Creating Rubrics

What is a Rubric?

A rubric is a scoring tool and a method to share feedback to learners. It outlines specific expectations for an assignment. It also breaks an assignment into parts and provides detailed descriptions of acceptable and unacceptable levels of performance (Stevens and Levi, 2005). Rubrics articulate clearly defined assessment criteria, performance standards, and descriptions of those standards for each part of the assignment. This allows for consistent evaluation of student work across various aspects of the task, ensuring that all relevant criteria are considered in the assessment process.

Rubrics generally include:

Criteria: Categories to evaluate (e.g., organization, content).
Levels of Achievement: Definitions of performance levels (e.g., Exemplary, Competent, Beginning).
Descriptors: Specific details that define each performance level for a criterion.

Criteria	Levels of Achievement
Criteria	10 (Complete)	7 (Satisfactory)	3 (Attempted)	0 (No posting)
Quality of Post	Appropriate comments: thoughtful, reflective, and respectful of others’ postings.	Appropriate comments and responds respectfully to others’ postings.	Responds, but with minimum effort (e.g., “I agree with James’ post”).	No posting
Relevance of Post	Posts topics related to discussion topic; prompts further discussion of topic.	Posts topics that are related to discussion content.	Posts topics which do not relate to the discussion content; makes short or irrelevant remarks.	No posting
Contribution to the Learning Community	Aware of needs of community; attempts to motivate the group; presents creative approaches.	Attempts to direct the discussion and present relevant viewpoints; interacts freely.	Does not make effort to participate in the learning community.	No feedback provided to fellow student(s).

Types of Rubrics

Understanding the different types of rubrics and their strengths and weaknesses will help you choose the most appropriate one for your assignment.

Holistic Rubrics

Description: Provides a single score based on an overall impression of a learner’s performance.
Best For: Quick evaluations when the performance can be assessed as a whole. Holistic rubric works best for complex tasks where the overall quality or performance matters more than individual components.
Examples:
- Higher-order thinking and analytical tasks: Evaluating a learner’s research analysis paper by focusing on the overall quality of their argument rather breaking it down into separate elements like interpretation of evidence, identification of argument, or justification of results (see sample rubric above).
Advantages:
- Simple and quick to use.
- Provides a general overview of performance.
Disadvantages:
- Lacks detailed feedback.
- May not identify specific areas for improvement.

Samples

Below are samples of holistic rubrics that evaluate the overall quality of an assessment. They can be used as-is or adapted as needed.

Holistic Rubric Sample #1: Rubric for a final project

Levels of Achievement
4 (100%)	3 (70%)	2 (50%)	1 (20%)
Accurately interprets evidence, statements, graphics and questions. Identifies all salient arguments. Thoughtfully analyzes and evaluates major alternative points of view. Justifies key results and procedures, explains assumptions and reasons. Clear and thorough presentation of evidence and results.	Accurately interprets evidence, statements, graphics and questions. Identifies relevant arguments. Offers analyses and evaluations of obvious alternative points of view. Justifies some results or procedures, explains assumptions and reasons. Follows where evidence and results lead.	At times misinterprets evidence, statements, graphics and questions. Does not consistently identify relevant arguments. Limited analyses and evaluations of obvious alternative points of view. Justifies few results or procedures, seldom explains assumptions and reasons. Defends evidence and results based on self-interest or preconceptions.	Offers biased interpretations of evidence, statements, graphics and questions. Fails to identify relevant arguments. Ignores or superficially evaluates obvious alternate points of view. Presents results and procedures but does not justify results or procedures, nor explain reasons. Defends evidence and results based on self-interest or preconceptions.

Holistic Rubric Sample #2: Rubric for an essay assignment

Score	Criteria
4 (80-100%)	Essay demonstrates complete understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis statement is clearly stated, complex and original. The writing does not spend excessive time on any one point of development at the expense of developing other points in the body of the paper. Writing is also error-free and reads smoothly.
3 (70-79%)	Essay demonstrates considerable understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis statement is stated, somewhat complex, and original. The writing shows accuracy and balance in developing body points but may exhibit occasional weaknesses. Writing also has some errors that do not impact readability.
2 (60-69%)	Essay demonstrates some understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis statement is faintly stated and/or unoriginal. The writing is inconsistent in terms of balance in developing body points and exhibits frequent weaknesses. Writing also has many errors that may impact readability.
1 (50-59%)	Essay demonstrates limited understanding and execution of the assigned objectives. Thesis statement is simplistic, unoriginal, and/or not present at all. The writing is unbalanced in developing body points which are weak and/or incomplete. Writing also has numerous errors that negatively impact readability.

Source: Whitwell, 2024

Analytic Rubrics

Description: Breaks down performance into multiple criteria, each evaluated separately.
Best for: Assignments where multiple aspects need to be assessed. For example in a discussion post assessment, an analytic rubric allows the instructor to assess multiple aspects of the post, such as the clarity of the ideas, the relevance to the topic, the depth of analysis, and the quality of peer interactions. (e.g., quality of post, relevance of post, contribution to the learning community).
Advantages:
- Provides the learner with detailed feedback.
- Highlights specific strengths and opportunities for growth that the learner can review and work on.
Disadvantages:
- From an instructor’s perspective, it is more time-consuming to write descriptors and use.

Samples

Below are samples of analytic rubrics. They can be used as-is or adapted as needed.

Analytic Rubric Sample #1: Rubric for a discussion post

Criteria	10 (Complete)	7 (Satisfactory)	3 (Attempted)	0 (No Posting)
Quality of Post	Appropriate comments: thoughtful, reflective, and respectful of others’ postings.	Appropriate comments and responds respectfully to others’ postings.	Responds, but with minimum effort (e.g., “I agree with James’ post”).	No posting.
Relevance of Post	Posts topics related to discussion topic; prompts further discussion of topic.	Posts topics that are related to discussion content.	Posts topics which do not relate to the discussion content; makes short or irrelevant remarks.	No posting.
Contribution to the Learning Community	Aware of needs of community; attempts to motivate the group; presents creative approaches.	Attempts to direct the discussion and present relevant viewpoints; interacts freely.	Does not make effort to participate in the learning community.	No feedback provided to fellow student(s).

Analytic Rubric Sample #2: Rubric for a critical reflection assignment.

Criteria	Habitual Action / Non-Reflection (50-59%)	Understanding (60-69%)	Reflection (70-79%)	Critical Reflection (80-100%)
Reflection on Existing Knowledge	Response is superficial with little conscious or deliberate thought. Does not refer to existing knowledge. Response does not demonstrate understanding of underlying concepts or theory.	Response draws on existing knowledge without attempting to appraise or evaluate knowledge. Demonstrates understanding of underlying concepts or theory but does not relate to other experiences or personal reactions.	Response demonstrates active and careful consideration of existing knowledge. Articulates new understanding of underlying concepts or theory as a result of the experience.	Response critically reviews existing knowledge, questions, and assumptions. Articulates new perspectives on underlying concepts or theory as a result of the experience.
Connection to Academic Concepts	No connections made between experience and class content and/or literature.	Connections between experience and class content and/or literature, but these connections are superficial or abstract.	Clear connections between experience and class content and/or literature. There is evidence of the application of theory.	Superior connections between experience and class content and literature. There is evidence of the application of theory and the reconstruction of perspective.
Evidence of Development	No insights about self or a particular issue or concept as a result of the experience.	Superficial insights about self or a particular issue or concept as a result of the experience.	New insights about self or a particular issue or concept problem as a result of the experience.	Transformation of perspective of themselves or a particular issue or concept as a result of the experience.

Single-Point Rubrics

Description: Focuses on one standard for each criterion, with space to note areas exceeding or falling short of expectations.
Best For: Assignments that require flexibility and detailed feedback on specific areas. For example, for a lab report assignment. A single point rubric can focus on the accuracy of data interpretation, clarity in writing, and proper formatting, with feedback indicating areas for improvement or further detail in the analysis.
Advantages:
- Encourages the instructor to provide personalized and detailed feedback.
- Provides flexibility for assessing various performance levels.
- Less rigid and prescriptive, allowing learner creativity.
- outlines the standards a student has to meet to complete the assignment.
Disadvantages:
- Does not provide comprehensive feedback.
- May require more time to provide feedback.
- Leaves the categories outlining success or needing improvement open ended and not as detailed.

Samples

The single-point sample rubric below assesses an e-portfolio in a teacher-training course. It can be used as-is or adapted as needed.

Does Not Meet Requirements	Criteria (Standards for Performance)	Meets Requirements
	The learning plan includes all the required elements/components.
The learning plan is missing some key components and does not fully meet the specified requirements.	Through this learning plan, the student demonstrates their growth and learning as a participant in the ITEC 2 course.	The learning plan clearly demonstrates the student’s growth and learning as a participant in the ITEC 2 course.
	The student demonstrates analytical and reflective skills that support an inclusive approach to teaching and learning.	The student demonstrates strong analytical and reflective skills, supporting an inclusive approach to teaching and learning.
	The student designs a structured learning plan that clearly identifies how learning outcomes are aligned with activities and assessments.	The learning plan is well-structured and clearly identifies how learning outcomes are aligned with activities and assessments.

Learn More

Watch this 7-minute video by Cult Pedagogy to learn more about the differences between holistic and analytical rubrics.

Why is a Rubric Important?

Benefits

When used effectively, rubrics are powerful tools that can enhance teaching and learning by:

For Learners

Providing detailed, timely feedback to improve performance.
Encouraging critical thinking and self-reflection.
Clearly outlining expectations for success.
Breaking tasks into manageable skills.

For Instructors

Ensuring fair and consistent grading.
Streamlining the evaluation process to save time.

Limitations

While rubrics are valuable tools, they have some limitations:

They can be rigid, which can potentially limit creativity.
They often focus only on the final product rather than the learning process.
They may lose effectiveness if they are overly simplistic.

Getting Started

Steps to Creating a Rubric

Creating a rubric can seem challenging at first, but breaking the process into small steps can make it more manageable. The following steps, adapted from Stevens and Levi (2005), can help you get started:

Step 1: Reflect +

Consider the assignment’s purpose: Why did you create this assignment? What outcomes are you hoping to achieve?
Reflect on past experiences: What worked well, and what needed improvement?

Step 2: List Criteria +

Identify the specific skills or knowledge you want learners to demonstrate.
Break these down into clear, measurable components.

Step 3: Group and Label +

Organize similar outcomes into categories or dimensions (e.g., content, organization, creativity).
Label each category clearly and succinctly.

Step 4: Define Levels of Achievement and Descriptors +

Create a scale that demonstrates growth and write descriptors for each level under every criterion.
Sample scales: Exemplary, Competent, Beginning; Proficient, Intermediate, Novice; Excellent, Good, Developing
Use precise, actionable language to write the descriptors to describe what performance looks like at each level.

Step 5: Test and Revise +

Apply the rubric to sample work and gather feedback.
Revise descriptors to ensure clarity and alignment with learning outcomes.