Activities Module 7 Rubrics

Module 7 – Rubrics Activities 1a & 1b: What is a rubric?

These activities will help you answer the essential question:

 What is a rubric?

Activity 1a: Understanding Rubrics

You may complete this activity individually or in groups.

Read the excerpt from the article “Understanding Rubrics” that appears on the following pages. Respond
to each of the following:

 How do rubrics define quality? What is the impact on teaching and learning?

 Respond to the quote from teacher Christine Hall that appears at the conclusion of this excerpt.

 Discuss how rubrics can accommodate heterogeneous classes.

 Explain why each of the following statements is true:

o Rubrics help improve student performance.

o Rubrics provide students with informative feedback.

o Rubrics promote thinking and learning.

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The following is an excerpt from the paper, “Understanding Rubrics” by Heidi Goodrich Andrade. This
article is available on the Internet in its entirety from Harvard University at:
http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/rubricar.htm.
Retrieved January 9, 2011.

Understanding Rubrics by Heidi Goodrich Andrade

Authentic assessments tend to use rubrics to describe student achievement. At last, here’s clarity on the
term.

Every time I introduce rubrics to a group of teachers the reaction is the same — instant appeal (“Yes, this
is what I need!”) followed closely by panic (“Good grief, how can I be expected to develop a rubric for
everything?”). When you learn what rubrics do—and why—you can create and use them to support and
assess student learning without losing your sanity.

What Is a Rubric?

A rubric is a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work, or “what counts” (for example, purpose,
organization, details, voice, and mechanics are often what count in a piece of writing); it also articulates
gradations of quality for each criterion, from excellent to poor. The term defies a dictionary definition, but it
seems to have established itself, so I continue to use it.

The example in Figure 1 (adapted from Perkins et al 1994) lists the criteria and gradations of quality for
verbal, written, or graphic reports on student inventions — for instance, inventions designed to ease the
Westward journey for 19th century pioneers for instance, or to solve a local environmental problem, or to
represent an imaginary culture and its inhabitants, or anything else students might invent.

This rubric lists the criteria in the column on the left: The report must explain (1) the purposes of the
invention, (2) the features or parts of the invention and how they help it serve its purposes, (3) the pros
and cons of the design, and (4) how the design connects to other things past, present, and future. The
rubric could easily include criteria related to presentation style and effectiveness, the mechanics of written
pieces, and the quality of the invention itself.

The four columns to the right of the criteria describe varying degrees of quality, from excellent to poor. As
concisely as possible, these columns explain what makes a good piece of work good and a bad one bad.

Figure 1
Rubric for an Invention Report

Criteria Quality

Purposes The report explains The report explains The report explains The report does not
the key purposes of all of the key some of the refer to the
the invention and purposes of the purposes of the purposes of the
points out less invention. invention but invention.
obvious ones as misses key
well. purposes.

Features The report details The report details The report neglects The report does not
both key and the key features of some features of detail the features
hidden features of the invention and the invention or the of the invention or
the invention and explains the purposes they the purposes they
explains how they purposes they serve. serve.

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 serve several serve.
purposes.

Critique The report The report The report The report does not
discusses the discusses the discusses either the mention the
strengths and strengths and strengths or strengths or the
weaknesses of the weaknesses of the weaknesses of the weaknesses of the
invention, and invention. invention but not invention.
suggests ways in both.
which it can be
improved.

Connections The report makes The report makes The report makes The report makes
appropriate appropriate unclear or no connections
connections connections inappropriate between the
between the between the connections invention and other
purposes and purposes and between the things.
features of the features of the invention and other
invention and many invention and one phenomena.
different kinds of or two phenomena.
phenomena.

Why Use Rubrics?

Rubrics appeal to teachers and students for many reasons. First, they are powerful tools for both teaching
and assessment. Rubrics can improve student performance, as well as monitor it, by making teachers’
expectations clear and by showing students how to meet these expectations. The result is often marked
improvements in the quality of student work and in learning. Thus, the most common argument for using
rubrics is they help define “quality.” One student actually didn’t like rubrics for this very reason: “If you get
something wrong,” she said, “your teacher can prove you knew what you were supposed to do!” (Marcus
1995).

A second reason that rubrics are useful is that they help students become more thoughtful judges of the
quality of their own and others’ work. When rubrics are used to guide self- and peer-assessment, students
become increasingly able to spot and solve problems in their own and one another’s work. Repeated
practice with peer-assessment, and especially self-assessment, increases students’ sense of
responsibility for their own work and cuts down on the number of “Am I done yet?” questions.

Third, rubrics reduce the amount of time teachers spend evaluating student work. Teachers tend to find
that by the time a piece has been self- and peer-assessed according to a rubric, they have little left to say
about it. When they do have something to say, they can often simply circle an item in the rubric, rather
than struggling to explain the flaw or strength they have noticed and figuring out what to suggest in terms
of improvements. Rubrics provide students with more informative feedback about their strengths and
areas in need of improvement.

Fourth, teachers appreciate rubrics because their “accordion” nature allows them to accommodate
heterogeneous classes. The examples here have three or four gradations of quality, but there is no
reason they can’t be “stretched” to reflect the work of both gifted and those with learning disabilities.

Finally, rubrics are easy to use and to explain. Christine Hall, a fourth grade teacher, reflected on how
both students and parents responded to her use of rubrics:

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Students were able to articulate what they had learned, and by the end of the year could be accurate with
their evaluations. Parents were very excited about the use of rubrics. During parent conferences I used
sample rubrics to explain to parents their purpose, and how they were used in class. The reaction of
parents was very encouraging. They knew exactly what their child needed to do to be successful.

Activity 1b: Rubrics Available on the Internet

To complete this activity you will need a computer with Internet access. You may complete this activity
individually or in groups.

1. Go to the website Thinkfinity available at http://www.thinkfinity.org. *

In the search field located on the right hand side of the screen type in the word rubrics. Click “go.”

*If you are a post-secondary educator, go to the University of West Florida Center for University
Teaching, Learning, and Assessment: http://uwf.edu/cutla/rubricexamples.cfm

 How many rubrics are available?

 For what subject areas?

 What are some of the organizations providing the rubrics?

2. Scroll down to “Refine Your Search.” Click on the grade level you teach. Click the “Search” button.

 How many rubrics are available for the grade level you teach?

 For what subject areas?

 Select a rubric that you might use in your teaching. Examine the rubric by answering the
following questions:
o Are there teaching goals and targets identified in this rubric?

o What are those teaching goals or targets?

o How could this rubric help you communicate with your students?

o How could this rubric guide your teaching?

o How could this rubric guide your students’ learning?

o How is this rubric different from a simple checklist?

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Module 7 – Rubrics Activities 2a & 2b: What kinds of rubrics are there ?
These activities will help you answer the essential question:

 What kinds of rubrics are there?

Activity 2a: Kinds of Rubrics.

You may complete this activity individually or in groups.

Read the following explanation of the two kinds of rubrics 1 and then respond through discussion or in
writing to the questions related to each of the three rubrics below:

Rubrics are generally categorized as generic or task-specific. As is so often the case in assessment, the
line between the two categories may blur so that rating instruments appear more or less generic or task-
specific. Indeed, many task-based rubrics are adaptations of generic scales. It is also possible to design
hybrid rubrics that combine features of both types.

Generic rubrics can be applied to a number of different tasks. In language assessment, one frequently
finds generic rubrics used with assessment tasks within a modality (generally writing and speaking) or
mode (interpersonal and presentational). A truly generic rubric could be applied to any task within the
same modality or mode.

Task-specific rubrics are used with particular tasks, and their criteria and descriptors reflect specific
features of the elicited performance.

Rubrics that combine features of generic and task-specific rubrics are very useful in classroom
assessment because they provide feedback to learners on broad dimensions of learning along with their
performance on the particular competencies and knowledge targeted by course content and aligned
assessments. When adapting the rubrics for other tasks, teachers may keep the generic language
production elements as they are and change one or two categories to focus on task expectations.

#1 Task Specific Bridge Building Structure Rubric

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Adapted from University of Minnesota The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition,
available at: http://www.carla.umn.edu/assessment/vac/evaluation/p_6.html.

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 Retrieved January 9, 2011 from: http://rubistar.4teachers.org

 How is this rubric “Task Specific?”

 Could this rubric be easily modified to evaluate another process? If so, how could it be modified?

 What benefits are there to the design of this rubric? What are the negatives to the design of this
rubric?

 How could this rubric be helpful to teaching? How could it be helpful to learning?

 Have you ever used this type of rubric? What specific teaching goals do you have in which using a
rubric of this type would be appropriate?

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Plan is neat with clear Plan is neat with clear Plan provides clear Plan does not show
measurements and measurements and measurements and measurements clearly
Plan labeling for all labeling for most labeling for most or is otherwise
components. components. components. inadequately labeled.
Accurate information Accurate information Accurate information Information taken from
Information taken from several taken from a couple of taken from a couple of only one source and/or
Gathering sources in a systematic sources in a systematic sources but not information not
manner. manner. systematically. accurate.
Appropriate materials Appropriate materials Appropriate materials Inappropriate materials
were selected and were selected and were selected. were selected and
Construction creatively modified in there was an attempt contributed to a
-Materials ways that made them at creative modification product that performed
even better. to make them even poorly.
better.
Clear evidence of Clear evidence of Some evidence of Little evidence of
troubleshooting, troubleshooting, testing troubleshooting, testing troubleshooting, testing
Modification/ testing, and and refinements. and refinements. or refinement.
Testing refinements based on
data or scientific
principles.
Explanations by all Explanations by all Explanations by most Explanations by
group members group members group members several members of
indicate a clear and indicate a relatively indicate relatively the group do not
accurate accurate accurate illustrate much
Scientific understanding of understanding of understanding of understanding of
Knowledge scientific principles scientific principles scientific principles scientific principles
underlying the underlying the underlying the underlying the
construction and construction and construction and construction and
modifications. modifications. modifications. modifications.

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 #2 Combination Task Specific / Generic Rubric for a Research Paper

Retrieved January 9, 2011 from:

K. Ronkowitz: http://web.njit.edu/~ronkowit/teaching/rubrics/samples/rubric_apa_research.pdf

 How is this rubric both “Task Specific” and “Generic?”

 Could this rubric be easily modified to evaluate another type of writing? If so, how could it be
modified?

 What benefits are there to the design of this rubric? What are the negatives to the design of this
rubric?

 How could this rubric be helpful to teaching? How could it be helpful to learning?

 Have you ever used this type of rubric? What specific teaching goals do you have in which using a
rubric of this type would be appropriate?

Performance Score Scale and Indicators of Performance

Criteria Exemplary Good Acceptable Unacceptable
The writer's central The writing has a clear The central purpose or The purpose or
purpose or argument is purpose or argument, argument is not argument is generally
Purpose
readily apparent to the but may sometimes consistently clear unclear.
reader. digress from it. throughout the paper.
Balanced presentation Information provides Information supports a Central purpose or
of relevant and reasonable support for central purpose or argument is not clearly
legitimate information a central purpose or argument at times. identified.
that clearly supports a argument and displays Analysis is basic or Analysis is vague or
central purpose or evidence of a basic general. not evident. Reader is
Content
argument and shows a analysis of a significant Reader gains few confused or may be
thoughtful, in-depth topic. Reader gains insights. misinformed.
analysis of a significant some insights.
topic. Reader gains
important insights.
The ideas are The ideas are In general, the writing The writing is not
arranged logically to arranged logically to is arranged logically, logically organized.
support the purpose or support the central although occasionally Frequently, ideas fail
argument. They flow purpose or argument. ideas fail to make to make sense
smoothly from one to They are usually sense together. The together.
Organization
another and are clearly clearly linked to each reader is fairly clear The reader cannot
linked to each other. other. For the most about what writer identify a line of
The reader can follow part, the reader can intends. reasoning and loses
the line of reasoning. follow the line of interest.
reasoning.
The writing is The writing is generally The writing is dull and The writing has little
compelling. It hooks engaging, but has unengaging. Though personality. The reader
the reader and some dry spots. In the paper has some quickly loses interest
Feel
sustains interest general, it is focused interesting parts, the and stops reading.
throughout. and keeps the reader's reader finds it difficult
attention. to maintain interest.

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 #3 Generic Rubric for Speeches
Retrieved January 9, 2011 from
http://www.sites4teachers.com/links/redirect.php?url=http://content.scholastic.com/content/
collateral_resources/pdf/l/lessonplans_pdf_june05_RubricForSpeeches.pdf

 How is this rubric “Generic?”

 Could this rubric be easily modified to evaluate a specific type of speech? If so, how could it be
modified?

 What benefits are there to the design of this rubric? What are the negatives to the design of this
rubric?

 How could this rubric be helpful to teaching? How could it be helpful to learning?

 Have you ever used this type of rubric? What specific teaching goals do you have in which using a
rubric of this type would be appropriate?

Performance Score Scale and Indicators of Performance

Criteria 4 3 2 1
You knew your There were a few You knew little about You did not know
audience and how to people to which your your audience. your audience at all.
Audience
address them. speech did not
apply.
Excellent posture You maintained Little eye contact No eye contact and
Posture and Eye and you kept eye good eye contact and your posture poor posture.
Contact contact with your most of the time. needs improvement.
audience.
Your word choice Some of the words Your audience Poor word choice.
was excellent and you chose could be seemed confused at
appropriate for the replaced, but for the times.
Word Choice
audience. most part, your
You avoided “ums,” speech was good.
“ers,” and “likes.”
Your content was Your content was Your content was Not enough
always accurate. Essentially accurate. mostly unclear. information was
Content
presented or was not
relevant.
Maintained time You mostly stayed You exceeded the Your message
Use of Time frame. within the time time frame, but that’s was too short or too
frame. okay. long.
Your confidence was Your confidence was Your confidence was You lacked
Confidence contagious! good, no wonder okay. confidence.
everyone likes you!
You disclosed 3 You disclosed 2 You disclosed 1 You did not disclose
Sources
sources. sources. source. any sources.

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Activity 2b: What’s Wrong / What’s Right with Rubrics
You may complete this activity individually or in groups.

Read the following excerpt from the article “What’s Wrong – and What’s Right – with Rubrics.”

Write about or discuss:

Do you agree with everything Dr. Popham says? Why or why not? How can his concerns be addressed in
your classroom? Have you shared his experiences of “flawed” task-specific criteria? What was the result?

What's Wrong—and What's Right—with Rubrics2

W. James Popham

What's Wrong with Rubrics?

Although rubrics are receiving near-universal applause from educators, the vast majority of rubrics are
instructionally fraudulent. They are masquerading as contributors to instruction when, in reality, they have
no educational impact at all. Here are four flagrant flaws that are all too common in teacher-made and
commercially published rubrics.

Flaw 1: Task-specific evaluative criteria. A rubric's most important component is the set of evaluative
criteria to be used when judging students' performances. The criteria should be the most instructionally
relevant component of the rubric. They should guide the teacher in designing lessons because it is
students' mastery of the evaluative criteria that ultimately will lead to skill mastery. Moreover, teachers
should make the criteria available to students to help them appraise their own efforts.
But what if the evaluative criteria in a rubric are linked only to the specific elements in a particular
performance test? Unfortunately, I've run into a flock of such task-specific rubrics these days, especially
in the most recent crop of nationally standardized tests that call for constructed responses from students.

Consider, for example, a task that presents a cross-section picture of a vacuum bottle, then calls on
students to identify the materials that had to be invented before vacuum bottles could be widely used.
Such tasks are interesting, often inventive, and may even be fun for students to do. But the
accompanying rubric has evaluative criteria that are totally task-specific. Each criterion is linked to the
students' proper interpretation of the features of the picture that accompanies the test item. Each is
exclusively based on a specific task in a single performance test.

How can such task-specific criteria help guide a teachers' instructional planning? How can they help
students evaluate their own efforts? Perhaps the commercial test publishers are eager to install task-
specific evaluative criteria because such criteria permit more rapid scoring with a much greater likelihood
of between-scorer agreement. But such criteria, from an instructional perspective, are essentially
worthless. Teachers need evaluative criteria that capture the essential ingredients of the skill being
measured, not the particular display of that skill applied to a specific task.

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Excerpt from What’s Wrong—and What’s Right—with Rubrics? October 1997 | Volume 55 | Number 2 Schools as
Safe Havens    Pages 72-75. Retrieved January 9, 2011 from:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct97/vol55/num02/What's Wrong%E2%80%94and-
What's-Right%E2%80%94with-Rubrics.aspx

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Module 7 – Rubrics Activities 3a & 3b: How are rubrics scored?
These activities will help you answer the essential question:

 How are rubrics scored?

Activity 3a: Holistic and Analytic Scored Rubrics

You may complete this activity individually or in groups.

Write about or discuss the following holistic and analytic rubrics:

1. How is the holistic rubric a final (summative) evaluation? Is the holistic rubric a fair evaluation of
student performance? Why or why not?

2. How could the analytic rubric help teaching and learning?

Holistic Rubric – Science Essay Question

Clarity of thought, Complete. Shows understanding of all processes, reasonable
Exemplary hypothesis or thoughtful questions, conclusions supportable by data, shows 10
creativity, some graphic representation of data or concepts.
Clarity of thought, shows understanding of major processes, includes good
Competent hypothesis or questions, draws acceptable inferences and conclusions, may have 8
graphic representations.
Completes answer but explanations may be slightly ambiguous or unclear, may
Minor Flaws contain some incompleteness, inappropriateness, or unclearness in 6
representation, hypothesis, understanding of processes, or conclusions.
Begins successfully, but omits significant parts of answer or fails to complete, may
Nearly
misuse scientific terms, representations may be incorrect or omitted, incorrect or 4
Satisfactory
incomplete analysis, inferences and/or conclusions.
Fails to Assignment and explanation is unclear, or major flaws in concept mastery,
2
Complete incorrect use of scientific terms, inappropriate or omitted hypothesis.
Unable to
Product does not reflect the assignment, does not distinguish what information is
Effectively 1
needed, restates the question without making an attempt at a solution.
Begin
No attempt Does not begin answer. 0
Available from Rubrics. Retrieved from http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstnrhx/457/rubric.htm
January 12, 2011

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 Analytic Rubric – Contour Maps (earth science)
3 2 1 0

Map is crystal Map is clear,

clear, no isolines although signs of
touch or cross, no carelessness may Map lacks clarity.
stray pen or pencil appear. Isolines do Isolines are
No attempt at
marks and overall not cross, and stray nebulous,
neatness is
appearance shows pencil marks are extraneous marks
Neatness evident.
care and attention minimal or mostly litter the page.
Includes a
to detail. Numbers erased. Numbers Numbers are
blank page.
are legible, yet are legible, messy, symbols
unobtrusive, symbols conform confusing.
symbols are with handout
unmistakable guidelines.
Every isoline is More isolines
Requires isolines
present on map, are missing
are present, some
and clearly labeled. Some isolines than are
labels may be
Proper lines are missing, labels present,
missing. Most
used for intermittent. Few labels rare to
identifiable
Completeness topographic structures are nonexistent.
structures in
elements, and represented by the Symbols for
landscape are
symbols represent appropriate other
represented by
all known or symbols. structures are
appropriate
discernible not present
symbols.
structures. whatsoever.
Map is a gross
Map clearly
Map represents interpretation of
corresponds to
landscape. General reality. Hills and
given landscape.
contours are valleys exist, but Are you sure
Geologic
identifiable, shapes vary from you were
formations are
Accuracy although details given landscape. mapping the
clearly identifiable,
may be slightly off. Distances between landscape I
and distances
Distances are objects are only gave you?
between objects on
mostly consistent roughly
map are directly
with reality. proportional to
related to reality.
given landscape.
by Joel Stachura, 1995
Available from Rubrics. Retrieved from http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstnrhx/457/rubric.htm
January 12, 2011

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Activity 3b: Rubrics and Grades
To complete this activity you will need a computer with Internet access. You may complete this activity
individually or in groups.

1. Go to the Website:

http://www.phschool.com/eteach/professional_development/four-point_rubric_score/essay.html

Write about or discuss the following:

What does Depka explain is wrong with taking the score earned on the rubric and turning it into a
percentage?

Which of the three options that Depka provides appeals to you? Why? Would it be appropriate to use
that method in all situations?

2. Go to the Website:

http://roobrix.com/learn.htm

Write about or discuss the following:

What does Makkai explain is the wrong way to convert rubric scores to percentages for grades? Why
is this wrong? Have you converted rubrics scores in the “wrong way?”

What does Makkai explain is the correct way to convert rubric scores to percentages? Would you be
able to score rubrics this way without the aid of Makkai’s tool? What are benefits of this method?

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Module 7 – Rubrics Activities 4a & 4b: How are rubrics developed?
These activities will help you answer the essential question:

 How are rubrics developed?

Activity 4a: Creating an Analytic Rubric

This activity should be completed in groups of 4-6.

Follow the steps listed below to create your own analytic rubric. For your convenience, you may use the
template provided.

Creating an Analytic Rubric:

Before you begin:

1. Determine the student assignment or product you wish to evaluate.

2. Determine the key components that you interested in by answering the questions:
a. What are the standards?
b. What would be evidence that the standards have been achieved?
c. What do I expect from my students?
d. What does good performance look like?
e. What do I want to accomplish as a teacher?
f. What kind of feedback do I want to give to improve student work?
g. How can I tell if my instruction is effective?

Step 1: Gather Samples of Student Performance

1. Next, gather at least 30 random samples of student performance or work that illustrate the
assignment or product.

Step 2: Sort Student Work Into Groups

1. With a group of your colleagues, sort student work into 4 stacks according to whether or not the work:
1. Does Not Meet Standard
2. Approaches Standard
3. Meets Standard
4. Exceeds Standard

2. Write a list of the reasons for placing pieces in each of the four stacks. For example: Why does the
student work Exceed Standard? Why doesn’t it Meet the Standard? Be certain to include specific
details.

3. Keep sorting work until you are not adding anything new to your list of attributes.

Step 3: Identify Traits or Dimensions of Performance

1. Cluster the reasons into traits or important dimensions of performance. The 6 + 1 Writing Traits
provide examples of traits:
 Ideas/Content
 Organization

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  Voice
 Word Choice
 Sentence Fluency
 Conventions
 Presentation

Step 4: Write a Value-Neutral Definition for Each Trait

1. After identifying the traits, it’s time to write definitions of each. Keep in mind your definitions should
describe what each trait is about – not what good performance looks like. We’ll get to good
performance when we write descriptors for the performance levels.

Step 5: Identify Samples of Student Work That Illustrate Each Score Point on Each Trait

1. After the traits have been defined, find samples of student performance that show clearly each
evaluative criterion (1, 2, 3, and 4). These samples are going to become “exemplars.”
a. They are also called “anchors, models, and range finders.” But we will just call them
exemplars.
b. Exemplars guide the user of the rubric.
c. They help the raters using the rubric to see what 3 or “Meets Standard” looks like and
how the 3 criterion is different from the 2 criterion.

Step 6: Write the Descriptors for Each Performance Level

1. Now it’s time to write the descriptors for the evaluative criteria or performance levels. These need to
be brief but still capture the essence of what makes a student’s work a 1 or a 4 on the rubric scale.
a. Determine what the different levels of performance look like within each category.
b. Think of the lowest, middle-range, and highest level of performance.
c. Try to avoid relying on comparative language when distinguishing among performance
levels. For example, don’t define the highest level of performance as thorough and
accurate and the middle level of performance as less thorough and less accurate. Find
qualities and descriptors that are unique to each performance standard.

Step 7: Establish Validity

1. After the descriptors are written, each member of your group should rate the student samples and
share their results. Then review the descriptor and the exemplar until you reach agreement on both.

Step 8: Establish Reliability

1. Now it is time to address the consistency of the Rubric. Each member of your group should re-rate
the 30 samples using the new rubric and exemplars.
a. Compare scores on each trait.
b. Assign samples that have score discrepancies on traits great than 1 evaluative criterion
to a third rater, whose score becomes final.

Step 9: Continuously Refine

1. Test the rubric on actual student work and adjust as necessary.

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 Kansas Assessment Literacy Rubric Template

(Describe here the task or performance that this rubric is designed to evaluate.)

Performance Does Not Meet Approaches Meets Standard Exceeds Score

Criteria Standard Standard 3 Standard
1 2 4
Description of Description of
Description of Description of
Trait or Criteria the the
the the
characteristics characteristics
characteristics characteristics
for not meeting for approaching
  for meeting the for exceeding the
the standard of the standard of
standard. standard.
performance. performance.
Description of Description of
Description of Description of
Trait or Criteria the the
the the
characteristics characteristics
characteristics characteristics
for not meeting for approaching
for meeting the for exceeding the
the standard of the standard of
standard. standard.
performance. performance.
Description of Description of
Description of Description of
the the
the the
characteristics characteristics
Trait or Criteria characteristics characteristics
for not meeting for approaching
for meeting the for exceeding the
the standard of the standard of
standard. standard.
performance. performance.
Description of Description of
Description of Description of
the the
the the
characteristics characteristics
Trait or Criteria characteristics characteristics
for not meeting for approaching
for meeting the for exceeding the
the standard of the standard of
standard. standard.
performance. performance.
Description of Description of
Description of Description of
the the
the the
characteristics characteristics
Trait or Criteria characteristics characteristics
for not meeting for approaching
for meeting the for exceeding the
the standard of the standard of
standard. standard.
performance. performance.

Adapted from the Howard University Rubric Template.

Retrieved from Howard University January 6, 2011.
Available at: http://www.howard.edu/library/assist/guides/rubrics/template.html

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Activity 4b: Internet Resources for Creating Rubrics

There are many Internet resources for creating rubrics. Take some time to review each of the three
following sites:

http://www.thinkfinity.org

http://rubistar.4teachers.org

http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/rubrics/develop

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods-and-management/rubrics/4521.html

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Module 7 – Rubrics Activity 5: A Rubric for Judging the Quality of Rubrics
This activity will help you answer the essential question:

 What is a quality rubric?

To complete this activity, you may use the rubric that you developed with a group of your colleagues in
Activity 4a, one the rubrics provided as exemplars in this module, or any rubric of your choosing.

Evaluate the rubric using the following Rubric for Rubrics (adapted from The Role of Rubrics in Testing
and Teaching, W. James Popham, pp 27-28):

Evaluative Criteria Strong Weak

Significance
Is the skill being assessed a
genuinely worthwhile one?
Evaluative Criteria
Have the rubric’s scoring
criteria been selected so they
are few in number, succinctly
labeled, and instructionally
addressable?
Quality Distinctions
Are degrees of excellence
satisfactorily described for
each of the rubric’s
evaluative criteria?
Concise Clarity
Is the rubric presented in a
sufficiently succinct and lucid
manner so that it is likely to
be used?
A strong rubric will be focused A weak rubric will focus on
on students’ attainment of a students’ acquisition of
high-level cognitive skill the knowledge or a quickly taught,
requires meaningfully lengthy low-level cognitive skill.
instruction to promote
A strong rubric will contain only A weak rubric will contain too
a modest number of concisely many poorly labeled (or
labeled evaluative criteria, each unlabeled) evaluative criteria,
of which students can be taught some of which students cannot
to employ when appraising their be directly taught to employ.
own mastery of the skill being
assessed.
A strong rubric will provide A weak rubric’s evaluative
sufficiently clear descriptions of criteria will be accompanied by
qualitative differences in how qualitative differentiations that
each evaluative criterion is lead to diverse interpretations.
applied so that, with reasonable
training, different rubric users
would be able to apply those
criteria in essentially the same
way.
A strong rubric will, given its A weak rubric will be too
important function in delineating lengthy or too technical to its
an evaluative process, be intended users.
presented briefly enough and
clearly enough so that busy
teachers are apt to use it.

We recommend that if any of the criteria included in this rubric be scored “Weak” –the rubric needs to be
either tossed or revised.

“Remember the overriding rule of a rubric is to promote greater clarity regarding how a teacher is going to
judge students’ skill-acquisition. And that clarity, if relied on by teachers when designing and delivering
instruction, will benefit both the testing and the teaching of students.”3

3
W. James Popham, Mastering Assessment: A Self-Service System for Educators – The Role of Rubrics in Testing and
Teaching (New York: Routledge, 2006), pp. 27-28.

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