Matrix for the Rio Writing Competency Skill Levels

You can use this list of skills to check and improve your writing on assignments for this course.

Highest Level Writing Skills:

Level 4.

• Responds fully and directly to the assignment, presenting the writer's individual perspective.
• Shows a clear and thoughtful purpose.
• Focuses on one main idea or topic throughout.
• Contains relevant information with specific details and clear images.
• Beginning captures the reader's attention: ending provides confident closure.
• Uses mature sentences with a variety of structures and clear transitions.
• Vocabulary well chosen; uses expected terminology.
• Contains minimum errors, if any, in mechanics, grammar, or spelling.
• Meets format requirements at the superior level.

College Level Writing Skills:

Level 3.

• Responds directly to the assignment and presents the writer's perspective.
• The purpose is apparent but not consistently clear.
• Reader understands the main idea but details are fewer and less relevant.
• Beginning and ending are generally satisfactory but ordinary or routine.
• Sentences are usually correct but sometimes awkward and the structure repetitious.
• Transitions are sometimes missing.
• Vocabulary adequate but does not use expected terminology fully or precisely.
• Some errors in mechanics, grammar, or spelling but they do not affect reader understanding.
• Meets format requirements at an expected level for college writing.

---

Below College Level Writing Skills:

Level 2.

• Gives an acceptable response to the assignment, but disregards part of the task, providing insufficient information.
• Details are too general and vague.
• Discussion stays on topic but generalizes open.
• Beginning and ending are sometimes limited, simple statement.
• Sentences are sometimes poorly formed, of limited variety, lacking in transition, and difficult to understand.
• Vocabulary usually adequate but occasionally unclear; sometimes avoids or misuses the terminology of the lesson.
• Serious errors in mechanics, grammar, or spelling that are not expected in college writing.
• Meets format requirements at a minimally acceptable level.

Level 1.

• The writing is an inadequate attempt to respond to the assignments.
• Very little information is given or what appears is not relevant or correct.
• Ideas often digress or do not follow any obvious organization.
• The work may be all one paragraph with no obvious beginning and ending attempted.
• Vocabulary is often unclear and excessively informal.
• Serious errors in mechanics, grammar, or spelling which are not acceptable in college writing.
• Does not meet format requirements at a minimum level.
• Title of the paper, course title and section number are centered vertically and horizontally on the title page.
• The first, last, and other important words in the title are capitalized, but no other punctuation appear (quotation marks, underlining, etc.) The page uses no special fonts or excessive print sizes.
• Student's name and the date are centered horizontally below the titles or placed near the lower right corner
• The paper is word-processed, printed in 12-point size in an easy-to-read font, 1.5- or double spaced.
• Paragraphs use a block format with additional white space between paragraphs.
• Documentation, if used, correctly follows style guidelines (MLA, APA, CBE, Chicago, etc.) appropriate to the field.

Please also note that format is important to good writing.