Rubrics

A rubric is a measurement and instructional tool that communicates instructor expectations to learners and uses explicitly stated criteria to categorize levels of performance regarding various skill levels, behaviors, product quality, and/or process quality. Rubrics are useful when instructors assess work in which learners have constructed knowledge and the work may not be easily scored using an answer key. For example, rubrics can be used to evaluate a performance of a task, a process such as problem solving, a written paper on a topic, a portfolio, and so on. In addition, a rubric enables both the instructor and the learners to identify desirable aspects of the work and areas needing improvement. A rubric often is a one-to two-page document containing a table or grid outlining criteria in categories that helps the learner identify the instructor's expectations for a task or project and assists the instructor in evaluating the learner's work. A rubric contains a Likert-type scale that helps to quantify performance decisions.

Rubrics may be generic or task-specific. A generic rubric is used to evaluate a process such as collaboration and may be applied across disciplines or content areas. A task-specific rubric is used for a clearly defined task and therefore has a narrower application. In addition, rubrics may be classified as holistic or analytic. Holistic rubrics enable the instructor to judge the overall product or process as a whole without focusing on separate components. This provides a quick, evaluative picture but does not give specific or detailed feedback to the learner. In other words, holistic rubrics require instructors to evaluate the [Page 860]quality of learning through one performance level rather than multiple performance levels. In contrast, analytic rubrics have several indicator categories that instructors rate separately in order to differentiate performance levels within and among categories. Therefore, learners receive specific and detailed feedback that may be useful to them for improving performance.

A scoring rubric is used by instructors exclusively for the purpose of assigning grades to learners' work. In contrast, an instructional rubric helps learners to understand the instructor's expectations for an assignment and aids learners in focusing their efforts on the assignment. The same rubric may be used for both scoring and instructional purposes if desired. Instructors have found that instructional rubrics enable them to provide learners with more informative feedback without spending inordinate amounts of time. Also, instructional rubrics may help instructors to provide fair and unbiased evaluation of learners' work. In addition, multiple instructors can use the same rubric to attempt to have consistency in scoring. These rubrics can be used for learner self-evaluation and peer evaluation. Two key things to note when using instructional rubrics are that they should be provided to learners at the same time as the assignment and that the instructor should spend time explaining the rubric to the learners. Some instructors co-construct rubrics with the learners by first helping them to brainstorm criteria for which their work may be evaluated.

Rubrics can be obtained from a variety of print and Internet sources. If an appropriate rubric cannot be located, then an instructor may need to adapt an existing rubric or create a new one. The first step in creating a rubric is to examine examples of assignments to determine exemplary characteristics. These characteristics then can be grouped into categories. Next, levels of performance or gradations of quality are selected. Usually three to four levels are appropriate, although a rubric may contain more levels. One disadvantage of having three levels is that when learners use the rubric for self-evaluation, they may have a tendency to place their performance in the middle level. Levels may be labeled in a variety of ways, such as below average, average, and above average, or novice, apprentice, proficient, and distinguished. Point values also may be attached to each level of performance to help with scoring. Finally, indicators are identified for each category. Indicators are brief statements that describe the particular characteristics of products that demonstrate that learning has occurred. It is important to use language in positive terms that learners, their family members, and other professionals will understand. Describing the best and worst levels of performance and then filling in the middle levels may be the easiest approach. Rubrics should be evaluated and refined continually if they are to be useful for all intended audiences.

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