This will take you through the process of preparing to create a Smart Rubric.

1. Preparing to create a simple rubric
1. Interpreting an existing rubric
2. Building a matrix
3. Writing level descriptors
4. Defining grade boundaries
5. Preparing more complex rubrics

2. Interpreting an
existing rubric

3. Level 4 (8-10 marks):
• The student is able to construct a sophisticated and well-supported analysis of a historical
event.
• There is a range of evidence used appropriately from a variety of sources
• Strong command of spelling and grammar enhances the argument.
Level 3 (5-7 marks):
• The student is able to interpret a historical event in light of evidence
• There is a range of evidence used, mainly appropriately, from more than one type of
source.
• The argument is communicated effectively with few or minor errors of spelling and
grammar.
Level 2 (3-4 marks):
• The student is able to explain a historical event in some detail.
• Simple, but generally appropriate, references made to primary and/or secondary sources.
• There may be minor errors of spelling and grammar that do not obscure meaning.
Level 1 (1-2 marks):
• The student is able to make simple comment on a historical event.
• General reference is made to the historical context.
• Errors of spelling and grammar obscure meaning.
Let’s say you are using this simple history paper rubric.

4. Before you begin…
• Be clear about what it is you are assessing. Break your rubric
down into strands (skills or assessment objectives) and bands
(levels or degrees of competency)
• A well-designed rubric is an effective teaching tool. Badly
designed rubrics will slow you down when you mark and will not
provide effective feedback to your students.
• If you would like help creating a SmartRubric rubric from a mark
scheme, syllabus or task, please contact
caroline@pinemarteneducation.com

5. • You want to asses three strands:
• Analysis - the student’s ability to interpret evidence and
form a cogent argument
• Evidence - the ability to use appropriate reference to
primary and secondary sources to support an argument
• Literacy - the ability to use standard English
appropriately and effectively to communicate ideas.

6. • There are 4 bands
• Level 4: confident
• Level 3: secure
• Level 2: basic
• Level 1: minimal

7. Building a matrix

8. SmartRubric rubrics are
expressed as matrices - like so:
Level 1
(1-2 marks)
Level 2
(3-4 marks)
Level 3
(5-7 marks)
Level 4
(8-10 marks)
Analysis
Evidence
Literacy
If you aren’t used to thinking of rubrics in matrix form, sketch it out
before you start building one on SmartRubric the first few times

9. Phrase your level descriptors in terms of
what the student can do, not what they
can’t do.
Level 1
(1-2 marks)
Level 2
(3-4 marks)
Level 3
(5-7 marks)
Level 4
(8-10 marks)
Analysis
The student can make
simple comments about a
historical event.
The student can
explain a historical
event in some detail.
The student can
interpret a historical
event in light of
evidence.
The student can
construct a sophisticated
and well-supported
analysis of a historical
event.
Evidence
The student can refer to
the historical context.
The student can refer
to some appropriate
historical evidence in a
simple way.
The student can use a
range of evidence,
mainly appropriately,
from more than one
type of source.
The student can use
range of evidence from a
variety of sources
appropriately.
Literacy
The student can attempt
to communicate simple
ideas clearly; errors of
spelling and grammar
sometimes obscure
meaning.
The student can
communicate simple
ideas clearly; errors of
spelling and grammar
do not obscure
meaning.
The student can
communicate
effectively with few or
minor errors of spelling
and grammar.
The student can
enhance the argument
with a strong command
of spelling and grammar.

10. Writing level
descriptors

11. Writing effective level
descriptors is key
Good level descriptors
• Begin with ‘the student can…’
• Are positive
• Refer to specific, measurable
objectives
The student can refer to some
appropriate historical evidence in a
simple way.
The student can use evidence
The student can attempt to communicate
clearly; although frequent errors of
spelling sometimes obscure meaning.
Spelling is terrible!

12. Why is the phrasing on level
descriptors so important?
Level descriptors in
SmartRubric do a lot of heavy
lifting.
SmartRubric generates targets
for students, and it uses the
level descriptor from the next
level up to do it.
The student can refer to some appropriate
historical evidence in a simple way.
What you see:
You can refer to some appropriate historical
evidence in a simple way.
What the student sees:
To improve, refer to some appropriate
historical evidence in a simple way.
What the student sees (target):

13. Defining grade
boundaries

14. When you mark work using SmartRubric, the
system calculates point scores and assigns
grades for you.
Level 1
(1-2 marks)
Level 2
(3-4 marks)
Level 3
(5-7 marks)
Level 4
(8-10 marks)
Analysis
The student can make
simple comments
about a historical
event.
The student can
explain a historical
event in some detail.
The student can
interpret a historical
event in light of
evidence.
The student can
construct a
sophisticated and
well-supported
analysis of a historical
event.
Evidence
The student can refer
to the historical
context.
The student can
refer to some
appropriate historical
evidence in a simple
way.
The student can use
a range of evidence,
mainly appropriately,
from more than one
type of source.
The student can use
range of evidence
from a variety of
sources appropriately.
Literacy
The student can
attempt to
communicate simple
ideas clearly; errors of
spelling and grammar
sometimes obscure
meaning.
The student can
communicate simple
ideas clearly; errors
of spelling and
grammar do not
obscure meaning.
The student can
communicate
effectively with few
or minor errors of
spelling and
grammar.
The student can
enhance the
argument with a
strong command of
spelling and grammar.
The student is at level 3 for Analysis and Literacy, but 4 for use of evidence.
Overall, that means the student is around the top of Level 3. SmartRubric uses the
number of points available in each band to calculate the exact score — in this case,
7 marks out of a possible 10, or 70%.

15. You can assign grade boundaries so that
the point/percentage score is given as a
letter grade or other level.
• Formal mark schemes from exam boards often have grade boundary
information from previous years available online.
• Schools may have their own system — using letter grades, numbers,
colours (such as red, yellow and green), or words or phrases (such as
emerging, developing or secure).
• SmartRubric is designed to be a flexible tool that can slot into these
different contexts.
• Before you being making a rubric on SmartRubric, consider your grade
boundaries.

16. In our simple rubric, grade
boundaries look like this:
• A* 90% and up
• A 80% and up
• B 70% and up
• C 60% and up
• D 50% and up
• U 0% and up
The student with 7 marks
out of 10 would get a B
(don’t worry, he or she
would also see the real
score)

17. Preparing more
complex rubrics

18. This example covers an
extremely simple rubric
SmartRubric also has you covered if your rubric is:
1. In the form of a checklist (either the student has done it - full marks, or
hasn’t - no marks) - don’t add any extra bands. All SmartRubric matrices
start out as checklists.
2. Has more than one component (such as an exam with several questions
or a project with several tasks) - use separate tabs
3. Is one task but has a subset of skills that are evaluated against a different
number of levels (such as a paper where content is marked out of 40
and literacy is marked separately out of 10) - use separate tabs