Steps to creating a rubric
1. What is the assignment for which you are creating a rubric? Write this at the top of the rubric.
Put a brief description.
2. Jot down a list of what you’re looking for in this assignment. What kind of learning do you
expect students to be able to demonstrate? What evidence of learning will you have?
Brainstorm.
3. Look back at your list in #2. Choose 4-5 primary criteria. Use this wording: “students will…”
Write these criteria in the left column of the rubric.
4. Now describe what top-level student work might look like for these 4-5 criteria. Write these
descriptions in the “A” column.
5. In practice: use examples of student work to refine and flesh out the rest of the rubric. You
might also refine the way you word the assignment goals and instructions.
6. Try it out in a course. Refine it some more.
Center for Teaching Excellence, Duquesne University, February 2011
1
Worksheet
Course Title:
______________________
Name of Student: __________________________
Name of Professor: _____________________________
Title & Brief Description of Assignment:
Levels of Achievement (what might student work at each level look like?)
A
B
C
D
No Evidence
Criteria
(what are you looking for
from the students?)
1.
2.
2
3.
4.
5.
Comments from professor to student:
Comments and questions from student to professor based on the feedback in the rubric:
3