Constructed Response
Definition
A student-created response to a test item, as an
essay response.
Assessment items requiring students to supply
their own answers.
A type of question that requires the respondent
Task
A specific item, topic, problem, question, prompt, or
assignment.
Item-Writing Guidelines:
Convey a clear idea to the students.
Explicitly describe the student’s task.
Provide students with approximate time.
Do not employ optional items.
Compose a possible response.
Response
Any kind of performance to be evaluated,
including short answer, extended answer or
essay, presentation, demonstration, or portfolio
Short
Answer
Short-answer items
typically require
responses of one word
to a few sentences.
“Fill in the blank” and
“completion”
questions are
examples of shortanswer question types.
Extended Answer
or
Essay
Essays are useful in
gauging a students
ability to synthesize,
evaluate, and
compose
Evaluates
composition skills
Rubric
The scoring criteria, scoring guide, rating scale
and descriptors, or other framework used to
evaluate responses
Levels of potential achievement
An explicit set of criteria used to measure a
specific type of work or performance
Why should you use a
rubric?
Know in advance
Clearer understanding
Reason for the numerical
score
Formative feedback
Parallel
Enable multiple scorers
Examples
Examples of rubrics
Resources
Scoring Rubrics - http://ericae.net/faqs/rubrics/scoring_rubrics.htm - Definitions & Construction
Rubric Basics - http://www.inov8.psu.edu/toolbox/RubricBasics.pdf - Definitions, types, purposes,
learner involvement, learning enhancement and rubric use (Schreyer Institute for Innovation in
Learning) .
Rubric Builder - https://www.eeducation.psu.edu/facdev/id/assessment/rubrics/rubric_builder.html - An interactive web page
rubric that can score and give item specific feedback Rubistar - http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ Helps you construct online rubrics
Roobrix - http://roobrix.com/ - Converts your rubric scores into percentages.
Waypoint - http://www.subjectivemetrics.com/index.cfm - online, interactive rubrics that let you
create tailored narrative feedback for students based on your rubric and, on a larger scale
(multiple classes, programs, institution-wide) collect and analyze longitudinal data on student
performance.
Types and Uses of Rubrics
Types
Purpose/Distinction*
Focal Use
View Samples
provide a single score based on
an overall impression of learner
achievement on a task.
To provide overall evaluation
guidelines that clarify how grades
relate to
performance/achievement, such
as in course grades
Analytic
provide specific feedback along
several dimensions
To break assignments or scores
down into separate components
for grading (description, analysis,
grammar, references, etc.)
Practicum Portfolio
Rubric/Scoring Sheet**
General
Designed to provide general
guidance as to expectations,
such as for grading of written
assignments
Course grading rubric
contain criteria that are general
across tasks
are unique to a task/assignment
Designed to provide detailed
guidance regarding a specific
assignment or task
Holistic
Task-specific
* adapted from Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning
Course grading rubric
Presentation Rubric
Position Paper Scoring/Feedback
Sheet**
Practicum Portfolio Rubric
Research Paper
Scoring/Feedback Sheet **
Scorers
People who evaluate responses (sometimes
called readers, raters, markers, or judges)
Conclusion
The major payoff of all constructed-response items is they
elicit student responses more closely approximating the
kinds of behavior students must display in real life.
As a classroom teacher you want to determine if your
students have the skills and/or knowledge that can be best
measured by short answer or essay items.
You need to refresh your memory regarding how to avoid
serious item construction or response scoring errors.