rubrics
A B C D F
Rubric: a tool for assessment • Criteria: the stan-
dards used for evaluation • Tool: a device used for assistance • Guidelines: the set instructions to follow • Evaluation: the act of determining the quality of a student’s work • Grade: the letter value that represents a student’s progress • Feedback: a response to an assignment • Revision: the act of making modifications to an assignment for improvement • Scale: a measurement chart • Collaboration: students and teachers working together towards a common goal
overview
For many instructors, grades are one
of the most tenuous and subjective categories of teaching. As with any type of assessment, instructors have strong feelings about what is effective and what the process actually involves. Because of the great emotional diversity in this area, rubrics have become a source of much disagreement. Although widely implemented in many disciplines and levels of education, rubrics have spurred excessive animated debate and controversy. Those in favor of rubrics view them as valuable teaching and learning tools that, when used correctly, benefit all involved in the educational process. The opposition argues that rubrics evoke machine-like responses from instructors while stifling creativity and promoting standardization of student work. At some universities, Ball State included, instructors may follow a predetermined rubric provided by the administration to guide the assessment of student work.
• what is a rubric? • types of rubrics • pros • cons • student response • creating a rubric
A rubric is a tool that can help instruc-
tors arrive at a judgement in grading. Interaction with this tool ideally creates a more equal, defensible and instructional grade for both the student and the instructor.
types of rubrics • Course specific • Discipline and Genre specific • Assignment and outcome specific
Several different kinds of rubrics can
Assignment and outcome specific rubrics focus on a certain desired skill or end result. These rubrics are more specialized and exact, created with certain and precise criteria, and will most likely differ from project to project or course to course.
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RUBRIC THE DE B
be found in use. Ball State University’s Writing Program implements a course specific rubric. This style of rubric covers all of the projects or essays in the course. It does not change for every different assignment, but stresses the skills most desired from the entire course. Course specific rubrics can be rather general, and the instructor must identify how each assignment fits in and interacts with the rubric criteria.
Discipline and genre specific rubrics can very greatly from field to field. These rubrics focus on the conventions within different disciplines and what they value as relevant and important. In instances such as this, a marketing rubric would appear drastically different from a history rubric.
Rubics represent not only scoring tools but also, more important, instructional illuminators. Appropriately designed rubrics can make an enormous contribution to instructional quality. --W. James Popham
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what is the purpose of a rubric?
A=Superior Convincingly and ardently communicates a noteworthy idea to an audience through sophisticated use of rhetorical strategies. • Thesis/focus—demonstrates an awareness of audience, is sophisticated, and is clearly established and maintained throughout. • Organization—has a clear sense of logical order appropriate to the content and the thesis. • Development—demonstrates critical thinking that is clear, insightful, in depth, and relevant to the topic. • Syntax and Diction—uses sophisticated language that engages the reader; manipulates sentence length to enhance the total effect of the essay; uses precise language that expresses complex ideas clearly. • Format and Design—fully integrates elements of design to best serve rhetorical purpose. • Research (if applicable)—uses sources effectively and documents sources accurately. • Mechanics—contains very few errors of spelling, grammar, paragraphing or manuscript format.
Some universities, such as Ball State,
provide an overall rubric used throughout the entire Writing Program. As in the case of Ball State, all instructors and students have access to the rubric from the Writing Program’s website. For each letter grade, descriptions are provided detailing the desired criteria with explanations for each level. This type of rubric is supplied with the hope of creating a more fair and level grading system.
ball state university
Although students will have many different instructors for introductory composition, they will hopefully be evaluated in the same fashion. Ideally, students will leave these composition courses with similar preparation and training.
RUBRIC THE DE B
• Thesis/focus—lacks a central idea; has no awareness, or limited awareness, its audience and purpose. • Organization—is random and without focus or logic. • Development— displays little or no knowledge of the subject, does not form conclusions, or fails to exhibit critical thinking or clear reasoning • Syntax and Diction— fails to demonstrate competency with language use; sentence constructions and vocabulary may be inappropriate, facile, or incoherent. • Format and Design—makes no attempt to use the elements of design to help persuade its audiences • Research (if applicable)—fails to include sufficient sources for topic, incorporates irrelevant or inadequate sources, or plagiarizes. • Mechanics—contains serious and multiple errors that seriously hinder the reading of the paper.
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Rubrics are, above all, a tool to promote standardization, to turn teachers into grading machines or at least allow them to pretend that what they are doing is exact and objective. -Alfie Kohn
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writing program rubric
F=Incompetent Fails to present its ideas to the audience and does not meet some or all of the criteria for the assignment.
the debate
Much disagreement exists concerning
rubrics and many instructors disagree with their implementation in the classroom. The critics insist that rubrics measure skills in one test but do not prove anything. Although a rubric can show how well a student analyzed an image, it does not show retention or learning of an overall concept. Uncertainty also exists concerning the actual criteria located in the rubrics. Using terms such as “superior” or “advanced” may be too simplistic to have true meaning. What is superior to one may not be to another, and in this descriptive void, error and accuracy intertwine. Opponents also argue that rubrics turn instructors into machines attempting to deny subjectivity and lessening their ability to read rhetorically. Rubrics may cause students to think less and avoid taking risks and can become crutches without which students question how to function. Those who do not fit into a mold will receive lower scores, as some rubrics leave no room
for creativity. It is argued that too often the creation of these rubrics occurs outside of the classroom and the imposed expectations simply do not suffice. Instructors on the other side of the argument would claim that the previous responses occur when poor rubrics are implemented unsuccessfully. Rubrics can be seen as a tool for collaboration between the students and the instructor, showing what is considered most important in different classroom settings. Those in favor of rubrics claim that they actually can create more aware and reflective instructors who must employ critical thinking concerning what students should be taught. If students are involved in rubric development, they too will more fully understand the criteria involved. For students, rubrics can act as guides that clarify and explain expectations and can exist as opportunities for reflection, revision and feedback in peer review, self-assessment and instructor evaluations.
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Good rubrics embrace what we value most deeply, always. -Vicki Spandel
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E T A In short, this rubric does not replace engaged response; it is a tool for generating more of it. -Eric Turley
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Throw a rubric on the table, and I’m writing for a piece of paper. -Maja Wilson
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student response
Instructors can debate endlessly on what
style or method of responding to student writing they prefer, but ultimately their main goal resides in the approaches that students find most helpful and productive. A survey conducted by Lois Smith from the University of Wisconsin researched student response and preference to grading. From an open ended question asking what irritated students most about grading, Smith found that students disliked little or no feedback from instructors, response that only included negative comments with no tips given for improvement and when no explanation was provided explaining the grading system or the criteria used for grading. Smith then surveyed the students concerning three styles of grading: a matrix, a paragraph that of-
fered suggestions for improvement and negative comments and a paragraph that included both strengths and weaknesses. Table 1 displays the survey results with two hundred and twenty responses. Method one, the matrix method, received the majority of preference at sixty percent. Table 2 details several comments from the students concerning each grading method. The Smith survey clearly demonstrates that students prefer the matrix method because it details student strengths and weaknesses in a fair and comprehensible fashion, demonstrating where points were gained and lost. Method 2, a paragraph highlighting weaknesses, disenheartened and depressed students. Students generally liked Method 3, especially the indepth and more personal comments. It
is crucial that instructors pay attention to student preference in grading and work to respond in ways that can truly moti-
vate and support students while furthering growth and development.
Images taken from: Grading Writing Projects: What Approaches Do Students Find Most Helpful?
creating a rubric
1.look at the assignment In creating a rubric, you must first have a complete understanding of the assignment. Think about the final goal. What is the assignment trying to do? What should the students learn? How does the assignment fit into the course? Answer these questions to try and help yourself identify with what you are really hoping to achieve.
3.textual evidence
Next, describe the textual evidence that will serve as proof of student engagement with the assignment. What will show understanding and awareness? What evidence will there be that the student employed critical thinking of the subject matter? What will show you that the assignment was focused and well organized? Make a list of what you will hope to find if the student successfully completes the assignment.
2.list activities
and processes
After you have determined what exactly the assignment involves, list the tasks that are directly related to the purpose of the assignment. Is there research involved? If so, how much? Must the students compare and contrast points of an issue, or make their own rhetorical argument? Whatever the tasks may be, list all of them that will be required of the students in order to complete the assignment effectively.
4. additional expectations
Make another list of any additional expected characteristics and features. Is there a certain documentation style that must be used? Will you be grading based on mechanics and grammar? Think of anything else that may effect the evaluation and list it here.
5. internalize lists
Look at the previous lists that you have created. With the expectations that you have detailed, describe what would constitute each of the grades that you will use. What will a strong or weak paper look like?
7. prepare rubric
You can now prepare your rubric. List the main categories and the descriptive characteristics for each and correspond them to the appropriate grade. Use language that directly relates to the students to ensure comprehension and an understanding of desired outcomes.
6. correlate to
grading standards Take the descriptions that you just made and tie them to your grading standards. Are there enough categories that you can confidently determine betweeen two different grades? It is important to have sufficient categories to ensure that the assignment is met, but an excess can make the assignment too complex for efficient grading.
Effective rubrics:
• correlate to the course goals • have teachable criteria • will be revised
Steps provided by Chris Anson and Deanna Dannels in “Developing Rubrics for Instruction and Evaluation”
Grading can be one of the most vague and highly contested aspects of teaching but is crucial to the advancement of students. Instructors must decide what works best for their genre, subject matter and style of teaching. Rubrics have much debate surrounding them, but as with any method of evaluation, can prove effective and useful if implemented with thought and reflection.
read on For more information on the subject of rubrics, check out the following sources: Anson, Chris M. and Deanna P. Dannels. “Developing Rubrics for Instruction and Evaluation.” Strategies for Teaching First-Year Composition. Ed. Duane Roen, et al. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, 2002. 387-401. Print. Anson and Dannels provide in depth details in descriptions on different kinds of rubrics. They differentiate between types such as course-specific rubrics, discipline and genre-specific rubrics and assignment and outcome-specific rubrics. The article suggests familiarizing the students with the rubrics and examples of papers assessed to intensify an understanding of the defined criteria. Anson and Dannels also provide a detailed example of the process of designing an effective rubric for a writing assignment. A description of the use of rubrics and advice about including students in the design of rubrics further stress the importance of rubrics as collaborative tools. Baughin, Judith A. “Primary Trait Analysis: A Tool for Classroom-Based Assessment.” College Teaching Spring 2002: 75-80. JSTOR. Web. 16 Sept. 2009. This source explains primary trait analysis (PTA) as a rubric scale used for student assessment. Baughin explains the benefits for students and teachers of making grading a more collaborative process where students know their goals and are able to evaluate their own work and that of their peers. Different teaching assignments or situations are described where PTA scales were implemented and the characteristics of the different point scales are demonstrated. Baughin supports the idea of revision from scales to help and guide the students. Bender, Kelly. “What Does the Letter Grade Mean?” Assessment Update Nov.-Dec. 2006: 10-11. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. Bender correlates a well defined rubric with the desired outcomes in a composition course. Instead of using a rubric to oversimplify or reduce grading time, Bender explains a rubric’s goals as detailing the most important aspects of a paper and the grading of it. A model rubric attached to the article includes eleven elements essential to the writing process and rates them with an A through F grading scale. Bolton, Fred C. “Rubrics and Adult Learners: Andragogy and Assessment.” Assessment Update May-June 2006: 5-6. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Sept. 2009. Bolton advocates the use of rubrics especially their uses in assessing the writing of non-traditional students. He argues that rubrics help to demonstrate the importance and main criteria of assignments while outlining the criteria and expectations before the assignment reaches completion. Bolton includes evidence from students with overwhelming results suggesting the appreciation that students have for rubricstyle assessment.
Cooper, Bruce S. and Anne Gargan. “Rubrics in Education: Old Term, New Meanings.” Phi Delta Kappan Sept. 2009: 54-55. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. This article explains the origin of the word rubric and the uses of this word in history. The authors list the advantages and disadvantages that occur from the use of rubrics in the classroom and suggest that rubrics benefit both students and teachers when used effectively. Heller, Stephen B. “Taking Time: The Art of Grading Papers Quickly and Effectively.” The English Journal Sep. 2004: 115-119. JSTOR. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. In this article, Heller defends quick grading techniques and describes the effectiveness of timely assessment for students and instructors. He suggests that for feedback to have relevance for students it should be prompt and that instructors should not spend more time grading a paper than a student spent writing it. Heller demonstrates examples of the futility of multiple comments and written feedback on papers. Kohn, Alfie. “The Trouble with Rubrics.” The English Journal Mar. 2006: 12-15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. Kohn identifies the downfalls of rubrics and of grading in general to the student psyche. He criticizes rubrics as tools promoting standardization and compares the teachers using them to automated machines. The article suggests that the use of rubrics negates subjectivity and can be harmful to the learning development of students and to the effectiveness of instructors. Montgomery, Kathleen. “Authentic Tasks and Rubrics: Going Beyond Traditional Assessments in College Teaching.” College Teaching Winter, 2002: 34-39. JSTOR. Web. 28 Sept. 2009. Montgomery argues for a move toward authentic assessment that emphasizes process, progress and product in student writing and suggests that this can be accomplished with the use of rubrics. This happens through implementing criteria into the assessment product with attention to making students aware of these guidelines. The article admits that authentic assessments such as rubrics may take more time for teachers when grading but can benefit students with the possibilities of self-assessment and peer review. Montgomery suggest that rubrics can benefit any discipline, especially one that assesses writing , but that these rubrics should be modified frequently depending on feedback from the students and their work. Narter, David. “Teacher as Machine: The Cost of Objectivity.” The English Journal Mar. 2005: 65-69. JSTOR. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. Narter’s article objects to the increase and acceptance of supposedly objective teaching methods including grading rubrics. He argues that the purposes of rubrics, equity and fairness in the classroom, are supposed to represent the end results of the removal of subjectivity from educational assessment. However, Narter opposes this view and finds that no form of assessment achieves complete objectivity and should not try to. The articles concludes that rubrics cannot measure certain unique styles and idiosyncrasies that often appear in great writers.
read on Popham, W. James. “What’s Wrong—and What’s Right—with Rubrics.” Educational Leadership Oct. 1997: 72-75. Teacher Reference Center. Web. 26 Sept. 2009. Popham identifies the three features of a rubric to be evaluative criteria, quality definitions and a scoring strategy and finds that a rubric may be holistic or analytical in grading. Popham recognizes the four major flaws of rubrics in being too task specific, too general or vague, having too much detail for practicality and the error of equating the practice of a certain skill with the actual skill itself. Popham suggests that useful rubrics have limited but teachable criteria and if implemented correctly can seve as useful instructional tools. Skillings, Mary Jo and Robbin Ferrell. “Student-Generated Rubrics: Bringing Students into the Assessment Process.” The Reading Teacher Mar. 2000: 452-455. JSTOR. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. Skillings and Ferrell explain personal experiences with using student-generated rubrics in the classroom. They found that this practice helped the students relate to the assignments and increased their overall performance. Although this article had interesting examples, it dealt primarily with K-12 education and did not over significant advice for the first year composition classroom. However, the same processes of incorporating students into the assessment process by collaborative rubrics could be implemented at any educational level. Smith, Lois J. “Grading Written Projects: What Approaches Do Students Find Most Helpful?” Journal of Education for Business July-Aug. 2008: 325-330. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2009. Smith’s article contains data and surveys concerning students’ preferences of different assessment methods. The results of the survey reveal a great partiality for the use of a matrix or rubric that provided students with scores of both strong and weak areas. The students found this method of grading the easiest to follow as well as the fairest. I found this article very useful to my research, as it included actual students’ input instead of simply that of the instructors. Spandel, Vicki. “In Defense of Rubrics.” The English Journal Sept. 2006: 19-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Sept. 2009. This article identifies positive uses of rubrics as collaborative tools individual and specific to certain teachers and classes. Spandel argues that rubrics are central to helping students work towards a goal and serve as revision guides. She emphasizes that rubrics helps professors to be more aware of their responses to student writing and will help to foster positive feedback and a shared understanding of reasons for certain grades given. This source was very effective in pointing out the aspects of good rubrics and their place in the classroom.
Turley, Eric D. and Chris W. Gallagher. “On the Uses of Rubrics: Reframing the Great Rubric Debate.� The English Journal Mar. 2008: 87-92. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. Turley and Gallagher emphasize rubrics as tools. The article establishes questions of what this tool is used for, in what context, who decides, and what ideological agenda drives the decisions for educators to use when deciding if rubric use is appropriate for any given situation. It also defines the origins of rubrics and explains their emergence from scales with the purpose of judging the effectiveness of teachers. They also describe the criteria of an effective rubric that is student based and flexible. This rubric model is included and includes a wild card category and room for feedback and notes. Wilson, Maja. Rethinking Rubrics in Writing Assessment. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2006. Print. Wilson details her experiences with grading and her own personal troubles with rubrics. Her book suggests that rubrics fail both students and instructors by limiting strengths of writers and values of readers. Wilson emphasizes the complexity of student writing and argues that rubrics cannot rate or process this aspect. This text also criticizes writing assessment that has not changed with the transforming writing pedagogies.