The Chosen sets two ways of living against each other: a closed Hasidic world devoted to tradition, and a modern Orthodox world open to secular learning. Students are often asked to argue which approach the novel favors, or whether it favors either. That is a great argument assignment, and it needs careful grading.

The first challenge is the question itself. If it is too broad, students argue in circles. A sharper version asks something like whether the novel suggests that a person can honor tradition and pursue new ideas at the same time, with Danny as the test case.

The second challenge is the difference between an argument and an opinion. Students may write that they think Danny made the right choice, and that is a start. An argument shows why, uses scenes to support it, and deals with reasons someone might disagree.

That last piece, addressing the other side, is where many essays fall short. Building it into the rubric as a separate row makes the expectation clear and gives you something specific to comment on.

Building an arguable question

A question is arguable if reasonable readers of the novel could land in different places. Did Reb Saunders act out of love or out of pride is arguable. Was Reb Saunders a person is not. Give students a few options and check that each one has real evidence on both sides.

• The claim takes a clear position that a reader could disagree with.
• Reasons are distinct from one another and each has its own paragraph or section.
• Evidence comes from specific scenes, not general impressions of the book.
• At least one counterargument appears and is answered fairly.
• The conclusion explains why the argument matters for understanding the novel.

Grading claims, counterclaims, and fairness

When you read the counterclaim, ask whether the student represents the opposing view in a way its supporters would recognize. A weak counterclaim is a strawman that is easy to knock down. A strong one gives the other side its best case before responding.

You can grade this in a simple way: does the counterclaim use evidence from the novel, or does it only gesture at some people might say? The first shows engagement with the text. The second is filler.

Keeping personal beliefs out of the score

Because the novel deals with religion and identity, students may bring strong personal views into their arguments. Your rubric should make clear that you are grading reasoning and use of evidence, not agreement with any belief. Saying so at the start of the assignment helps students feel safe writing honestly.

It also protects you. When every score can be traced to a rubric row about argument quality, there is little room for a dispute about bias. A tool that applies your criteria uniformly reinforces that, since it has no opinion on the underlying question.

Feedback on argument quality

When a student's reasoning has a gap, name it directly. You claim Danny's choice shows the novel favors modern learning, but your evidence only shows he wants to study psychology; what in the ending suggests the book approves? That kind of comment identifies the missing link and points back to the text.

Try to end each set of comments with one thing the student did well as an arguer. Confidence matters in argument writing, and students who feel their reasoning is valued will take more risks in the next draft.