Course assignment rubrics can be incredibly helpful for fairly and consistently evaluating student work, communicating the expectations of an assignment to students, and helping instructors determine whether students are meeting the goals of the assignment and course student learning objectives (SLOs).
Different rubrics may have different goals. For example, rubrics for Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) or GE Learning Outcomes may be designed to determine how students in a wide range of classes, from multiple disciplines, engaged in a wide range of assignments and activities are meeting a specific PLO. They may be incorporated into a rubric used to grade the assignment or assessed separately, ideally while an instructor grades the assignment. Instructors may create rubrics to assess course SLOs and/or to assist in grading assignments.
An assessment rubric is a tool used to evaluate student work that provides a clear set of criteria and
performance levels to guide the assessment of one or more student learning outcomes.
It may stand alone or be incorporated as one component of an assignment’s grading
rubric. Rubrics break down more complex assignments into specific, measurable components,
ensure fair and consistent evaluation, and offer students valuable feedback for improvement.
Rubrics typically include:
- Criteria: The elements or skills being assessed (e.g., analysis, organization, use of evidence).
- Performance Levels: A range of quality levels (e.g., Excellent to Poor, or 4 to 1).
- Descriptors: Clear explanations of what each level looks like for each criterion.
Why use rubrics?
- Clarify Expectations: Students understand exactly what is expected and how to succeed.
- Ensure Fairness and Consistency: Rubrics help reduce subjectivity and bias in grading.
- Provide Meaningful Feedback: Detailed descriptors guide instructors in giving constructive, specific comments.
- Support Student Learning: Rubrics can be used as learning tools—students can self-assess and revise their work.
- Streamline Grading: They make grading more efficient and transparent, especially for large classes or multiple graders.
Best Practices for Creating Effective Rubrics
- Start with the Learning Outcomes
- Align your rubric criteria directly with your course’s Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs).
- Ask: What skills or knowledge should this assignment demonstrate?
- Choose the Right Type of Rubric
- Analytic Rubric: Breaks the task into separate components with individual scores (most common and informative).
- Holistic Rubric: Provides an overall score based on a general description of performance levels.
- Define Clear, Measurable Criteria
- Focus on observable behaviors (e.g., “uses evidence to support claims” vs. “shows understanding”).
- Limit to 4–6 criteria to keep the rubric focused and manageable.
- Describe Performance Levels Clearly
- Use consistent language across levels (e.g., Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor).
- Use specific, actionable descriptors (e.g., “Thesis is clearly stated and strongly supported by evidence”).
- Use a 3- to 5-Level Scale
- For assessment, a 4-point scale (e.g., Initial, Emerging, Developing, Highly Developed) can works well.
- For grading this is often determined by grading ranges (e.g. A, B, C, D, F).
- It may be necessary to align an assessment rubric with assignment grades if meeting the SLO is part of the overall grade of the assignment.
- Share the Rubric with Students Early
- Include it in your syllabus or assignment prompt.
- Encourage students to use it during planning, drafting, and peer review.
- Revise and Refine
- After using a rubric, reflect on its effectiveness.
- Adjust based on student performance patterns, feedback, or clarity issues.
Example Rubric
| Criteria | Excellent | Satisfactory | Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment with SLO | Clearly analyzes human impact using strong scientific evidence | Addresses topic but lacks depth in analysis | Limited or no use of scientific reasoning |
| Research and Evidence | 3+ high-quality, relevant sources well integrated | Uses sources, but integration or relevance may vary | Few or poor-quality sources; limited integration |
| Organization and Clarity | Well-organized; ideas flow logically; clear writing | Generally clear and organized |
Unclear or poorly organized |
| Critical Thinking and Insight | Demonstrates deep understanding and thoughtful conclusions | Basic understanding with some insight | Superficial or unclear conclusions |
| Format and APA Citation | All formatting and citations correct | Minor citation or formatting errors | Major issues with formatting or missing citations |
I’ve tried using rubrics, but my students’ grades suffered.
This usually occurs because of inflexibility in the rubric, or incorrect weighing of the components of a rubric. For example, giving scores for correct citations the same weight as strength of argument may not reflect the actual importance of these two components to the grading process.
Consider the type of rubric you are using:
- Holistic Rubrics: Provide a single score based on an overall impression of the work, suitable for tasks where the focus is on the final product.
- Analytic Rubrics: Provide separate scores for each criterion, allowing for more detailed feedback on strengths and weaknesses.
Create a rubric that weighs components according to their importance in the overall assignment grade.
I want to create an assessment or grading rubric, but don’t know where to start.
Think holistically about what the threshold for an acceptable assignment is and align this to a passing grade on the assignment. What does mastery of the assignment look like? Align that to your highest grade category. What distinguishes an A from a B or highly developed from developed? That can help determine how to distinguish levels of mastery.
Consider using AI to help start developing your rubric.