Here are some tips for writing good descriptors: 1. Descriptors describe what is expected of students at each level of performance for each criterion. 2. Descriptors help students and teachers by: a) Telling students more precisely what performance looks like at each level and how their work may be distinguished from others. b) Helping teachers more precisely and consistently distinguish between student work. 3. Practice writing descriptors and refine them over time as you gain experience using the rubric. Don't expect descriptors to be perfect on the first try. The goal is for descriptors to clearly communicate expectations so students know what is required to meet the criterion at different performance levels, and for teachers to be able to reliably assess

1. Authentic assessment encourages the integration of
teaching, learning and assessing.

2. Photo by: Runs with Scissors
1. An authentic assessment 2. And a scoring
includes an authentic task guide/rubric by which their
for students to perform. performance on the task
will be evaluated.

3. Think of authentic assessment development in four steps

4. Step 1: Indentify
your Objectives
(Outcomes)
Objectives (Outcomes) are a
description of what a student is
expected to attain in order to
meet a specified learning
outcome or objective.
Objectives (Outcomes) are
typically one-sentence
statements of what students
should know and be able to do
at a certain point.
Photo by: Pragmagraphr

5. An authentic task is an assignment to
assess how learners apply objective-
driven knowledge and skills to real-world
challenges.
We are less interested in how much
information students can acquire than
how well they can use it.

6. ASK
"What does good performance
on this task look like?" or
"How will I know they have
done a good job on this task?"
These questions identify the
criteria for good performance
on the task.
The criteria is used to evaluate
how well students completed
the task, and how well they
have met your objectives.

7. Is each criterion...

9. Give the criteria to
students before they
begin a task
Criteria should be given to
students before they begin
a task to:
•Know the instructor's
expectations.
•Recognize what a good
performance should look
like.

10. Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
A rubric, or scoring scale, is
typically created to measure
student performance against Number of Sources x1 1-4 5-9 10-12
your set of criteria.
The rubric contains the Historical Accuracy x3 Lots of historical Few inaccuracies No apparent
essential criteria for the task inaccuracies inaccuracies
and appropriate levels of
performance for each criterion.
Organization x1 Can not tell from Can tell with Can easily tell which
Example which source difficulty where sources info was
This rubric (scoring scale) information came information came drawn from
covers the research portion of a from
project.
Bibliography x1 Bibliography Bibliography All relevant
contains very little contains most information is
information relevant included
information

11. Levels of
Performance
Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
A rubric is comprised of two
components: criteria and
levels of performance. Number of Sources x1 1-4 5-9 10-12
•Every rubric has at least two
criteria and at least two levels Historical Accuracy x3 Lots of historical Few inaccuracies No apparent
of performance. inaccuracies inaccuracies
•The criteria, characteristics of
good performance on a task, Organization x1 Can not tell from Can tell with Can easily tell which
are listed in the left-hand which source difficulty where sources info was
column in the rubric. information came information came drawn from
from
•For each criterion, determine
to what degree the student has
met the level of performance.
Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains Bibliography All relevant
very little contains most information is
information relevant included
information

12. Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
In the second-to-left column of
a rubric a weight is assigned to
each criterion. Number of Sources x1 1-4 5-9 10-12
Example
•Students can receive 1, 2 or 3 Historical Accuracy x3 Lots of historical Few inaccuracies No apparent
points for "number of sources." inaccuracies inaccuracies
But historical accuracy is
weighted three times (x3) as
heavily. Organization x1 Can not tell from Can tell with Can easily tell which
which source difficulty where sources info was
•Students can receive 3, 6 or 9 information came information came drawn from
points (i.e., 1, 2 or 3 times 3) for from
the level of accuracy in their
projects.
Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains Bibliography All relevant
very little contains most information is
information relevant included
information

13. Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
Descriptors describe what is
expected of students at each
Number of x1 1-4 5-9 10-12
level of performance for each Sources
criterion.
Historical x3 Lots of historical Few inaccuracies No apparent
•A descriptor tells students Accuracy inaccuracies inaccuracies
more precisely what
performance looks like at each
level and how their work may Organization x1 Can not tell from Can tell with Can easily tell
be distinguished from the work which source difficulty where which sources info
of others for each criterion. information came information came was drawn from
from
•Students will be more certain
what is expected to reach each
level of performance on the
Bibliography x1 Bibliography Bibliography All relevant
rubric if descriptors are contains very little contains most information is
provided. information relevant included
information
•A descriptor helps the
instructor more precisely and
consistently distinguish
between student work.

14. When you first construct and
use a rubric you might not
include descriptors.
Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
For example, imagine we strip
the rubric of its descriptors and Number of Sources x1
put in labels for each level
instead. Historical Accuracy x3
You might just include the Organization x1
criteria and some type of labels
for the levels of performance. Bibliography x1
After you have used the rubric
and identified student work
that fits into each level it will
become easier to articulate
what you mean by "good" or
"excellent."

15. The criteria are characteristics of
good performance on a task.
• What are the 6 recommended guidelines for each
criterion?
• Write one criterion for one of your tasks by applying
each of the 6 recommended guidelines.

16. Writing Good Descriptors for Each Level of
Performance and Each Criterion is not Easy
1. What do descriptors describe?
2. How do descriptors help:
a) Students
b) Teachers
3. Write one descriptor for the criterion you previously
wrote.