Information about Rubrics

What is a Rubric or Checklist? A rubric is a scoring guide that describes criteria for student performance and differentiates among different levels of performance within those criteria. Because rubrics set forth specific criteria, define precise requirements for meeting those criteria, and often assign numerical scores to each level of performance, they provide teachers with an effective, objective method for evaluating skills that do not generally lend themselves to objective assessment methods. Rubrics simplify teacher assessment of student work and provide students, parents, and administrators with an answer to the age-old "Why did you give it this grade?" question. And, at their very best, rubrics provide students with standards and expectations they can use to evaluate their performance while completing the assignment. http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr248.shtml

A rubric is a little like a thermometer. When essays are graded, it is easy to be subjective. By listing the expectations that will be used to determine the adequacy of an essay, the teacher makes essay writing and grading more objective. The teacher knows what things add up to a good response and the student knows what to include in that essay to show what has been learned. It is like saying "You are getting warmer!"

By making a rubric, the teacher is less likely to be swayed by the length of the response or the fact that the student knows what opinion the teacher wants to see and writes the response in that form.

Sample rubric	Mastery	Competent	Needs Support
Skills	. Shows work . Answer is correct . Details are clear . Calculator not needed . Work is neat and paper is clean . Work is handed in on time . Process was started and completed by self	Shows work Details are clear Answer is correct Work is neat and paper is clean	Any of these elements is missing Shows work Details are clear Answer is correct Work is neat and paper is clean

Example of rubric/checklist a student could develop:

Assignment: Write a one page essay about how safe you feel at school.

Checklist	Rubric
	Excellent	Adequate
Punctuation is correct.	Punctuation is completely correct.	Sentences are complete.
Words are spelled correctly.	Spelling is 100% accurate.	Spelling is 85% correct.
The main statement is clear	Three supporting paragraphs are: . written with a beginning thesis . make a cogent point . give examples to support ideas	Three supporting paragraphs with examples to support main ideas.
There are three supporting paragraphs
The supporting arguments make sense	Supporting arguments are creative and compelling	The supporting arguments make sense.
Sentences contain 7 or more words	Sentences are robust, including 10th grade vocabulary	Sentences contain 7 or more words
Summary is clear and makes the point	Summary is clear and makes the point.	Summary paragraph is written
The essay is cogent -- stays focused.	The final paragraph restates thesis, reviews, supports and conclusion is compelling

Questions???E-mail J'Anne Ellsworth at Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu

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