Rubrics are tools that outline the criteria and levels of performance for evaluating and scoring students' work. A rubric contains the essential criteria for a task and levels of performance, such as poor, good, and excellent. Developing rubrics helps make expectations clear to students, allows for more consistent grading, and provides feedback to help students improve.

1. Step 3: Identify the
Criteria for the Task
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 the standard or
standards.

2. What
should
What should students
students
know and
know andbe able to to do?
be able
do?
Students will be able to ..."
(SWBAT). For example,
Students will be able to add
two-digit numbers.
Or, it might be phrased
Students will add two-digit
numbers.
A student will add two-digit
numbers.
Or just
Identify the causes and
consequences of the
Revolutionary War.
Explain the process of
photosynthesis

3. Recommended
Guidelines
Is each criterion...
clearly stated?
brief?
observable?
a statement of behavior?
written in a language students understand?

4. Criteria Guidelines

5. 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.

6. Step 4: Create the
Rubric
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

7. Criteria
Levels of
Criteria and levels of Performance
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 difficulty Can easily tell which
are listed in the left-hand which source where information sources info was
column in the rubric. information came came from drawn 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 information contains most information is
relevant included
information

8. Weight Assigned to
Weight
each Criterion
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 difficulty Can easily tell which
which source where information sources info was
•Students can receive 3, 6 or 9 information came came from drawn from
points (i.e., 1, 2 or 3 times 3) for
the level of accuracy in their
projects.
Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains Bibliography All relevant
very little information contains most information is
relevant included
information

9. Descriptors
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 Descriptors
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 Descriptors
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 Descriptors
information
•A descriptor helps the
instructor more precisely and
consistently distinguish
between student work.

10. Writing Good Descriptors
for Each Level and Each
Criterion is not Easy
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."

11. 1. What are rubrics?
2. What are the advantages of using a rubric?