SCORING

RUBRICS
 The Story of the Rubrics
A long, long time ago, teachers did not
know yet how to construct good rubrics.
They did not understand the importance of
rubrics so they never bothered to make one.
And so, every time they gave out grades or
scores for performance tasks, their students
would go like this:
 Tired of these reactions, teachers began
to understand that not only do grades and
scores matter but the meaning behind
them is equally important. And so, they
worked hard to make good rubrics.
 To this day, both teachers and students
benefit so much from rubrics that they go:
WHAT ARE SCORING RUBRICS?
- descriptive scoring schemes
developed to assess any student
performance whether it's written or
oral, online or face-to-face.
WHAT ARE SCORING RUBRICS
USED FOR?
• Written work (e.g., assignments, essay tests,
papers, portfolios)
• Presentations (e.g., debates, role plays)
• Group work
• Other types of work products or
performances (e.g., artistic works, portfolios)
 WHY
DEVELOP
RUBRICS?
• Rubrics make grading more consistent and
fair.

• It helps save time in the grading process.

• It may help identify students' strengths and

weaknesses so you can teach more
effectively.

• In the long run, it will help students

understand what and how they need to
improve.
T YPES OF
RUBRICS
ANALYTIC RUBRICS
• Two-dimensional rubrics with levels of
achievement as columns and assessment criteria
as rows.

• Allows the teacher to assess participants'

achievements based on multiple criteria using a
single rubric.

• Written in table form

 Standards
Criteria Adequate (50-59%) Competent Good (70-79%) Excellent
(60-69%) (80-100%)
Knowledge of Demonstrates limited Demonstrates some Demonstrates Demonstrates
forms, conventions, knowledge of forms, knowledge of forms, considerable thorough and
terminology, and conventions, conventions, knowledge of forms, insightful knowledge
strategies relative terminology, and terminology, and conventions, of forms, conventions,
to the importance strategies relative to strategies relative to terminology, and terminology, and
of sources to importance of importance of strategies relative to strategies relative to
subject sources to subject sources to subject importance of importance of
sources to subject sources to subject
Critical and Uses critical and Uses critical and Uses critical and Uses critical and
creative thinking creative thinking skills creative thinking skills creative thinking skills creative thinking skills
skills with limited with moderate with considerable with a high degree of
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
Communication of Communicates Communicates Communicates Communicates
information and information and idea information and ideas information and ideas information and ideas
idea with limited clarity with some clarity with considerable with a high degree of
clarity clarity and with
confidence
Quality of Argument is simple Argument takes on a Argument bridges on Argument is complex
argument and and unoriginal, and fair and expected the complex and and original, and the
writing the writing is weak position, and the original, and the writing is strong, fluid,
and inconsistent writing is moderately writing is clear and and creatively
clear and coherent coherent coherent
Spelling and Several errors in A few errors in Some errors in No errors in spelling
grammar spelling and grammar spelling and grammar spelling and grammar and grammar
HOLISTIC RUBRICS
• Single criteria rubrics (one-dimensional) used to
assess participants' overall achievement on an
activity or item based on predefined achievement
levels

• Performance descriptions are written in

paragraphs and usually in full sentences
 Score Criteria
4 (80-100%) Research paper demonstrates complete
understanding and execution of the assigned
objectives. Thesis statement/argument is clearly
stated, complex and original, and the writing does
not spend excessive time on any one point of
development at the expense of developing other
points in the body of the paper. Writing is also
error-free, without ambiguity, and reads smoothly,
creatively, and with a purpose.
3 (70-79%) Research paper demonstrates considerable
understanding and execution of the assigned
objectives. Thesis statement/argument is stated,
verges on the complex and original, and the writing
shows accuracy and balance in developing body
points, but may exhibit occasional weaknesses and
lapses in correctness. Writing also has some errors
and ambiguities, yet does read clearly and
coherently.
2 (60-69%) Research paper demonstrates some understanding
and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis
statement/argument is faintly stated and/or
expected and not confident, and the writing is
inconsistent in terms of balance in developing body
points, and exhibits weaknesses and lapses in
correctness. Writing also has many errors and
ambiguities, and may read confusingly and
incoherently.
 GUIDELINES
IN CREATING
RUBRICS
 STEP 1

Select a project/assignment for

assessment.

Example: Work in small groups to write and

present a collaborative research paper.
 STEP 2

What performance skill(s) or

competency(ies) are students
demonstrating through their work on this
project?

Example: Ability to work as part of a team.

 STEP 3

List the traits you'll assess when evaluating

the project--in other words, ask: "What
counts in my assessment of this work?“

Example:
Content
Coherence and Organization
Creativity
Graphics and visuals
Delivery
 STEP 4
Decide on the number of gradations of
mastery you'll establish for each trait
and the language you'll use to describe
those levels.
 STEP 5
For each trait write statements that
describe work at each level of mastery.
 STEP 6

Design a format for presenting the rubric

to students and for scoring student work.
 STEP 7

Test the rubric and fine tune it based on

feedback from colleagues and
students.
 TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN
SCORING RUBRICS
• Make sure you use explicit evaluative criteria

• Have quality definitions of standards

• Employ a clear scoring strategy (Are you using

holistic or analytical rubrics?)

• Write skill-specific rubrics rather than task-specific

rubrics

• Do not get bogged down in details, but also be

sure not to be hyper-general in your quality
definition standards.