighter over the last fifty years, and that brightness reaches far beyond city limits. Artificial light at night, known to scientists as ALAN, is changing animal behavior, disrupting migration, and reshaping ecosystems in ways researchers are only beginning to understand.
How animals respond to brighter nights
The first article explains that many nocturnal animals rely on darkness to hunt, mate, and move safely. A study of sea turtle hatchlings in Florida found that artificial light from coastal buildings caused hatchlings to crawl toward the lights instead of toward the ocean. This single behavioral change, the article notes, can lower hatchling survival by more than 70 percent.
Disruptions to migration
The second article describes the effect of bright cities on migrating birds. Scientists in Chicago documented that birds passing over the city in spring are drawn off course by tall lit buildings, sometimes circling them for hours until they collapse from exhaustion. The pattern repeats in other major cities along migration routes.
What scientists are studying now
Both articles point out that research on ALAN is still young. Scientists are now studying which wavelengths of light affect animals most (longer red wavelengths appear to be less disruptive than blue ones) and how cities might dim certain types of lighting during migration seasons. The articles suggest that small changes in lighting design could meaningfully reduce harm to wildlife.
Conclusion
Artificial light at night affects sea turtles, migrating birds, and many other species in measurable ways. Researchers are working to understand which lighting choices matter most, and the early findings suggest that thoughtful design can reduce the damage. As cities continue to grow, this research is becoming part of how planners think about the night sky.
Complex ideas, analyzed and well-organized
Examines complex ideas (ALAN, wavelength research, migration disruption) through effective selection and organization. Analysis of content goes beyond listing facts (links sea turtle behavior to survival rates, connects lighting design to research direction).
Full command of secondary conventions
Sentence structures are varied and effectively controlled at Grade 8 complexity. Parenthetical asides are punctuated correctly. Capitalization, punctuation, and spelling are correct throughout. Grammar and usage are strong. Earns full credit on the 0 to 3 Conventions scale.
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About the MCAP Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric, Grades 6–8, 10
What is the MCAP Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric for Grades 6 to 8 and 10?
How is the secondary Informative rubric different from the Grades 4-5 version?
Does MCAP Informative require students to argue a position?
Why doesn't MCAP cover Grade 9?
Is this rubric the official version from MSDE?
Where can I find the source document?
Can EnlightenAI score student writing using this rubric?
Use this rubric in EnlightenAI
Train EnlightenAI on the MCAP Informative/Explanatory Writing Rubric, Grades 6–8 and 10, and start scoring student writing, with consistent per-trait feedback, in a single class period.