2017 Graduate Capstone Oral Presentation

NOTE: When using this rubric, the in-between categories (i.e. “E/D”) are meant for work that fall between the other categories either as a matter of degree or as
a matter of satisfying only some of the required criteria within that domain.
NOTE: Please consider weighting the various domains based on relative importance.
SCORING NO EMERGING E/ DEVELOPING D/ PROFICIENT P/ ADVANCED
DOMAIN SCORE D P A
ARGUMENT Element ● Has a general ● Makes an argument and ● Makes a clear and well ● Makes a clear, well
What is the not yet argument develops it developed developed, and convincing
evidence that the present ● Explains a little ● Explains some argument/thesis argument/thesis
student can background and background and context ● Explains background and ● Thoroughly explains
present a clear context of topic/issue of topic/issue context of topic/issue for background and context of
argument and line ● Draws superficial ● Draws general or broad the intended audience topic/issue for the intended
of reasoning? connections or connections or ● Makes specific audience
conclusions conclusions connections and draws ● Makes insightful connections,
meaningful conclusions draws meaningful
conclusions, and raises
important implications

MULTIPLE Element ● Mentions questions or ● Acknowledges and briefly ● Acknowledges and ● Acknowledges and responds
PERSPECTIVES not yet alternative responds to questions or responds to questions or to questions or alternative
What is the evidence present interpretations alternative interpretations alternative interpretations interpretations to explore the
that the student when appropriate when appropriate complexity of the topic when
considers other appropriate
perspectives?

EVIDENCE & Element ● Restates or refers to ● Summarizes relevant ● Elaborates on sufficient ● Elaborates on extensive and
ANALYSIS not yet facts, experience, or facts, experience, and/or and relevant facts, relevant facts, experience and
What is the evidence present research to support the research to support the experiences and research research; synthesizes ideas
that the student can argument argument to support the argument from multiple sources to
support an support the argument
argument with
relevant evidence?
ORGANIZATION Element ● A few ideas are ● Some ideas are logically ● Ideas are logically ● Ideas are logically sequenced
What is the evidence not yet logically sequenced sequenced sequenced to present a coherent whole
that the student can present ● A few transitions are ● Some transitions connect ● Transitions connect ideas ● Transitions guide the
organize a used ideas audience through the
presentation in a development of the argument
way that supports
the audience’s
understanding?
Modified from the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, & Equity (SCALE) ©2012 last updated September 8, 2017
 SCORING EMERGING E/ DEVELOPING D/ PROFICIENT P/ ADVANCED
DOMAIN D P A
LANGUAGE USE Element ● Uses language and ● Uses language and style ● Uses language and style ● Uses sophisticated and varied
What is the evidence not yet style that is somewhat that is mostly suited to that is suited to the language that is suited to the
that the student can present suited to the purpose, the purpose, audience, purpose, audience, and purpose, audience, and task
use language audience, and task and task task ● Speaking is consistently fluid
appropriately and and easy to follow
● Speaking is somewhat ● Speaking is mostly fluid ● Speaking is fluid and
fluidly to support
fluid easy to follow
audience
understanding?
USE OF DIGITAL Element ● Digital media or visual ● Digital media or visual ● Digital media or visual ● Digital media or visual
MEDIA not yet displays are somewhat displays are mostly displays are appealing, displays are polished,
What is the evidence present informative and informative and relevant informative, and support informative, and support
that the student can relevant audience engagement audience engagement and
use digital and understanding understanding
media/visual
displays to engage
and support
audience
understanding?
PRESENTATION Element ● Demonstrates some of ● Demonstrates most of the ● Demonstrates all of the ● Demonstrates command of all
SKILLS not yet the following following presentation following presentation of the following presentation
What is the evidence present presentation skills: skills: control of body skills: control of body skills: control of body posture
that the student can control of body posture and gestures, posture and gestures, eye and gestures, eye contact,
control and use posture and gestures, language fluency, eye contact, clear and audible clear and audible voice, and
appropriate body language fluency, eye contact, clear and audible voice, and appropriate appropriate pacing in a way
language and
speaking skills to
contact, clear and voice, and appropriate pacing that keeps the audience
support audience audible voice, and pacing engaged
engagement? appropriate pacing

QUESTIONS AND Element ● Provides a direct ● Provides a direct ● Provides a direct ● Provides a direct response to
ANSWERS not yet response to some response to most response to all questions, all questions, persuasively
What is the present questions; questions, using evidence using evidence when using evidence when
evidence that the demonstrates a when appropriate; appropriate; appropriate; demonstrates an
student can somewhat adequate demonstrates a mostly demonstrates an in-depth command of the
respond to command of the facts adequate command of adequate command of facts and understanding of the
audience or understanding of the facts and the facts and topic
questions the topic understanding of the understanding of the
effectively? topic topic

Modified from the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, & Equity (SCALE) ©2012 last updated September 8, 2017
Notes on revisions for 2017-18
- No changes were made as a majority of the summer capstone attendees had no suggestions for revisions
- Of the suggested revisions, there were a few items that emerged as possible revisions down the road:
- Do we need a way to assess students’ energy and enthusiasm for a topic?
- Can we list the presentation skills in a way that they can be assessed individually?
- Can the rubric assess the choices students make about what to share from their paper in presentation form?
- There were a couple points raised that are important to consider in the calibration and scoring process:
- Given that Q&A is a significant part of the presentation in many schools, should that section be weighted more heavily? (since
weighting choices are done at the school level, we won’t make any recommendations).
- It’s important to point out that the domain “multiple perspectives” is not about presenting and refuting counter-arguments. While that
rhetorical move can work, it’s not the only way or even the most effective way “to explore the complexity of the topic.” We are
looking for students who can raise a variety of perspectives and figure out elegant and creative ways to make sense of these
perspectives.
- Audience needs to be trained so that they don’t bring their biases into the scoring process (whether in favor or against the student’s
claim).

Modified from the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, & Equity (SCALE) ©2012 last updated September 8, 2017