GRADING Creating and Using Rubrics Creating a Rubric: The Basic Steps

Creating a rubric takes time and requires thought and experimentation.  Here, you can see the steps we used to create a rubric for an essay assignment in a large-enrollment, intro-level sociology course.  See also Tips on Using Rubrics Effectively and a Rubric Worksheet you can use to make rubrics of your own. 

1. Define the traits, or learning outcomes you want to assess (usually in nouns or noun phrases).
2. Choose what kind of scale you want to use (“Analytic” or “Holistic”?) (5-point scale, 3-point scale, letter grades, a scale of your own devising?)
3. Draw a table in which you describe the characteristics of student work at each point on your scale.
4. Test it out!

Example: Sociology 3AC Essay Assignment

Write a 7-8 page essay in which you make an argument about the relationship between social factors and educational opportunity.  To complete the assignment, you will use electronic databases to gather data on three different high schools (including your own).  You will use this data to locate each school within the larger social structure and to support your argument about the relationship between social status and public school quality.  In your paper you should also reflect on how your own personal educational opportunities have been influenced by the social factors you identify.  Course readings and materials should be used as background, to define sociological concepts and to place your argument within a broader discussion of the relationship between social status and individual opportunity.  Your paper should be clearly organized, proofread for grammar and spelling, and all scholarly ideas must be cited using the ASA style manual. 

Using the four step process with this assignment:

1. Define the traits, or learning outcomes you want to assess (usually in nouns or noun phrases).
   
   
• Argument
• Use and interpretation of data
• Reflection on personal experiences
• Application of course readings and materials
• Organization, writing, and mechanics
  
  
2. Choose what kind of scale you want to use (“Analytic” or “Holistic”?) (5-point scale, 3-point scale, letter grades, a scale of your own devising?)
   
   

   For this assignment, we decided to grade each trait individually because there seemed to be too many independent variables to grade holistically.  We decided to use a 5-point scale for each trait, but we could have used a 3-point scale, or a descriptive scale, as follows.  This choice, again, depends on the complexity of the assignment and what kind of information you want to convey to students.

3. Draw a table in which you describe the characteristics of student work at each point on your scale.
   
   Five Point Scale
   Three Point Scale
   Simplified Three Point Scale
   Simplified Three Point Scale, numbers replaced with descriptive terms
   Final Rubric (Analytic Version)
   Final Rubric (Holistic Version)
   
   Five Point Scale

   Grade/ Point	Characteristics
   5	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is clearly-stated and defensible.
   4	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is defensible, but it is not clearly-stated.
   3	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity but is not defensible using the evidence available.
   2	Argument is presented, but it does not pertain to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity.
   1	Social factors and educational opportunity are discussed, but no argument is presented.

   
   
   Three Point Scale

   Grade/ Point	Characteristics
   3	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is clearly-stated and defensible.
   2	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity but may not be clear or sufficiently narrow in scope.
   1	Social factors and educational opportunity are discussed, but no argument is presented.

   
   
   Simplified Three Point Scale

   Ideal Outcome
   Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is clearly-stated and defensible	3	2	1

   
   
   Simplified Three Point Scale, with numbers replaced with descriptive terms

   Ideal Outcome
   Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is clearly-stated and defensible	Proficient	Fair	Inadequate

   
   
   Final Rubric (Analytic Version, Sociology 3 Essay)

   Argument
   5	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is clearly-stated and defensible.
   4	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity and is defensible, but it is not clearly-stated.
   3	Argument pertains to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity but is not defensible using the evidence available.
   2	Argument is presented, but it does not pertain to relationship between social factors and educational opportunity.
   1	Social factors and educational opportunity are discussed, but no argument is presented.
   Interpretation and Use of Data
   5	The data is accurately interpreted to identify each school’s position within a larger social structure, and sufficient data is used to defend the main argument.
   4	The data is accurately interpreted to identify each school’s position within a larger social structure, and data is used to defend the main argument, but it might not be sufficient.
   3	Data is used to defend the main argument, but it is not accurately interpreted to identify each school’s position within a larger social structure, and it might not be sufficient.
   2	Data is used to defend the main argument, but it is insufficient, and no effort is made to identify the school’s position within a larger social structure.
   1	Data is provided, but it is not used to defend the main argument.
   Reflection on Personal Experiences
   5	Personal educational experiences are examined thoughtfully and critically to identify significance of external social factors and support the main argument.
   4	Personal educational experiences are examined thoughtfully and critically to identify significance of external social factors, but relation to the main argument may not be clear.
   3	Personal educational experiences are examined, but not in a way that reflects understanding of the external factors shaping individual opportunity.  Relation to the main argument also may not be clear.
   2	Personal educational experiences are discussed, but not in a way that reflects understanding of the external factors shaping individual opportunity. No effort is made to relate experiences back to the main argument.
   1	Personal educational experiences are mentioned, but in a perfunctory way.
   Application of Course Readings and Materials
   5	Demonstrates solid understanding of the major themes of the course, using course readings to accurately define sociological concepts and to place the argument within a broader discussion of the relationship between social status and individual opportunity.
   4	Uses course readings to define sociological concepts and place the argument within a broader framework, but does not always demonstrate solid understanding of the major themes.
   3	Uses course readings to place the argument within a broader framework, but sociological concepts are poorly defined or not defined at all.structure, and it might not be sufficient.
   2	Course readings are used, but paper does not place the argument within a broader framework or define sociological concepts.
   1	Course readings are only mentioned, with no clear understanding of the relationship between the paper and course themes.
   Organization, Writing, and Mechanics
   5	Clear organization and natural “flow” (with an introduction, transition sentences to connect major ideas, and conclusion) with few or no grammar or spelling errors.  Scholarly ideas are cited correctly using the ASA style guide.
   4	Clear organization (introduction, transition sentences to connect major ideas, and conclusion), but writing might not always be fluid, and contain some grammar or spelling errors.  Scholarly ideas are cited correctly using the ASA style guide.
   3	Organization unclear and/or the paper is marred by significant grammar or spelling errors (but not both).  Scholarly ideas are cited correctly using the ASA style guide.
   2	Organization unclear and the paper is marred by significant grammar and spelling errors.  Scholarly ideas are cited correctly using the ASA style guide.
   1	Effort to cite is made, but the scholarly ideas are not cited correctly.  (Automatic “F” if ideas are not cited at all.)

   
   
   
   
   

   Final Rubric (Holistic Version, Sociology 3 Essay)

   For some assignments, you may choose to use a “Holistic” rubric, or one scale for the whole assignment. This type of rubric is particularly useful when the variables you want to assess just cannot be usefully separated. We chose not to use a holistic rubric for this assignment because we wanted to be able to grade each trait separately, but we’ve completed a holistic version here for comparative purposes.

   Grade/ Point	Characteristics
   A	The paper is driven by a clearly-stated, defensible argument about the relationship between social factors and educational opportunity. Sufficient data is used to defend the argument, and the data is accurately interpreted to identify each school’s position within a larger social structure. Personal educational experiences are examined thoughtfully and critically to identify significance of external social factors and support the main argument.  Paper reflects solid understanding of the major themes of the course, using course readings to accurately define sociological concepts and to place the argument within a broader discussion of the relationship between social status and individual opportunity.  Paper is clearly organized (with an introduction, transition sentences to connect major ideas, and conclusion) and has few or no grammar or spelling errors.  Scholarly ideas are cited correctly using the ASA style guide.
   B	The paper is driven by a defensible argument about the relationship between social factors and public school quality, but it may not be stated as clearly and consistently throughout the essay as in an “A” paper.  The argument is defended using sufficient data, reflection on personal experiences, and course readings, but the use of this evidence does not always demonstrate a clear understanding of how to locate the school or community within a larger class structure, how social factors influence personal experience, or the broader significance of course concepts.  Essay is clearly organized, but might benefit from more careful attention to transitional sentences.  Scholarly ideas are cited accurately, using the ASA style sheet, and the writing is polished, with few grammar or spelling errors.
   C	The paper contains an argument about the relationship between social factors and public school quality, but the argument may not be defensible using the evidence available.  Data, course readings, and personal experiences are used to defend the argument, but in a perfunctory way, without demonstrating an understanding of how social factors are identified, or how they shape personal experience.  Scholarly ideas are cited accurately, using the ASA style sheet.  Essay may have either significant organizational or proofreading errors, but not both.
   D	The paper does not have an argument, or is missing a major component of the evidence requested (data, course readings, or personal experiences).  Alternatively, or in addition, the paper suffers from significant organizational and proofreading errors.  Scholarly ideas are cited, but without following ASA guidelines.
   F	The paper does not provide an argument and contains only one component of the evidence requested, if at all.  The paper suffers from significant organizational and proofreading errors.  If scholarly ideas are not cited, paper receives an automatic “F.”

   
   
   
4. Test it out!