Instructors have many tasks to perform during the semester, among which is grading assignments and assessments, Spending some time creating grading rubrics will benefit all parties involved in the course: students, teaching assistants, and instructors. Show
A rubric is a scoring tool that identifies the different criteria that is relevant to an assignment, assessment, or learning outcome and states in a specific, clear, and objective way the possible levels of achievement. Rubrics can be used to assess project-based student work, including essays, group projects, creative endeavors, and oral presentations. Rubrics are helpful for instructors because they can help them communicate their expectations to students and assess student work fairly and efficiently. Finally, rubrics can provide students with informative feedback not only on their strengths but also on their weaknesses so that they can reflect on their performance and work on areas that need improvement.
How to Get StartedStep 1: Define the PurposeThe first step in the rubric-creation process is to define the purpose of the assignment or assessment for which you are creating the rubric. To do this, consider the following questions:
Step 2: Decide What Kind of Rubric You Will UseTypes of rubrics: holistic, analytic/descriptive, single-point Holistic Rubric. A holistic rubric consists of a single scale with all the criteria to be included in the evaluation (such as clarity, organization, mechanics, etc.) being considered together. With a holistic rubric, the rater or grader assigns a single score (usually on a 1-4 or 1-6 point scale) based on an overall judgment of the student’s work. The rater matches an entire piece of student work to a single description on the scale. Advantages of holistic rubrics:
Disadvantages of holistic rubrics:
Analytic/Descriptive Rubric. An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the criteria for an assignment listed in the left column and with levels of performance listed across the top row, often using numbers and/or descriptive tags. The cells within the center of the rubric may be left blank or may contain descriptions of what the specified criteria look like for each level of performance. When scoring with an analytic rubric, each of the criteria is scored individually. Advantages of analytic rubrics:
Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:
Single-Point Rubric. Similar to an analytic/descriptive rubric in that it breaks down the components of an assignment into different criteria. The detailed performance descriptors are only for the level of proficiency. Feedback space is provided for instructors to give individualized comments to help students improve and/or show where they excelled beyond the proficiency descriptors. Advantages of single-point rubrics:
Disadvantages of analytic rubrics:
Step 3: Define the CriteriaAsk yourself: What knowledge and skills are required for the assignment/assessment?
Step 4: Design the Rating ScaleMost ratings scales include between 3 and 5 levels. Consider the following questions:
Step 5: Write Descriptions for Each Level of the Rating ScaleCreate statements of expected performance at each level of the rubric. For an analytic rubric, do this for each particular criterion of the rubric. These descriptions help students understand your expectations and their performance in regard to those expectations. Start with the top/exemplary work category –what does it look like when a student has achieved excellence in each category? Then look at the “bottom” category –what does it look like when students have not achieved the learning goals in any way? Then add the categories in between. Also, take into consideration that well-written descriptions:
Step 6: Create your Rubric
Step 7: Pilot-test your RubricPrior to implementing your rubric on a live course, obtain feedback from:
Also, try out your new rubric on a sample of student work. After you pilot-test your rubric, analyze the results to consider its effectiveness and revise accordingly.
ExamplesExample of an analytic rubric for a final paper
Example of a holistic rubric for a final paperArticulating thoughts through written communication— final paper.
Single-Point Rubric
Resources
Technology Tools: Rubrics in Moodle
Supplemental Tools with Rubrics in Moodle
Why do we use analytic rubrics?Analytic rubrics
Allows you to assess participants' achievements based on multiple criteria using a single rubric. You can assign different weights (value) to different criteria and include an overall achievement by totaling the criteria; written in a table form.
What are the advantages of Analytic rubric over holistic?Holistic rubrics provide a single score to summarize a student's performance on a given task, whereas analytic rubrics provide several scores for the task, one for each different category being evaluated.
What are the advantages of the rubrics for students?Rubrics standardize grades and help students understand where their writing grades come from. They also facilitate minimal marking, since you've already established your priorities.
How do you use an analytic rubric?To create an Analytic Rubric, take the following steps:. Access the Rubrics.. Create a New Rubric.. Review the Rubric Properties.. Define the Rubric Performance Levels and Criteria.. Describe an Overall Score.. Review the Rubric Options.. Publish the Rubric.. |