ASSIGNMENT

Letter Writing

Submitted By: Muhammad Asif

Roll no: bsf1900142

Program: BS IT

Shift: Morning (section B)

Course: Technical writing and Presentation skills

Submitted to: Ms. Maryam Qamar

University of Education
Division of science and technology Township, Lahore.

[27-02-2021]
What is a rubric?
A rubric is a great tool for teachers because it is a simple way to set up a grading criterion for
assignments. Not only is this tool useful for teachers, it is helpful for students as well. A rubric
defines in writing what is expected of the student to get a particular grade on an assignment.

A good rubric also describes levels of quality for each of the criteria. These levels of
performance may be written as different ratings (e.g., Excellent, Good, Needs Improvement) or
as numerical scores (e.g., 4, 3, 2, 1) Under mechanics, for example, the rubric might define the
lowest level of performance as "7-10 misspellings, grammar, and punctuation errors," and the
highest level as "all words are spelled correctly; your work shows that you understand subject-
verb agreement, when to make words possessive, and how to use commas, semicolons and
periods."

Why use rubrics?

According to Heidi Goodrich Andrade:

 Rubrics help students and teachers define "quality."

 When students use rubrics regularly to judge their own work, they begin to accept
more responsibility for the end product. It cuts down on the "am I done yet?"
questions.
 Rubrics reduce the time teachers spend grading student work and makes it easier for
teachers to explain to students why they got the grade they did and what they can do
to improve.
 Parents usually like the rubrics concept once they understand it, and they find
rubrics useful when helping with homework. As one teacher says: "They know
exactly what their child needs to do to be successful."

Characteristics of a Good Rubric:

 Rubrics are useful as instructional tools for providing assessment guidelines to
students.
 Rubrics help in providing quality feedback to students.
 Rubrics are a time-efficient way for teachers to provide feedback to students.
 An effective rubric reduces marker bias.
 Rubrics provide students with indicators for success and descriptions of these
indicators.
  Rubrics provide teachers with indicators for success and descriptions of these
indicators.
 Rubrics help focus student effort.
 Rubrics are useful as assessment tools (e.g., for grading).
 Rubrics are useful as instructional tools (e.g., for teaching and learning).
 Rubrics help teachers communicate intended learning outcomes.
 Rubrics help students to plan their approach to an assignment.
 Rubrics promote consistent marking of student assessments.
 Students’ use of rubrics improves the standard of their work.
 The use of rubrics reduces marking subjectivity.
 The purpose of a rubric is better understood if it is co-constructed by teachers and
students.

Types of Rubrics:

 Analytic Rubrics
 Holistic Rubrics

Analytic Rubrics:

An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the criteria for a student product listed in the leftmost
column and with levels of performance listed across the top row often using numbers and/or
descriptive tags. The cells within the center of the rubric may be left blank or may contain
descriptions of what the specified criteria look like for each level of performance. When scoring
with an analytic rubric each of the criteria is scored individually.

  Standards

Criteria Adequate (50-59%) Competent (60-69%) Good (70-79%) Excellent (80-100%)

Knowledge of forms, Demonstrates limited Demonstrates some Demonstrates Demonstrates

conventions, knowledge of forms, knowledge of forms, considerable thorough and
   Standards

terminology, and conventions, conventions, knowledge of forms, insightful knowledge

strategies relative to terminology, and terminology, and conventions, of forms, conventions,
the importance of strategies relative to strategies relative to terminology, and terminology, and
sources to subject importance of importance of strategies relative to strategies relative to
sources to subject sources to subject importance of importance of sources
sources to subject to subject

Critical and creative Uses critical and Uses critical and Uses critical and Uses critical and
thinking skills creative thinking creative thinking creative thinking skills creative thinking skills
skills with limited skills with moderate with considerable with a high degree of
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness

Communication of Communicates Communicates Communicates Communicates

information and idea information and idea information and ideas information and ideas information and ideas
with limited clarity with some clarity with considerable with a high degree of
clarity clarity and with
confidence

Quality of argument Argument is simple Argument takes on a Argument bridges on Argument is complex
and writing and unoriginal, and fair and expected the complex and and original, and the
the writing is weak position, and the original, and the writing is strong, fluid,
and inconsistent writing is moderately writing is clear and and creatively
clear and coherent coherent coherent

Spelling and Several errors in A few errors in Some errors in No errors in spelling
grammar spelling and spelling and grammar spelling and grammar and grammar
grammar

Example Analytic Rubric

Example of Analytical Rubric:

Articulating Thoughts Through Written Communication Final Paper:

   Needs Developing (2) Sufficient (3) Above Average
Improvement (1) (4)
Clarity (Thesis The purpose of the The central The central purpose The central
supported by student work is not purpose of the of the student work purpose of the
relevant well-defined. student work is is clear and ideas student work is
information and Central ideas are not identified. Ideas are almost always clear and
ideas.) focused to support are generally focused in a way supporting ideas
the thesis. Thoughts focused in a way that supports the always are
appear that supports the thesis. Relevant always well-
disconnected. thesis. details illustrate the focused. Details
author’s ideas. are relevant,
enrich the work.
Organization Information and Information and Information and Information and
(Sequencing of ideas are poorly ideas are ideas are presented ideas are
elements/ideas) sequenced (the presented in an in a logical presented in a
author jumps order that the sequence which is logical sequence
around). The audience can followed by the which flows
audience has follow with reader with little or naturally and is
difficulty following minimum no difficulty. engaging to the
the thread of difficulty. audience.
thought.
Mechanics There are five or There are no more There are no more There are no
(Correctness of more misspellings than four than three more than two
grammar and and/or systematic misspellings misspellings and/or misspelled words
spelling) grammatical errors and/or systematic grammatical errors or grammatical
per page or 8 or grammatical per page and no errors in the
more in the entire errors per page or more than five in document.
document. The six or more in the the entire
readability of the entire document. document. The
work is seriously Errors distract readability of the
hampered by errors. from the work. work is minimally
interrupted by
errors.

Advantages of Analytic Rubrics:

 Provide useful feedback on areas of strength and weakness.

 Criterion can be weighted to reflect the relative importance of each dimension.

Disadvantages of Analytic Rubrics:

 Takes more time to create and use than a holistic rubric.

  Unless each point for each criterion is well-defined raters may not arrive at the same
score.

Holistic Rubrics:

A holistic rubric consists of a single scale with all criteria to be included in the evaluation being
considered together (e.g., clarity, organization, and mechanics). With a holistic rubric the rater
assigns a single score (usually on a 1 to 4 or 1 to 6 point scale) based on an overall judgment of
the student work. The rater matches an entire piece of student work to a single description on the
scale.

Score Criteria

4 (80- Research paper demonstrates complete understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis
100%) statement/argument is clearly stated, complex and original, and the writing does not spend excessive
time on any one point of development at the expense of developing other points in the body of the
paper. Writing is also error-free, without ambiguity, and reads smoothly, creatively, and with a purpose.

3 (70- Research paper demonstrates considerable understanding and execution of the assigned objectives.
79%) Thesis statement/argument is stated, verges on the complex and original, and the writing shows
accuracy and balance in developing body points, but may exhibit occasional weaknesses and lapses in
correctness. Writing also has some errors and ambiguities, yet does read clearly and coherently.

2 (60- Research paper demonstrates some understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis
69%) statement/argument is faintly stated and/or expected and not confident, and the writing is inconsistent in
terms of balance in developing body points, and exhibits weaknesses and lapses in correctness. Writing
also has many errors and ambiguities, and may read confusingly and incoherently.

1 (50- Research paper demonstrates limited understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis
59%) statement/argument is simplistic, unoriginal, and/or not present at all, and the writing is unbalanced in
developing body points, weak, and incomplete. Writing also has numerous errors and ambiguities, and
reads confusingly and incoherently.

Example of Holistic Rubric:

Example of Holistic Rubric:

Articulating thoughts through written communication final paper/project.

4. Above Average: The audience is able to easily identify the focus of the

work and is engaged by its clear focus and relevant details. Information
is presented logically and naturally. There are no more than two
mechanical errors or misspelled words to distract the reader.

3. Sufficient: The audience is easily able to identify the focus of the

student work which is supported by relevant ideas and supporting
details. Information is presented in a logical manner that is easily
followed. There is minimal interruption to the work due to misspellings
and/or mechanical errors.

2. Developing: The audience can identify the central purpose of the

student work without little difficulty and supporting ideas are present
and clear. The information is presented in an orderly fashion that can be
followed with little difficulty. There are some misspellings and/or
mechanical errors, but they do not seriously distract from the work.

1. Needs Improvement: The audience cannot clearly or easily identify

the central ideas or purpose of the student work. Information is
presented in a disorganized fashion causing the audience to have
difficulty following the author's ideas. There are many misspellings
and/or mechanical errors that negatively affect the audience's ability to
read the work.

Advantages of Holistic Rubrics:

 Emphasis on what the learner is able to demonstrate, rather than what s/he cannot do.
 Saves time by minimizing the number of decisions raters make.
 Can be applied consistently by trained raters increasing reliability.

Disadvantages of Holistic Rubrics:

 Does not provide specific feedback for improvement.
 When student work is at varying levels spanning the criteria points it can be difficult to
select the single best description.
 Criteria cannot be weighted.

Thank You