Appendix B — Job Letter Rubric

Category	Description
Format	5 - Complies with all requirements for a block or modified block letter: (Writer’s Contact Info, Date, Sender’s Contact Info, Salutation, Body, Closing, Signature, Signature Line, Enclosure) 4 - Complies with all but 1 requirements for a block or modified block letter 3 - Complies with all but 2 requirements for a block or modified block letter 2 - Excludes 3 or more requirements for a block or modified block letter 1 - Document not in a block or modified block letter format
Salutation	5 - Includes no errors in capitalization or punctuation (uses a colon instead of a comma) and is directed to a specific or general person (e.g., Human Resources Manager); Addresses employer with a professional title (e.g., Dr., Mr., Ms.) and their last name 4 - Salutation has 1 error in capitalization or punctuation and is directed to a specific or general person; Salutation addresses the employer by a professional title and their last name 3 - Salutation has 2 or more errors in capitalization or punctuation or directed to the organization/ department (e.g., Dear Texas Tech) instead of a person or addressed to a person using their full name (e.g., Dear Mr. John Smith) 2 - Salutation has 3 or more errors in capitalization or punctuation or directed to a generic audience (e.g. Sir or Madam, To Whom it May Concern) 1 - Salutation missing
Goodwill	5 - Established in the letter through association (e.g., My Aunt Fanny worked for you for 20 years and suggested I apply for the position of X) or relates one audience-focused fact not discussed in the job ad to one of the applicant’s skills and thanks the reader; No mechanical errors 4 - Established in the letter through association or relates one audience-focused fact not discussed in the job ad to one of the applicant’s skills and thanks the reader; Includes 1 mechanical error 3 - Includes one outside fact or mentions association but does not thank the reader or provides an illogical connection between the applicant’s skill and the info found outside the job ad or contains 2 mechanical errors 2 - Thanks the reader but does not provide the one outside fact or association, making the letter read generically or the fact is applicant-focused (e.g., You offer X program and I want experience in that area) or contains 3+ mechanical errors 1 - No goodwill established
Introduction	5 - Applicant includes 4 functions, appearing in any order: names the source of the job ad, identifies the position, asks to be considered for the position, and forecasts the letter with no mechanical errors 4 - Applicant includes the 4 required functions but with 1 mechanical error 3 - Applicant includes 3 of the 4 required functions or section contains 2 mechanical errors 2 - Applicant includes 1 or 2 of the 4 required functions or section contains 3+ mechanical errors 1 - None of the 4 required functions included
Education Narrative	5 - Contains vivid descriptions that the applicant connects to the job ad requirements; It has a personal voice and uses words with attention to their tone as well as their meaning; Includes a focused organization that parallels with the job ad 4 - Less vivid, detailed and focused than the superior response and may explain the relationship as well as show it. But the writing will accomplish the task strongly; The narrative will use words with care and its organization mirrors the job ad; May contain 1 mechanical error 3 - Accomplishes the task in a minimal way: the descriptions will be clear enough to convey a relationship between the applicant’s skills and the job ad requirements, but not in a particularly distinct way; The writing is likely to be marked by minor (1-2) errors; Organization mirrors the job ad 2 - Most of the narrative tells readers the applicant’s experience, rather than describes it; Features minimal or muddled detail; Loses track of its purpose; Shows patterns of error (3+); Organization is muddled and (or) impairs comprehension 1 - No education narrative provided and job ad stresses education
Employment Narrative	5 - Contains vivid descriptions that the applicant connects to the job ad requirements; Has a personal voice and uses words with attention to their tone as well as their meaning; Includes a focused organization that parallels the job ad 4 - Less vivid, detailed and focused than the superior response and may explain the relationship as well as show it. But the writing will accomplish the task strongly; The narrative will use words with care and its organization mirrors the job ad; May contain 1 mechanical error 3 - Accomplishes the task in a minimal way: the descriptions will be clear enough to convey a relationship between the applicant’s skills and the job ad requirements, but not in a particularly distinct way; The writing is likely to be marked by minor (1-2) errors; Organization mirrors the job ad 2 - Most of the narrative tells readers the applicant’s experience, rather than describes it; Features minimal or muddled detail; Loses track of its purpose; Shows patterns of error (3+); Organization is muddled and (or) impairs comprehension 1 - No employment narrative provided and job ad stresses employment experience
Action	5 - Applicant explicitly and politely requests an interview with the potential employer with no mechanical errors 4 - Applicant explicitly and politely requests an interview with the potential employer with 1 mechanical error 3 - Applicant requests additional time (e.g., We should speak soon…) with the potential employer, but never explicitly asks for an interview or contains 2 mechanical errors 2 - Applicant requests additional time with the potential employer, but the request is illogically placed or impairs comprehension or contains 3+ mechanical errors 1 - Applicant never explicitly requests an interview or requests additional time with the employer
Closing	5 - Applicant references enclosed résumé and provides the reader with contact info; Ends with an appropriate closing (e.g., Sincerely); No mechanical errors 4 - Applicant references enclosed résumé and provides the reader with contact info; Ends with an appropriate closing but with 1 mechanical error 3 - Applicant references enclosed résumé but does not provide the reader with contact info; Ends with an appropriate closing or contains 2 mechanical errors 2 - Applicant provides no reference to enclosed résumé but provides the reader with contact info or does not end with an appropriate closing or contains 3+ mechanical errors 1 - Applicant never references the résumé and provides no contact information or closing

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