10. Description of the Dimensions
Scoring
Unique Doesn’t
Guide
dimensions fit?
Rubric
11. Types of Rubrics
Analytic versus Holistic
Holistic Example
Rating Detailed Description
Inadequate Presentation lacked all major parts of
organization. Content and graphics
were not appropriate. Verbal discussion
was limited or absent.
12. Review
What is a rubric?
What are the two basic types of rubrics?
How do you know if you should use a
rubric?
What makes up a basic rubric?
27. Review
What does grading with rubrics affect?
If you want to give more flexible
feedback with comments, what method
should you use?
28. Rubric Resources
Book offers templates and other links:
http://www.introductiontorubrics.com/
Rubrics by subject/course:
http://www.assessment.ua.edu/Rubrics/Non_
UA_Rubrics.html
More rubric tips and links:
http://www.park.edu/cetl2/quicktips/rubrics.
html
29. References
" Levi, A. J., & Stevens, D. D. (2005). I ntroduction to Rubrics.
Sterling: Stylus Publishing, LLC .
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved May 30,
2011, from http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/rubric
Steury, D. C. (2010, February 4). How to Create and Use
Rubrics to Simplify Grading. Retrieved May 30, 2011, from
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxYEDHN27dg
University of Nebraska Kearney: Office of Assessment . ( n.d.).
Developing Rubrics for Assessment. Retrieved May 30, 2011,
from
http://www.unk.edu/uploadedFiles/academicaffairs/Assessm
ent/Training/Developing%20Rubrics.pdf
Mandernach, B. J. (2003). Grading Rubrics . Retrieved May 30,
2011, from http://www.park.edu/cetl2/quicktips/rubrics.html
Editor's Notes
1. Definition Webster:Definition of RUBRIC1a: an authoritative rule; 2: a heading of a part of a book or manuscript done or underlined in a color (as red) different from the rest 3: an established rule, tradition, or custom 4: a guide listing specific criteria for grading or scoring academic papers, projects, or tests A rubric is a scoring tool that lists specific criteria for performance.2.How do you know if you really need a rubric? Please refer to the check list.Rubrics can be used for a variety of subjective tasks (papers, presentations, portfolios, discussion, participation, etc.)
Rubrics generally consist of four components that the instructor sets the tone of the assignment. The process can vary greatly but the general format remains constant. In the most basic form, a rubric will consist of The task description (which is the assignment) example an oral presentation on a basic business topicA scale of some sort (levels of achievement, possibly in the form of a grade)The dimensions of the assignment (breakdown of skills/knowledge for the assignment or categories)Descriptions for each level of performance (specific feedback)This would be an example of an analytic rubric.
The first part of the rubric includes both a creative title and a clear idea of what the task is. The descriptive title is meant to grab attention as opposed to using something simple like “Oral Presentation”. The task description should offer an understanding about an assignment or behavior that you will be assessing the student on. Examples could be a presentation, paper, participation or following protocols within a competency. This part especially will engage the student and help them realize that this will be used as a grading tool.
The scale examines how well or poorly a student performs in a task. This can be either numbers or words. Levi and Stevens state Some instructors prefer using noncompetitive language such as high level, middle level and beginning level. Scales should start off with three to five levels to properly assess grading, the more levels the more difficult it is to clearly distinguish the difference.Commonly used labels by Huba and Freed (2000):Exemplary, proficient, marginal, unacceptableAccomplished, average, developing, beginning
The dimensions break the task down into specific components on how they will be assessed. These are the most critical areas of the assignment or task. These components should demonstrate specific skills you are looking for in the assignment. You should use a rubric that has at least three dimensions. The dimensions should be free of qualifiers. Grammar would be a good example however Proper Grammar would not. Breaking the assignment down into areas of the task helps communication what is vital in the assignment to the student.
*Refer to handout page ?Each dimension should be completely different and all-encompassing categories that should contain a description of the level of performance for a given dimension. A scoring guide rubric offers more flexibility than a standard rubric as it lists the highest dimension with a comment section. Levi and Stevens advises to use a rubric that contains at least three scales and a description in which most students fail the highest level. If a student demonstrates specific parts of a dimension, the instructor can simply underline or circle the comments in the corresponding box, conveying that the student was in between dimensions.
The two basic types of rubrics are holistic and analytic. *Please refer to hand-outs. Holistic rubrics ask the evaluatorto make a single judgment about the object or behavior being evaluated. If you areusing a 4 point holistic rubric to evaluate students’ oral presentations, you indicatewhether the presentation is a 1, 2, 3, or 4 based on the level at which it meets thedescribed criteria. This is a quick way to provide an overall evaluation of thepresentation.Analytic rubrics provide more useable data thanholistic rubrics because the criteria provide strengths and weaknesses and describe theperformance at each level in more detail, thus providing more information on what is lacking in the poorer performance.
Stevens and Levi specifically address six key reasons for using rubrics in the classroom. The main reason I like about rubrics is the transparency it allows instructors to provide for students. It let’s them know exactly what you are looking for and how they will be assessed. There isn’t any wiggle room for debate on whether or not the student did or did not deserve the grade in which they received.
How many times have you had students who just don’t get it. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing”. How do I start on this paper? I hate writing papers….Here’s where rubrics can help you as the instructor and also provide great advantages for students.
What are some benefits to instructors or students that rubrics offer?
Increase student learning through better, more timelyfeedback.It is often difficult to quickly and accurately providing grades and feedback on student assignments given other courses, prepping and a number of other factors. Using rubrics, we are able to more efficiently grade papers and other assignments. Rucker and Thompson’s (200) research on college students shows that time is actually a factor on how students perceive how meaningful feedback is. Feedback that was given as soon as possible had the greatest influence on helping students achieve changes in subsequent work. Other research indicates that the opposite problem can occur as well. If a student doesn’t receive feedback on an assignment until late in the quarter it will likely be ineffective for the student and for the course. According to Levi and Stevens many students tend to make the same repeated mistakes on homework and assignments, by using a rubric to provide details to the student he or she is able to incorporate that feedback.By using a rubric the time it takes to provide feedback to the student can be cut in half! The result is an easier grading process for us and timely, detailed, often easier to read feedback for the student.
Increases motivation because of clear expectationsAccording to Brinko’s research, students want as much detail as possible about grading also especially offering the highest level of achievement. Rubrics allow for both of these pieces of information. The student still receives all the necessary details about how and where the asssignment did or did not achieve the goal also with areas he or she could improve upon.Students that have rubrics will have a much better idea of what the assignment expectations are. Students who have reoccuring issues may be able to see patterns by bringing in their graded rubrics for assessment and then helping to find out the best resources to help them. Using rubrics provides more feedback that good content, interesting subject, B. It allows the student to understand how they got their grade and see where the strengths and weaknesses lie.
Guide students to be more independent learners, monitor their own work better: increase metacognitionBecause of the proper assessment of their material, they are able to examine their own performance. The rubric offers a benchmark that the student can compare their past work to and learn how to improve. This also allows for the student to work on their self-dicovery in the learning process.
Improve communication with tutors, writing center, peers, instructors and so forth. Tutors may be able to better identify areas of help for students in specific classes by examining their graded rubrics. Those who are assisting a student with writing assignments will also have a tool to help the student determine what areas they should focus on. New faculty or adjuncts can find rubrics useful if they have already been implemented and successful in a specific course for a specific assignment (an example would be the Learning Outcome Assessments). Students or other instructors may benefit to understand the values within the classroom. Fellow instructors can share rubrics to increase consistency among grading.
Reduce grading timeMore consistency in gradingFewer office visits by befuddled studentsLess time in class describing a complex assignmentAble to check where students are not learning- organization, ideas, formatting??Greater clarity for you, too.
For first-generation college students may find rubrics useful as it explains specifically the tasks instead of getting caught up in wording like “critical thinking” objective versus subjective views. Rubrics may also help those who English is not their primary language understand an assignment better by clearly identifying the objective's.
It’s a late night and you are half way through your stack of never-ending papers. It seems like they are getting worse, or is it that you are just sick of reading the same thing? Grading has become a major issue especially in higher education with the issue of grade inflation. By using rubrics, not only can we grade more efficiently and effectively it will also allow us to grade on a more consistent and fair basis.
Performance anchors allow us to be consistent and focused when grading assignments. We understand what the expectations are throughout the assignment. This shifts us from a more biased approach to remaining objective and clearly identifying areas of strength and weakness. This also helps us to avoid inflating grades because it shows the student has earned his or her grade.With the increased speed grading with a rubric provides, you will no longer have to write copious notes on the backs of student papers. No more writing “great job, be sure to review APA format and expand on your opinion” 15 times for a class. Using circles or checks you will be able to clearly articulate detailed feedback or by providing a short word or two summary. This depends on what type of rubric we use, this will be discussed more in detail in grading methods.Using a scoring rubric allows for a more flexible and individualized approach. The format organizes our notes for us and keeps us focused on the main objectives. (handout?)The summative feedback provides as a whole the student’s grade for the assignment. Using a rubric makes it easier to quantify how the final grade for an assignment may be earned. The rubric also provides a structure for the final grade when assigning specific points to a category. It also providies a detailed explaination for how and why a student earned a specific grade.