WHAT IS A RUBRIC?

According to Nitko and Brookhart (2007), A scoring rubric is a coherent set of rules used to assess the quality of a students performance. The rules guide your judgement and ensure that you apply your judgements consistently.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY?
It improves the validity of the assessment.
It gives a clear guide as to what is expected of students. It makes grading or assessment more objective rather

than subjective.
It enhances the quality of direct instruction.

What does it do for TEACHERS?

It provides consistency in evaluations It is a measurement system

It assists in monitoring the students learning progress

It eliminates subjective evaluations

What does it do for STUDENTS?

It lets students know what is expected of them
It helps in sequencing/organizing task completion It provides the opportunity for self-assessment

It encourages reflection

Components of a Rubric
Criteria
Levels/Dimensions Descriptors Weight

How is a Rubric different from a Checklist

A checklist requires simply that the assessor determine

if a task is complete or an element present or absent.

A rubric requires the assessor to evaluate the task or

element.that is the extent to which the element is good.

Types of Rubrics
Task-Specific Rubric Describes the performance

quality in terms that include reference to the specific assignment.

Advantage: -more reliable assessment of performance Disadvantage: -difficult to construct rubrics for all tasks.

-cannot be shared with students ahead of time.

Used when:

1.
2.

you want to assess knowledge. when consistency of scoring is extremely important.

Types of Rubrics
General/generic Rubrics Describes performance

quality in general terms so the scoring can be applied to many different tasks.
Advantage: -can use the same rubric across different tasks

-instructional and informative Disadvantage: feedback may not be specific enough for students. Use when: 1. you want to assess reasoning, skills, and products. 2. all students are not doing exactly the same task.

Types of Rubrics
Holistic Rubric Requires you to make a judgement

about the overall quality of each students response.

With a holistic rubric the rater assigns a single score 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.

Types of Rubrics
Analytic Rubric Requires you to evaluate specific

dimensions, traits or elements of a students response.

When scoring with an analytic rubric each of the criteria is

scored individually

Weighing Rubrics - A weighted rubric is an analytic rubric in which certain concepts are judged more heavily than others.

Comparison between the Analytic Rubric and Holistic Rubric

Analytic Rubrics Holistic Rubrics

Identify and assess Assess the student work as individual components of a a whole. finished product. Several criterion are Each criteria receives a included in each level. separate score. Simple to create and Takes longer to create and quickly scored score Gives diagnostic Summative & less detailed information and feedback

Performance Task using both Holistic and Analytic Rubric

A standard two( 2) class was taught about the different types of pollution. They are to write an essay on one type of pollution. In the essay the students are to identify the causes, effects and possible preventions to the specified type of pollution.

Performance Task using both Holistic and Analytic Rubric

Objectives: At the end of this activity students will be able to : 1. Define what is pollution. 2. Identify one type of pollution. 3. Explain causes of the pollution 4. Explain effects of the pollution. 5. Suggest possible preventions of the pollution.

Analytic Rubric
Criteria
Definition

3
Pollution was clearly defined One type was clearly named The causes of the selected type were clearly explained

2
Pollution was defined One type was named The causes of the selected type were explained

1
Pollution was somewhat defined One type was hinted The causes of the selected type were somewhat explained The effects of the type of pollution were somewhat discussed

0
Pollution was not defined No type was named

Score

Type of Pollution Causes

No explanation

Effects

The effects of the The effects of the type of type of pollution pollution were clearly were discussed discussed Possible prevention methods were clearly named and discussed. Excellent understanding and critical thinking displayed Writing was wellorganized and cohesive Possible prevention methods were named and explained Understanding and thinking were displayed Writing was organized and understandable

No discussion

Prevention

Possible prevention methods were indicated Moderate to vague understanding and thinking displayed

No Possible prevention methods were named nor explained Poor understanding and thinking displayed

Understanding and thinking

Writing mechanics

Writing was almost Writing was disorganized organized and and off-task somewhat sequential

Advantages of Analytic rubric

Provides meaningful and specific feedback along multiple

dimensions.
Scoring tends to be more consistent across students and

grades.
Easier for the teacher to share with students and parents

about certain strengths and weaknesses.

Helps students to better understand the nature of quality

work.

Disadvantages of Analytic rubric

It is more difficult to construct analytical rubrics for all tasks. Tends to be quite time consuming.

Lower consistency among different raters.

Advantages of Holistic rubric

Quick scoring and they provide an overview of

student achievement.
Easily obtain a single dimension - if that is

adequate for your purpose.

Permits overall evaluation or general impression of

performance

Disadvantages of Holistic rubrics

Not very useful to help plan instruction because they lack a detailed analysis of a students strengths or weaknesses of a product. Do not provide very detailed information.

Top-Down Approach
Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational Assessment of Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Step 1

Adapt or create a conceptual framework of achievement dimensions describing the content and performance that you should assess.
Step 2

Develop a detailed outline that arranges the content and performance in a way that identifies what should be included in the general rubric.

Top-Down Approach
Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational Assessment of Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Step 3

Craft a general scoring rubric that conforms to this detailed outline and focus on the important aspects of the content and process to be assessed across different tasks. This general rubric can be shared with students. It can also be used as it is to score students work. It can also be used to craft other specific rubrics.

Top-Down Approach
Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational Assessment of Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Step 4

Craft a specific scoring rubric for the specific performance task you are going to use.
Step 5

Use the specific scoring rubric to assess the performance of students. Use this experience to revise the rubric as necessary.

Bottom-Up Approach
Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational Assessment of Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Step 1

Obtain copies of actual students responses to a performance item

Step 2

Read the responses and sort all of them into three groups: high, medium and low quality responses.

Bottom-Up Approach
Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational Assessment of Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Step 3

After sorting, study each sample within each group and write very specific reasons why you put that response into that specific group.

Bottom-Up Approach
Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational Assessment of Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

Step 4

Look at your comments across all categories and identify the emerging dimensions.
Step 5

Write student-centered descriptions of the typical responses at each level/dimension within each group.

Checklist for Writing and Implementing Rubrics

McMillan, J.H., (2007) Classroom Assessment: Principles and Practice for Effective Standards-Based Instruction. (4th. Ed). Boston: Pearson.

Be sure the criteria focus on important aspects of the

performance
Match the type of rating with the purpose of the

assessment
The descriptions of the criteria should be directly

observable.

Checklist for Writing and Implementing Rubrics

McMillan, J.H., (2007) Classroom Assessment: Principles and Practice for Effective Standards-Based Instruction. (4th. Ed). Boston: Pearson.

The criteria should be written so that students,

parents, and others understand them.

The characteristics and traits used in the scale should

be clearly and specifically defined.

Take appropriate steps to minimize scoring error. The scoring system needs to be feasible.

References/Bibliography
Craig A. Mertler Educational Foundations & Inquiry Program

College of Education & Human Development Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH 43403 mertler@bgnet.bgsu.edu Retrieved from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=7&n=25
"Design Your Own Rubric" by Julie Luft, Science

Scope, February 1997. Retrieved from http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstnrhx/457/rubric.htm Principles and Practice Based Instruction. (4th. Ed). Boston:

McMillan, J.H., (2007) Classroom Assessment:

for Effective StandardsPearson.

Nitko, A.K., & Brookhart, S.M. (2007) Educational

Assessment of

Students. New Jersey: Pearson.

References/Bibliography
TeacherVision: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-

methods-andS8NZ

management/rubrics/4586.html#ixzz2AOmR

http://web.mnstate.edu/instrtech/scmodules/Rubrics/rubrics/rubrics2

.html
http://www.edutopia.org/assessment-guide-rubrics http://faculty.academyart.edu/export/sites/faculty/assets/faculty/SPORE_

webreportwithsummary.pdf

References/Bibliography
http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstnrhx/457/rubric.htm

http://epsyrubrics.wetpaint.com/page/Advantages+an

d+Disadvantages+of+the+Rubric
http://web.mnstate.edu/instrtech/scmodules/Rubrics

/rubrics/rubrics4.html
http://www.lavc.edu/profdev/utilizingrubrics.pdf