Rubrics 101
Brief Overview
Brief Overview
Rubrics are scoring tools that provide clear expectations for student work while offering a framework for grading based on specific criteria and levels of achievement. This framework reduces time spent grading, increases grading transparency, and supports objectivity and consistency in evaluation. And, because rubric criteria highlight common strengths and challenges for students, instructors are able to focus comments on offering individualized feedback supporting student self-assessment, reflection, and deeper learning.
Three Types of Rubrics
Three Types of Rubrics: Holistic, Analytic, Single Point
When building a rubric, there are three basic styles to consider. Which makes the best sense depends on what the instructor is trying to achieve.
Holistic Rubrics
Best for: Assessments focused on overall achievement with minimal specifications.
Holistic rubrics allow instructors to offer an overall score based on an overall impression of performance quality. Levels of achievement are correlated to point values, describing what achievement of that level looks like. Review the example below.
Holistic Rubric Example
Level | Description | Min/Max Total Score by Level* |
|---|---|---|
Level 4: Excellent: A | Demonstrates deep understanding of course concepts, thorough analysis, and comprehensive use evidence; work is well-organized, coherent, and logically structured; all aspects of the project are fully addressed; and insightful connections are creatively communicated. | 22.5 - 25.00 points |
Level 3: Good: B | Demonstrates solid understanding of course concepts, thoughtful analysis, and adequate evidence; work is reasonably organized and structured with logical connections; adequately addresses project requirements; and shows some creativity in the connection and communication of ideas. | 20.00 - 22.25 points |
Level 2: Average: C | Demonstrates basic understanding of course concepts and/or inconsistent analysis of limited evidence; work may be disjointed in places and/or communication of information may vary in clarity; project requirements may be inadequately addressed; and gaps may exist in the connection of ideas. | 17.50 - 19.75 points |
Level 1: Poor: D | Demonstrates limited understanding and/or inadequate grasp of concepts with insufficient evidence or analysis; work may be disorganized; and/or communication issues may impact ability to convey ideas. | 15.00 - 17.25 points |
Level 0: Insufficient: E | Submission is insufficient to score. | 0 Points |
Grading Scale | A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, E = 59-0% | |
*Note that the range score for each level notes the top and bottom score for a given category in alignment with the grading scale (25/25 = 100%). Ex: 22.5-25 equals 90-100% of the overall score.
Advantages: Holistic rubrics can take less time to create and score than analytic rubrics because there are fewer decisions to make. They also offer students a quick snapshot of performance expectations and achievement.
Disadvantages: Because they are less specific, holistic rubrics don’t specify for learners what elements of an assessment are most important. Likewise, they do not support instructors in offering feedback on general strengths or challenges related to specific criteria.
Analytic Rubrics
Best for: Assessments with multiple requirements or criteria that vary in value.
Analytic rubrics divide assignment expectations into key criteria, isolating different aspects of performance and assessing each one separately. Levels of achievement are defined for each criterion along with corresponding point values. The total points earned for each criterion are then tallied for an overall grade. See example below.
Analytic Rubric Example
Level | Level 4: Excellent: A | Level 3: Good: B | Level 2: Average: C | Level 1: Poor: D | Level 0: Not Present: E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Criteria | Max Score and Description by Criteria and Level | ||||
Content | 9 -10 points | 8 - 8.9 points | 7 - 7.9 points | 6 - 6.9 points | 0-5.9 points |
Demonstrates deep understanding of course concepts | Demonstrates solid grasp of course concepts but depth of understanding is unclear | Demonstrates basic understanding of course concepts | Demonstrates limited understanding and/or inadequate grasp of concepts | Not Present/ Insufficient | |
Analysis | 4.5 - 5 points | 4 - 4.45 points | 3.5 - 3.95 points | 3 - 3.45 points | 0-2.95 points |
Insightful, original analysis is creatively presented | Thoughtful analysis, shows some creativity and insight | Analysis lacks sufficient development and/or is inconsistently offered | Lacks analysis and/or offers incorrect or irrelevant information | Not Present/ Insufficient | |
Evidence | 4.5 - 5 points | 4 - 4.45 points | 3.5 - 3.95 points | 3 - 3.45 points | 0-2.95 points |
Ideas are supported by detailed evidence from various and multiple sources | Offers adequate evidence for ideas, using appropriate resources | Evidence offered to support ideas is limited in number or scope | Minimal, superficial, or inappropriate resources are offered as evidence | Not Present/ Insufficient | |
Organization | 4.5 - 5 points | 4 - 4.45 points | 3.5 - 3.95 points | 3 - 3.45 points | 0-2.95 points |
Discussion offers logical, coherent flow and structure that supports meaningful understanding | Discussion is mostly well organized, offering clear, connections between ideas | Organization is somewhat disjointed and/or connections between ideas are sometimes unclear | Discussion lacks clear structure or is disorganized, lacking clear connections between ideas | Not Present/ Insufficient | |
Min/Max Total Score by Level* | 22.5 - 25.00 points | 20.00 - 22.25 points | 17.5 - 19.75 points | 15.00 - 17.25 points | 0.00-14.75 points |
Grading Scale | A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, E = 59-0% | ||||
*Note that the range score for each criterion and level notes the top and bottom score for a given category in alignment with the grading scale (25/25 = 100%). Ex: 22.5-25 is equal to 90-100% of the overall score.
Advantages: The values and descriptions set for criteria clarify for students what components of an assignment are most important to focus on and when selected during the grading process can more precisely communicate strengths or areas for improvement.
Disadvantages: Can be challenging and time consuming to create. Depending on the level of specificity offered in the criteria descriptions, analytic rubrics may encourage students to take a technical, box-checking approach to work.
Single-Point Rubrics
Best for: Assessments aimed at development and/or the analysis of proficiency and thus better suited for earlier, formative assessments.
Single-point rubrics are focused on the achievement and assessment of a given criteria according to a single, specific standard. Each criterion is marked as "Met,” “Partially Met,” or "Not Yet Met" with descriptions highlighting what is required to meet expectations. These rubrics are ideal for evaluating low-stakes drafts, offering instructors the ability to make a quick assessment that students can use to identify and address areas for improvement. See example below.
Single-Point Rubric Example
Met (M) 1 point | Partially Met (PM) .5 points | Not Met (NM) 0 points | Criteria Description | Score and Recommendations for Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Content: Demonstrates solid understanding of course concepts | ||||
Analysis: Thoughtful analysis of research is presented | ||||
Evidence: Ideas are supported by adequate evidence | ||||
Organization: Discussion offers logical, coherent flow and structure that supports understanding | ||||
Min/Max Total Score by Level | Total Score and General Feedback | |||
0 – 4 points | .5 – 2 points | 0 points | ||
Score Grade Equivalents | 4 = 100%, A; 3.5 = 88%, B; 3 = 75%, C; 2.5 = 63%, D, 2 = 50%, E | |||
Grading Scale | A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, E = 59-0% | |||
Advantages: Single-point rubrics are relatively simple to create and score, offering students a quick snapshot of expectations for an assignment and instructors the ability to quickly clarify where the students’ performance may be lacking.
Disadvantages: The single-point rubric is less nuanced than the analytic rubric, requiring sometimes extensive, individualized feedback to be effective. Likewise, the single-point rubric can make it more challenging to vary values between criteria.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When determining which rubric type will be most effective and whether and how criteria should be presented, instructors should consider the purpose of the assessment and their own expectations for the rubric relative to student needs. If the purpose of the assessment is to offer general, summative feedback, a holistic rubric may be a solid choice. However, if an assessment is complex and/or students will be expected to use feedback to improve immediate or future assignments, a single-point or analytic rubric might be more effective. In all cases, the relation between assessment expectations and course goals and objectives should be clear. In all cases, instructors should expect to offer individualized feedback. Rubrics are not intended to replace but to support instructors in clarifying expectations and evaluations for students.
For support in talking through which rubric is best, connect with the Instructional Design and Development team.
To request rubric templates or to get help to build a template into Elearning, connect with the Instructional Technology team.
Helpful Resources for Building Rubrics in Elearning
Attaching a Rubric to a Dropbox in Elearning
D2L Brightspace YouTube: Creating Analytic Rubrics
D2L Brightspace YouTube: Creating Holistic Rubrics