The Basics of Rubrics

Types of Rubrics

Rubrics can be holistic or analytic, general or task specific

Holistic vs. analytic

Holistic rubrics provide a single score based on an overall impression of a students performance
on a task.
Advantages: quick scoring, provides overview of student achievement
Disadvantages: does not provide detailed information, may be difficult to provide one overall
score

Analytic rubrics provide specific feedback along several dimensions.

Advantages: more detailed feedback, scoring more consistent across students, provides more
guidance for instructional planning
Disadvantage: time consuming to score

General vs. task specific

General rubrics contain criteria that are general across tasks.

Advantage: can use the same rubric across different tasks
Disadvantage: feedback ma y not be specific enough

Task specific rubrics are unique to a specific task.

Advantage: more reliable assessment of performance on the task
Disadvantage: difficult to construct rubrics for all specific tasks

What type of rubric works best for your purposes?

Use a holistic rubric when:

You want a quick snapshot of student performance level.

Use an analytic rubric when:

You want to see relative strengths and weaknesses.
You want detailed feedback.
You want to assess complicated skills or performance.
You want students to self-assess their understanding or performance.
You want information for instructional planning.

Use a general rubric when:

You want to assess reasoning, skills and products.
All students are not doing exactly the same task.

Using Rubrics for Assessment

 When students are made aware of the rubrics prior to instruction and assessment, they know the
level of performance expected.

If you are providing a rubric, share it with students before they complete the task. This will help
them understand the performance standards.

Use rubrics for summative and formative evaluation.

Rubrics can provide both a grade (summative) and detailed feedback to improve future
performance (formative).

Use rubrics to promote student self-assessment of their own learning and performance.

ANALYTIC RUBRICS
An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the domains (dimensions) listed in the leftmost column and with
levels of performance (i.e., performance descriptors, criteria) 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 domains is scored individually.

Parallel focus across each level

Review of Research, Written Communication,

Presentation, Content, Reflection, etc.

Example Analytic Rubric: Articulating Thoughts through Written Communication

 Needs Improvement
Developing (2) Sufficient (3) Above Average (4)
(1)
Clarity (Thesis The purpose of the The central purpose ofThe central purpose of The central purpose of
supported by student work is not the student work is the student work is the student work is
relevant well-defined. Central identified. Ideas are clear and ideas are clear and supporting
information ideas are not focused to generally focused in aalmost always focused ideas always are always
and ideas.) support the thesis. way that supports the in a way that supports well-focused. Details
Thoughts appear thesis. the thesis. Relevant are relevant, enrich the
disconnected. details illustrate the work.
authors ideas.
Organization Information and ideas Information and ideas Information and ideas Information and ideas
(Sequencing of are poorly sequenced are presented in an are presented in a are presented in a
elements/ideas) (the author jumps order that the audience logical sequence which logical sequence which
around). The audience can follow with is followed by the flows naturally and is
has difficulty following minimum difficulty. reader with little or no engaging to the
the thread of thought. difficulty. audience.
Mechanics Misspellings and/or Misspellings and/or The readability of the Misspellings and/or
(Correctness systematic grammatical systematic grammatical work is minimally grammatical errors do
of grammar errors seriously hamper errors distract from the interrupted by not hamper the
and spelling) the readability of the work. misspellings and/or readability of the work.
work. systematic grammatical
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 a single score
(usually on a 1 to 4 or 1 to 6 point scale) is assigned to student work based on an overall judgment. The
entire piece of student work is matched to a single description on the scale.

Example Holistic Rubric: Articulating Thoughts through Written Communication

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. Mechanical
errors or misspelled words do not 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. 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.