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What is a rubric? Originating from the Latin word meaning red (rubrica), a rubric was an authoritative rule or an explanatory commentary. The first known use of rubrics dates back to the 14th century when writers would underline a heading for a part of a book or manuscript in a color different from the rest (Rubric, 2010). Contemporary educators, particularly in K-12 grades, regularly use rubrics as a scoring tool designed to evaluate and assess student performance. Higher education is following this initiative and incorporating rubrics as a formative assessment tool. As such, rubrics encourage students to be active participants in their learning process. Rubrics contain established categories which span a range of possible outcomes from the most basic to exceptional performance for an assignment task (Palloff and Pratt, 2009, 33). Rubrics are appealing to both student and instructor. Rubrics are a self-reflection and evaluation tool to help students determine they are progressing in their course of study. Rubrics decrease student ambiguity and the potential for grade inflation, dissatisfaction, or academic appeal since rubric criteria are objective and quantifiable (Palloff & Pratt, 2009, 33). Conversely, instructors streamline student grading. Rubrics encourage all learning levels of students to move beyond their existing knowledge base and extend into a higher order of critical thinking. As Stevens and Levi (2005) noted, in classes where student knowledge base is highly uneven, students who were more advanced will share what they know with classmates who may not have the same knowledge base (p. 57). The following chart demonstrates rubric advantages for both students and instructors:

Student Instructor

Questions Posts multiple questions about the instructor’s expectations for one assignment on discussion forum.

Spends considerable time answering multiple student postings or emails about expectations for one assignment.

Academic competencies Cannot discern basic requirements for the assignment including word count, page formatting, title page, citation, etc.

Disappointed students have not followed basic academic requirements including page formatting, header and footer, etc. Irritated students emailed

Rubrics


assignment rather than submit via Moodle assignment dropbox.

Grading Fails to receive a grade for an assignment in weeks.

Falls behind grading assignments among multiple online course sections.

Feedback Unable to read instructor’s written comments.

Writes same comment for all students in order to expedite time grading assignments across multiple course sections.

Holistic Rubric There are two principal kinds of rubrics: holistic and analytic rubrics. Holistic rubrics require the instructor to score the overall process, product or performance as a whole, without judging the component parts separately (Nitko, 2001). As a holistic rubric example, scoring guides list only one criteria or task: the highest possible performance for each category (Stevens and Levi, 2005, p.39). Although you can write feedback to students on whether or not they met expectations, scoring rubrics do require additional grading time unlike the 3-to-5 level rubrics.

How to Construct a Scoring Guide A scoring guide evaluates student performance on a specific task or criteria. The dimension of a criteria or task is differentiated by various factors which may be organization, content, grammar, citation, etc. In order to construct a scoring guide, review both exemplary and deficient finished products for the assignment for which you are creating the scoring guide. List all the characteristics (i.e. advanced, proficient, progressing or not meeting standards) which lend itself to a model assignment. For example, leading a class chat on the learning management system requires the moderator to complete the following tasks:

Prepare

Research


Discuss

Question

Communicate

So you may take these tasks and list them sequentially or by numerical point value on a scoring guide. Based on the previously referenced task, the following is an example of a scoring guide for leading a class chat:

Category Qualities of best work Points Comments

Preparation Readings prepared

Focus questions considered during or before readings

3

Content Clear focus of readings

Type of readings appropriate to the topic

4

Discussion/debate methods

Engage and motivate students

Variety of methods used to encourage discussion

Balanced discussion

All voices encouraged to participate

Guide not dominate the discussion

Discussion with different viewpoints, not a presentation

5

Discussion questions

Challenging

Understandable

Encourage participation

Encourage students to refer to text, cite sources

5

Communication skills

Facilitators demonstrate good communication skills

Active listening

3


Paraphrasing

Summarizing

Redirecting the questions

Caption: Based upon Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 120 Scoring guides are not as detailed nor solicit the level of feedback from an instructor as an analytic rubric. However, careful planning is still necessary when designing a scoring guide. Douglas Reeves (2004, p. 125) notes there are five characteristics which should be considered when creating a scoring guide. These five characteristics are explained below:

Be specific

• Precision and specificity when detailing excellent student work.

• Example: one score for grammar; one score for citation.

Written in student

vernacular

• Express guide in student's own language. • Example: To get an "A", you must write 1,000 words..."

Accompanied by a sample

• Students visually see what a top paper, product or performance looks like.

• Reinforces instructors have considered all attributes of a "A" assignment.

Created from numerous drafts

• Solicit colleagues and other students for input before actually rolling out the final scoring guide.

Link to standards

• Tie levels of performance to course standards evident by learning outcomes.


Analytic Conversely, analytic rubrics are characterized by multiple levels of performance expectations set among a number of learning objective criteria. Three-to-five level rubrics, an analytic rubric example, requires the instructor to score separate, individual parts of the product, process or performance first, then sums the individual scores to obtain a total score (Nitko, 2001). Although more time consuming to construct initially, 3-to-5 level rubrics streamline student grading and feedback. The following chart compares and contrasts holistic and analytic rubrics (Stevens and Levi, 2005, p. 38; A r t e r & Mc T ighe , 2001 , pg . 1 8 -2 2 ):

Holistic Analytic

Grading Useful for assignments which the highest level of performance needs rapid grading (e.g. oral presentation).

Streamlines instructor grading by communicating detailed formative and summative feedback.

Assignment types Works best for assignments by which students are performing at the highest level of performance.

Useful for assignments which may pinpoint both student strengths and weaknesses toward achieving the highest level of performance.

Student Ideal for advanced or graduate level assignments which require students to already have a preexisting knowledge base.

Useful for students needing a clearer description of what constitutes less than exemplary performance.


Scale Presents an overall snapshot of quality or achievement (e.g. national, state or district levels) to quickly evaluate large number of student responses.

Provides more specific information or feedback for student or even teacher performance on targeted instruction.

How to Construct an Analytic Rubric An analytic rubric, in its basic form, consists of four basic parts which constitute the parameters of the assignment. These four parts include:

o Task - assignment

o Scale- level of achievement

o Dimension- breakdown of the skills or knowledge involved in the assignment

o Feedback- description of what constitutes each level of performance

Task

Scale

Dimension

Feedback

Rubric


When constructing a rubric, start with the highest level of performance you expect the final product, performance or process to be. Next, determine the greatest performance criteria for your assignment, breakdown the highest level of performance criteria in four stages (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 30; Arter & McTighe, 2001, p. 34). These stages include:

Reflecting Think about the key tasks or skills students should accomplish in this assignment. You will need to determine basic skills of competency by referring back to previously submitted versions of the same assignment. Ask yourself what past example typifies an exemplary finished assignment (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 30)? It often helps to visual, even illustrate, the finished product students should turn in. Consider including a sample exemplary piece for your students to examine, but be sure to secure permission to use from its original author. Or you may consider investigating what other experts in the field of study consider high-quality performance or product criteria for the skills or knowledge under consideration (Arter & McTighe, 2001, p. 34). Consider the example below. An information literacy class assignment requires the highest level of performance criteria for students to assemble a research portfolio on their search strategy for a controversial topic. There are four learning objectives which consist of the skills and knowledge students will acquire over the course of the semester to complete this research portfolio:

1. Reflecting 2. Listing 3. Grouping

and Labeling 4.Application

Analyze four outside resources based on an evaluative criteria including currency, authorship, purpose, objectivity and writign style.

Construct topic development for a current controversial issue.

Incorporate four outside resources to support topic relevance. Develop a research strategy using subject headings, keywords and

controlled vocabulary formulas.

Portfolio Documenting Student Research Strategy


Listing List or refer back to the learning objectives which are expected to be accomplished by the assignment. Once this is done, add a description for the highest level of performance for each learning objective (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p.35). The following example lists the highest expectations for the two learning objectives for the above referenced research portfolio:

Grouping or Labeling With the completion of the highest performance expectations, you will group together items that are related. Groups are constructed by similar performance expectations such as introduction, organization, context, analysis, or presentation (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 37). Once performance descriptions are grouped together, distinguish what is common across the

Learning Objective #1

Topic Development

States focused aspect of research

topic.

Develops 4 appropriate

research questions.

Constructs a 4 sentence thesis

paragraph.

Writes a working thesis statement.

Learning Objective #2

Research strategy

Formulates 3 appropriate keywords for the topic.

Writes 3 appropriate subject headings/terms

for the topic.

Constructs 3 appropriate search statements used

to identify and locate resources.

Summarize the search process adequately.


group and label it. In turn, these labels will become rubric dimensions. The following example demonstrates grouping and labeling for the research portfolio:

Group (Dimension) 1: Introduction The student specified the dimensions of the topic appropriately.

Clearly states the focused aspect of the topic.

Developed 4 appropriate research questions.

Developed appropriate working thesis statement.

Group (Dimension) 2: Organization The student had a clear articulate research strategy.

Used 3 appropriate keywords for the topic.

Used 3 appropriate subject headings/terms for the topic.

Constructed 3 appropriate search statements used to identify and locate resources.

Summarized the search process adequately.

Group (Dimension) 3: Context The student selected 4 resources that were appropriate for the topic and demonstrated how each resource supported specific aspects of the topic focus.

Group (Dimension) 4: Analysis The student evaluated 4 resources according to specific evaluation criteria. The student provided clear and specific evaluations.

Caption: Adapted from Minneapolis Community & Technical College Library INFS1000


Application The application stage is completed when one transfers grouping and labeling onto a rubric grid. The labels for the groups become dimensions of the rubric and are placed on the left side column (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 41). The performance expectations or scales become horizontal column headings along the top row of the rubric (e.g. insufficient, basic, advanced, and proficient). Other scales for performance expectations may include:

Excellent, Good, Developing, Weak

1,2,3,4

Advanced, Intermediate, Basic, Novice

To finish the rubric, consider working your way from the outside toward the inside. More specifically, it is easiest to start filling in the highest performance expectation for the assignment. Next, write the lowest performance expectations. When considering the lowest level of performance, Stevens and Levi recommend considering the typical mistakes students have made previously on the assignment instead of cutting and pasting the highest performance expectation and just editing it (p. 41). Finalize the rubric by writing the middle level/s performance expectations which may be more difficult the greater the number of level of performance.

Point Value Once you’ve completed your rubric descriptions and columns, determine the point values for each dimension. Evaluate what you believe justifies competency meeting the highest level of performance then define a numerical value to reflect that characteristic (Arter & McTighe, 2001, p. 74). Assign a point value for each dimension and then determine the point value for the entire assignment. To determine the point value for the entire assignment, take the total assignment points and divide by the number of dimensions (i.e. 100 points total / 4 dimensions = 25 points per dimension). Arter and McTighe note that if you want your students to see measurable gains, then you may want a 5 or 6 point scale (pg. 75). If you only need to measure student competency, then a 4 point scale may be sufficient. Keep in mind, user may become confused as the number of scales increases. The following is an example of a 3-5 level rubric for the research portfolio:


When to Use Rubrics Always present a rubric prior to students actually completing the assignment. In addition to answering student questions about the assignment, introducing rubrics at the onset of the assignment prepares the student for the expectations for exemplary performance. Rubrics need not be used solely for single assignments, but may also be used for group discussions or collaborative projects. No matter what type of assignment, avoid using ‘surprise’ rubrics. This occurs when an instructor grades an assignment with a rubric prior to students ever seeing the rubric, then handing the assignment back with the rubric attached (Stevens & Levi, 2005, p. 50).

Where to Incorporate Rubrics in the Learning Management System Many learning management systems (LMS) have features for setting up rubrics. For example, Moodle™ Workshop is a feature which allows you to create a rubric. In order to use the rubric tool, you must prepare a workshop so students can begin submitting their assignments to your course first, then creating the rubric.

References Ar te r , J . , & McT ighe , J . ( 2001) . Scor ing rub r i c s i n t he c lass r oom: us ing pe r fo rm ance c r i t e r ia f o r

ass ess ing and im prov ing s tuden t pe r fo rmanc e . Thousand Oak s , CA: Cor w in P res s , I nc . Rubric. (2010). Retrieved September 17, 2010, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubric Nitko, A. J. (2001). Educational assessment of students (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2009). Assessing the online learner: Resources and strategies for faculty. San Francisco: John Wiley

& Sons, Inc. (UK) Reeves, D. (2004). Making standards work: How to implement standards-based assessments in the classroom, school, and

district. Englewood, CO: Advanced Learning Press.


Stevens, D. & Levi, A. (2005). Introduction to rubrics: An assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback, and promote student learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

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