Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively

The Using Sources Tool

The Using Sources Tool is a rubric with seven questions about features of non-fiction, source-

based argument writing. It includes one open-ended question about next steps.

1. Does the writing present a claim?



 The writing presents a claim that is nuanced, debatable and defensible.



 The writing presents a claim that is debatable and defensible.



  The writing presents a summary statement about source material, but that statement  

is not debatable.



 The writing does not present a claim.

2. Does the writing distinguish between the student’s own ideas and the source material,  

including the use of clearly indicated paraphrasing, quotation marks, or signal phrases?

Not 

present 

 Developing 

 Competently 

 Effectively

3. Does the writing select and use evidence from sources to support the claim?

Not 

present 

 Developing 

 Competently 

 Effectively

4. Does the writing comment on source material in ways that connect the source material 

to the  claim?

Not 

present 

 Developing 

 Competently 

 Effectively

5. Does the writing characterize the credibility of the source material or author?

Not 

present 

 Developing 

 Competently 

 Effectively

6. Overall, how would you describe the writing’s use of source material? Select the option  

that best describes the writing’s overall use of source material.



 Skillfully integrates source material to fully support the paper’s claim



 Uses source material to support the paper’s claim



 Includes source material to somewhat support the paper’s claim



 Summarizes source material, without connecting it to a claim



 Does not use source material



 Primarily or exclusively copies source material

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7. Does the writing use source material in any of the following purposes? Check all that apply.



 Illustrating; use specific examples from the text to support the claim



 Authorizing; refer to an “expert” to support the claim



 Extending; put your own “spin” on terms and ideas you take from other texts



  Countering; “push back” against the text in some way (e.g., disagree with it,  

challenge something it says, or interpret it differently)



 None of the above

8. What do you see as the next steps for this student?

Scale point definitions:

•

 Effectively = The writing makes the move (i.e., distinguishing student’s and a source’s ideas, 

selecting evidence to support the claim, connecting evidence to the claim, or characterizing 

credibility of a source) in a way that contributes to the overall development. The move is pur-

poseful, logical, and consistent.

•

 Competently = The writing makes the move (i.e., distinguishing student’s and a source’s ideas, 

selecting evidence to support the claim, connecting evidence to the claim, or characterizing 

credibility of a source). The move is generally controlled with occasional lapses, if a move is 

attempted more than once.

•

 Developing = The writing attempts the move (i.e., distinguishing student’s and source’s ideas, 

selecting evidence to support the claim, connecting evidence to the claim, or characteriz-

ing credibility of a source), but may do so in a limited or underdeveloped way. If a move is 

attempted more than once, its use may be very uneven.

•

 Not present = There is no evidence of a particular move in a paper (i.e., distinguishing student’s 

and source’s ideas, selecting evidence to support the claim, connecting evidence to the claim, or 

characterizing credibility of a source). Alternatively, the writing cannot be evaluated for a partic-

ular move because it summarizes or copies without attribution or may be too brief to evaluate.