Scoring rubrics are descriptive scoring schemes developed to assess any student performance whether it's written or oral, online or face-to-face.Scoring rubrics are especially well suited for evaluating complex tasks or assignments such as: written work (e.g., assignments, essay tests, papers, portfolios); presentations (e.g., debates, role plays); group work; or other types of work products or performances (e.g., artistic works, portfolios). Scoring rubrics are assignment-specific; criteria are different for each assignment or test. It is a way to make your criteria and standards clear to both you and your students.
Good scoring rubrics:
- Consist of a checklist of items, each with an even number of points. For example, two-point rubrics would indicate that the student either did or did not perform the specified task. Four or more points in a rubric are common and indicate the degree to which a student performed a given task.
- Are criterion based. That is, the rubric contains descriptive criteria for acceptable performance that are meaningful, clear, concise, unambiguous, and credible--thus ensuring inter-rater reliability.
- Are used to assess only those behaviors that are directly observable.
- Require a single score based on the overall quality of the work or presentation.
- Provide a better assessment and understanding of expected or actual performance.
Why Develop Scoring Rubrics?
Here are some reasons why taking the time to construct a grading rubric will be worth your time:
- Make grading more consistent and fair.
- Save you time in the grading process.
- Help identify students' strengths and weaknesses so you can teach more effectively.
- To help students understand what and how they need to improve.
