Rubrics

A rubric is a scoring tool that lays out the specific expectations for an assignment.  Rubrics divide an assignment into its component parts and provide a detailed description of what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable levels of performance for each of those parts.  Rubrics can be used for scoring assignments, presentations, or projects.  (Stevens and Levi, 2005)

Rubrics are particularly useful as an assessment tool because they can be used to provide feedback about the extent to which all students achieve each of the learning goals intended by the assignment, presentation, or project.

Useful Websites

• Carnegie Mellon
• Swarthmore College
• Authentic Assessment Toolbox

Examples

• AAC&U value rubrics
• Dance rubric, Utah Education Network
• Oral communication rubric, University of Delaware Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Senior thesis, Swarthmore College Educational Studies’ Rubric for the 2-Credit Senior Thesis (developed as part of the Tri-College Teagle Foundation grant project)
• Written communication rubric, University of Hawaii at Manoa

References

• Popham (1997), What’s wrong—and what’s right—with rubrics?
• Stevens and Levi (2005), Introduction to Rubrics: An Assessment Tool to Save Grading Time, Convey Effective Feedback, and Promote Student Learning, Stylus Publishing.