Creating Grading Rubrics…Ways to Ease Your Grading Burdens

Andrea Bewick, Julie Hall & Lisa Yanover

Flex Day, 2010

A rubric is basically a system for deciding how to describe the quality of a variety of academic skills.

You can create rubrics to measure almost any skill, from something as formal as a research essay/project to something as informal as a small-group discussion.

What Are Rubrics?

Rubrics can also be used in a variety of ways.

For example, they can be used to provide formative feedback, to determine student grades, or as data for assessment of performance on a specific student learning outcome.

What Are Rubrics?

“Rubrics are a way of translating the qualitative into the quantitative “ Capella (2010).

Rubrics allow for more objectivity in grading versus subjectivity.

“A rubric is not only an evaluative tool but a teaching tool that lets learners know specifically what they need to do to achieve a good performance in the course” Capella (2010).

What are Rubrics?

Specific skills of the assignment Assessment criterion by which the skill(s)

will be assessed Total points available to a student per each

skill by each criterion they achieve. The total points are then assigned according

to the rubric Capella (2010).

What is being assessed in the rubric?

Communicate expectations about “what counts” as high-quality work;

Encourage students to assess their own work;

Assign grades to student assignments and exams;

Assess specific student learning outcomes by departments for evaluation of curriculum

Rubrics can be used to:

Holistic Rubric This rubric consists

of a set of descriptors to generate a single, global score for the entire work

Analytic Rubric Comprised of a set

of focused holistic rubrics for specific components to be evaluated independently.

The individual scores are then combined for a total grade.

Types of Rubrics

The English 90 rubric used by the English Department to score the English 90 Proficiency Exam.

Individual rubrics developed to assess specific essay assignments

Course rubrics used to assess specific skill sets within a course as part of the assessment of specific SLOs.

Examples of Holistic Rubrics

Individual rubrics used to assess specific skills sets by awarding points to each set.

Rubrics used by students to assess whether specific skills are bring demonstrated in the work of their peers (this usually takes the form of a checklist).

Examples of Analytic Rubrics

Click icon to add picture

Word of Caution—Charts!

I promise, this is not an eye test!

Article RubricCriteria

(9 points)

0No Submission

1Basic

2Proficient

3Distinguished

Presented on Time

No Submission 1 Week Late 1-2 Days Late On-Time

Relevant to a Chapter Topic

No reference to chapter topics

Topics are presented but not integrated in the discussion

Makes a reference to topics, but not substantially

Relates to key topics substantially

Explains why it Relates to a Chapter Topic

Provides no examples of why article relates to a chapter topic

Alludes to an example, but doesn’t integrate it.

Provides an example of why article relates to the topic- not distinguished

Provides clear examples of why article relates to a chapter topic

Hall, J. (2010, February 9). Article Rubric.

Article Rubric Points-to-Grade Conversion

9 Points =100%=A8 Points =89% =B7 Points =78% =C6 Points =67% =D5 Points =56% =F

To be effective, a rubric must be used. It must be reliable: “It is reliable if qualified

assessors applying it to the same piece of work come up with similar scores for similar work, regardless of the amount of time between assessments” Capella (2010).

It needs to specify performance levels that are fair and reasonable

Effective, Reliable & Fair!

“BUSINESS PLAN FINAL PRESENTATION GRADING CRITERIA

WOW!!! (90-100 Points- Grade A)Begins with an introduction that shows the logic

behind the business that you selected to start and a strong organizational structure needed to run the business.

The plan is supported by research of the customer, competition, and the business you are starting.

Good! Almost there (80-89 Points – Grade B)Begins with an introduction that shows some logic

behind the business that you selected to start and an adequate organizational structure needed to run the business.

Most of the plan is supported by research of the customer, competition, and the business you are starting” W. Unti (2009, October 15).

Go from Narrative to Numerical—It’s Easy!

From Narrative to Numerical to More Using a Chart J.Hall, (2010).

Business Plan Final Presentation Rubric(28 total points)

Non-performance

Disaster!0

DisappointingNeeds Work!

1

BasicGetting There!

2

Good! Almost There!

3

Wow! Distinguished!

4

Introduction(4 points)

No LogicAt All

No RealLogic

Weak Logic

Contains Some Logic Logical

Research(4 points)

No SupportAt All

No Real Support

SomeSupport

Mostly Supported Supported

Target Markets(4 points)

No Logic/No Focus

Poor/Lack Focus

Weak/Some Focus

Logical/SomeUnderstanding

Logical/Strong Understanding

4 Ps of Marketing(4 points)

No SupportTarget

Markets

PoorSupportTarget

Markets

SomewhatSupport Target

Markets

Mostly Support Target Markets

Strongly Support Target Markets

Financial Plan(4 points)

UnrealisticNo

ResearchOf Costs

UnrealisticNo Demonstration

Of Costs

Research

SomewhatRealistic

Not DoneAdequate

Research of Costs

MostlyRealistic

Adequately Researched

Costs

StronglyRealistic

ThoroughlyResearched

Costs

Logical Argument For Investing(4 points)

NoLogical

ArgumentFor Investing

PoorArgument

ForInvesting

SomewhatLogical

ArgumentFor Investing

MostlyLogical

ArgumentFor Investing

Strong Logical

ArgumentFor Investing

Believable(4 points)

NoCreativiity

Or Believability

LacksCreativity

And Believability

SomewhatCreative

And Believable

MostlyCreative

And Believable

CreativeAnd

Believable

 

“Name: __________________________________ Total Points :_____________Business Name ___________________________Reviewed by _____________________________ 1 2 3 4 5The plan begins with an introduction that shows the logic behind the business that

you selected to start and a strong organizational structure needed to run the business.

   1 2 3 4 5The plan is supported by research of the customer, competition, and the business

you are starting.   1 2 3 4 5The plan identifies logical target markets that show a strong understanding of the

need for focus in a business plan.  1 2 3 4 5The product, price, promotion, and distribution sections of the plan strongly support

the target markets selected” B. Pratt. (November 24, 2009). 

From Narrative to Numerical Using A Rating Scale

Online Discussions RubricBusiness English 185 Discussions Grading Rubric

Criteria(9 total points)

0Non-

performance

1Basic

2Acceptable

3Outstanding

Applies Course Principles

(3 points)

The posting contains no evidence the learner understood the discussion question.

The posting answers the questions posed but are still unclear.

The posting answers the questions posed but do not include examples.

The posting answers the questions posed in the discussion topic and provides

Integrates Course Content

(3 points)

The posting does not reference course content.

The posting references course content but is still unclear.

The posting integrates course content into the discussion topic but does not include examples.

The posting integrates course content into the discussion topic and adds additional examples.

Responds to Classmates

(3 points)

Response fails to reflect accurately upon one classmate's posting and/or does not apply course principles.

Response to at least one classmate's posting but doesn’t apply course principlesin a clear manner.

Response to at least one classmate's posting applying course principles but does not include examples.

Response to at least one classmate's posting applying course principles and citing examples.

Hall, J. (2010, May 12). Online Discussions Rubric.

Online Discussions RubricPoints-to-Grade Conversion

0 points = 0% = F1 point = 34% = F2 points = 69% = F3 points = 75% = C4 points = 79% = C5 points = 81% = B6 points = 85% = B7 points = 89% = B8 points = 95% = A9 points = 100% = A

Chico State Rubric for Online Instruction (ROI)

Click on Rubric in PDF

1. “Self-evaluation tool to revise an existing course using the Rubric for Online Instruction (ROI)…

2. The ROI is a good “road map” on how to design a new online course…

3. Attaining public recognition for exemplary online instructional practices” Chico State University, (2003, 2009). Rubric.

How the Chico State University ROI can be Used?

Rubrics can also be used to assess SLOs

The English Dept, working together, has developed reading and writing rubrics for English 85.

We use these rubrics to assess the clarity and effectiveness of our English 85 SLOs.

Rubrics and SLOs

Samples of Rubrics Sample Syllabi with Rubrics (See Business

English, 185) This presentation

Copies of Today’s Presentation: Go to Julie Hall’s Websitehttp://www.napavalley.edu/people/jhall/Pages/DoctoralOnlineTopics.aspx

Capella University. (2010). Rubrics. Retrieved from http://media.capella.edu/CourseMedia/ED8600/media_resources/resources/Rubrics.pdf

Chico State University. (2003, 2009). Rubric for Online Instruction . Retrieved from http://www.csuchico.edu/celt/roi/

Rubric Development. Center for University Teaching, Learning and Assessment. University of West Florida. Retrieved from http://uwf.edu/cutla/rubricdevelopment.cfm

Hall, J. (2010, February 9). Article Grading Rubric. Retrieved from http://www.napavalley.edu/people/jhall/Pages/DoctoralOnlineTopics.aspx

Pratt, B. (2009, November 24). Grading Rubric Final Presentation. Unpublished.

Rubrician.com. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.rubrician.comRubricstar.com. (2010). Retrieved from

http://www.rubricstar.comUnti, W. (2009, October 15). Presentation Grading Criteria.

Unpublished.

References