Clear instructions, great expectations
Roger Graves
Sources used include: Stevens &
Levi (2005); Zhang & Fiore (2011)
Rubrics and
Student Instructions
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU
NEED A RUBRIC? (N= 8)
• You are getting carpal tunnel syndrome from writing the
same comments on almost every student paper.
• It’s 3 A.M. The stack of papers on your desk is fast
approaching the ceiling. You’re already three weeks
behind in your grading, and it’s clear that you won’t be
finishing it tonight either.
• Students often complain that they cannot read the notes
you labored so long to produce.
• You have finally graded all your papers and worry that
the last ones were graded slightly differently from the
first ones.
• You want students to develop the ability to reflect on
messy dilemmas but you aren’t sure how to clearly
communicate that to them.
• You give a carefully planned assignment that you never
used before and to your surprise, it takes the whole class
period to explain it to the students.
• You have worked very hard to explain the complex endof-term paper; yet students are starting to regard you as
an enemy out to track them with incomprehensible
assignments.
• You are starting to wonder if they are right…….
If so, Rubrics set you on the path to address these
concerns
Stevens & Levi, 2005
What is a rubric?
Rubrics are developed to provide the instructor
with a tool for consistently scoring work based
on explicitly defined performance levels for
the specific criteria that are being evaluated.
Students can use the provided rubric to guide
their efforts and fine tune their submission so
as to meet the activity requirements.
Purpose of a rubric
• For formative (midterm) or summative (end of
semester/course) evaluation:
• Create a common framework and language for
evaluation.
• Provide clear expectations about what will be assessed
and standards that should be met.
• Increase the consistency and objectivity of evaluation,
especially scoring or rating of performance and
products, by providing operational definitions for the
standards.
• Provide clear feedback and identify areas for
improvement.
Use
 Rubrics can be used to grade any assignment or task:
research papers, book reviews, oral presentations,
and more.
• Discussion, teamwork, and cooperative learning
(online discussion boards; class participation)
• Link to rubric about online courses
(exemplar/resources section)
• Wiki rubric, blog rubric, twitter rubric
• Portfolio’s and E-portfolio’s
• Field Experience:
• Assessing teaching practices (classroom or field
site observation)
• Evaluate implementation fidelity
Situations where rubrics can be applied for student
evaluation: Comparison of types of student
assessment (Zhang & Fiore, 2011).
Traditional Testing
(e.g., standardized, multiple choice)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Given annually, one shot
Based on a single setting
One correct response
Norm-referenced
Test/teacher-driven
"Teacher proof"
Paper/pencil
Narrow measure of skill
Separate from curriculum and
instruction
• Comparisons to others
• Produces anxiety
Rubric-Based Performance Assessment
(e.g., performance assessment, portfolio)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ongoing, cumulative
Based on a variety of settings
Open-ended, multiple possibilities
Criterion-referenced
Student-driven
Teacher-mediated
Performance
Real-world, integrated application
that measures capacity for
constructing and using knowledge
• Integral to curriculum and instruction
• Comparisons to self and goals
• Produces ability to self-assess and
self-correct
Types of rubrics
• Holistic rubric: Assessor generates a single global
score for the entire work, sometimes based on a
set of descriptors.
• Analytic rubric: Assessor judges the work by
examining specific aspects of the work that will
be evaluated independently. These aspects may
be reported separately or they may be combined
to create a global score (in some cases, the score
is weighted based on the importance of the
dimension/indicator).
(Holistic Rubric Example)
Oral Report
5
Excellent: The student clearly describes the question studied and provides
strong reasons for its importance. Specific information is given to support the conclusions
that are drawn and described. The delivery is engaging and sentence structure is consistently
correct. Eye contact is made and sustained throughout the presentation. There is strong
evidence of preparation, organization, and enthusiasm for the topic. The visual aid is used to
make the presentation more effective. Questions from the audience are clearly answered with
specific and appropriate information.
4
Very Good: The student described the question studied and provides reasons for
its importance. An adequate amount of information is given to support the conclusions that
are drawn and described. The delivery and sentence structure are generally correct. There is
evidence of preparation, organization, and enthusiasm for the topic. The visual aid is
mentioned and used. Questions from the audience are answered clearly.
3
Good: The student describes the question studied and conclusions are stated, but
supporting information is not as strong as a 4 or 5. The delivery and sentence structure are
generally correct. There is some indication of preparation and organization. The visual aid is
mentioned. Questions from the audience are answered.
2
Limited: The student states the question studied, but fails to fully describe it.
No conclusions are given to answer the question. The delivery and sentence structure is
understandable, but with some errors. Evidence of preparation and organization is lacking.
The visual aid may or may not be mentioned. Questions from the audience are answered with
only the most basic response.
1
Poor: The student makes a presentation without stating the question or its
importance. The topic is unclear and no adequate conclusions are stated. The delivery is
difficult to follow. There is no indication of preparation or organization. Questions from the
audience receive only the most basic, or no, response.
0
No oral presentation is attempted.
Types of rubrics: Comparison
Type
Holistic rubric
Analytic rubric
Purpose
Gives the “big
picture”
Advantages
Disadvantages
Efficient and holistic Lacks specificity and
does not provide
extensive feedback
Identifies needs,
strengths, and
weaknesses
Sometimes total
does not equal to
sum of the parts.
Online Course Systems - Rubrics
• If you use an online system (Blackboard, WEBCT, etc.), see if
they provide a template for creating and using rubrics.
• Two handouts for steps in Blackboard (how to) in creating and
using an online rubric will be posted.
• Use this link for a nice rubric on online courses:
Chico State University. (2009). Rubric for online instruction.
http://sites.newpaltz.edu/tlc/wpcontent/uploads/sites/4/2013/02/Chico_rubric_online_teaching.pdf
How to develop a
rubric (elements)
Four (4) Part-by-Part
development of a rubric
• Part 1:
• Part 2:
• Part 3:
• Part 4:
Task Description
Scale
Dimensions (Domain or attributes)
Description of the Dimensions
(indicators)
Part 1: Task description
• Framed by the instructor and involves a
“performance” of some sort by the students.
• Place the task description at the top of the grading
rubric (lift from your syllabus).
• Most include a descriptive title and a task
description.
Part 2: Scale
• Scale is the metric used to assign points to global
categories (holistic) or specific elements (analytic) to
assess how well any given task in the activity has been
accomplished.
• Terms should be tactful but clear.
• Some prefer nonjudgmental, non competitive language
such as “high” “middle” and/or “beginning”.
• How many scales should I use? First time using a rubric
you may want to start with three and then build to 4 or
5.
• Example: Excellent, Competent, Needs Work (3 scale)
Other Scaling Examples
• Exemplary, proficient, marginal, unacceptable
• Below expectations, meets expectations,
exceeds expectations
• Inadequate, barely adequate, good, exemplary
• Ineffective, moderately effective, effective, highly
effective
• Below basic, basic, proficient, advanced
• Novice, developing, proficient, expert
• Rarely, sometimes, often, almost always
Part 3: Dimensions
• Lay out the parts of the task simply and completely.
• Clarifies components and which are most important.
• “Kind of” a task analysis.
• Elements needed for the final product.
Part 4: Description of the dimensions
(indicators)
• All-encompassing categories.
• Should contain the highest level of performance per
dimension.
• Specific indicators needed to meet that component or
element.
Four key stages in constructing a
rubric
• Stage 1: Reflecting. What do we want the students to do? Why
did we create/use this assignment? What happened last time
we gave it?
• Stage 2: Listing. Focus on the particular details of the
assignment and what specific learning objectives we hope to
see in the completed assignment.
• Stage 3: Grouping and labeling. Organize given #1 and #2,
group expectations together in what will become the rubric
dimensions.
• Stage 4: Application. Apply to a format/grid.
Stevens & Levi (2005).
Four (4) Part-by-Part
development of a rubric
• Part 1:
• Part 2:
• Part 3:
• Part 4:
Task Description
Scale
Dimensions (Domain or attributes)
Description of the Dimensions
(indicators)
Highly referenced text
• Stevens, D., & Levia, A. (2005). Introduction to rubrics: An
assessment tool to save grading time, convey effective feedback and
promote student learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.
• Also ppt available @
http://www.introductiontorubrics.com/index.html
Sites to help in rubric makers:
• RubiStar – free tool to help teachers create quality rubrics.
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/
• Rcampus (personal) – Over 30,000 rubrics shared and build
one electronically https://www.rcampus.com/
• teAchnology – rubric makers http://www.teachnology.com/web_tools/rubrics/
Rubric Resources
• Graves, R. (nd). Clear instructions, great expectations: Creating
good writing assignments. Retrieved from
http://www.ualberta.ca/~graves1/assignments.pdf
• Mertler, C. (2001). Designing scoring rubrics for your
classroom. Practical Assessment, Research, & Evaluation,
7(25). Retrieved from
http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=7&n=25
• Moskal, B. (2003). Recommendations for developing
classroom performance assessments and scoring rubrics.
Practical Assessment, Research, & Evaluation, 8(14). Retrieved
from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=8&n=14
• Reynolds-Keefer, L. (2010). Rubric-referenced assessment in
teacher preparation: An opportunity to learn by using.
Practical Assessment, Research, & Evaluation, 15(8). Retrieved
from http://pareonline.net/pdf/v15n8.pdf
Links to exemplars
• CSU. (2009). Rubric for online instruction. http://sites.newpaltz.edu/tlc/wpcontent/uploads/sites/4/2013/02/Chico_rubric_online_teaching.pdf
• Creative Commons – Share alike site: Teach Philosophy 101 – Tests, papers, assignments.
• http://www.teachphilosophy101.org/Default.aspx?tabid=64
• Spielberg, L. (2011). FINE-Flamboyan Foundation Classroom Family Engagement Rubric (HFRP,
March 2011 issue). Retrieved at http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-ourpublications/successful-family-engagement-in-the-classroom-what-teachers-need-to-know-andbe-able-to-do-to-engage-families-in-raising-student-achievement
• Stevens & Levi text has a web site with samples:
http://www.introductiontorubrics.com/samples.html
• University of Wisconsin-Stout has some great resources on various ways to develop and use
rubrics. Also provides many exemplars:
• http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/assess.cfm
• http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/rubrics.cfm
• Zhang, X., & Fiore, T. (2011). Measuring project performance with rubrics: Rules for
development,
use, and analysis. Workshop presented at the 2011 OSEP Project Director’s
Conference, Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://www.osepmeeting.org/2011conf/presentations/Large_Group_Panels/Tue_AMMeasureProjPerformanceWRubric/Zhang_7-19_AM%281%29.pdf