Making Assignment Expectations Clear:

Create a Grading Rubric

Barb ThompsonCommunication Skills

Libby DaughertyAssessment FOR Student Learning

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Learning Outcomes

After attending this presentation, you should be able to

name the three essential parts of a rubric, construct a rubric for a specific

assignment, and use your rubric to evaluate the

assignment

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Today’s Learning

What Is a Rubric?Rubric ConstructionRubric LanguageBloom’s TaxonomyHelpful Links

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What Is a Rubric?Scoring guide

Essential features evaluative criteria definitionsstrategy

Source: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence (University of California at Berkeley)

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Constructing a Rubric• State criteria for assignment.

• Identify levels of achievement

• Describe criterion

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Sample criterion description (Job objective on a resume):

Job Objective

Excellent Job objective refers to a specific position, is clearly worded, and indicates what duties the applicant will perform in the position

Adequate Job objective refers to a general position and is clearly worded

Ineffective Job objective is vague, unclear, or omitted

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Rubric LanguageExcellent – mastery of literary conventionsGood – usually follows literary conventionsFair – frequent lapses in use of literary

conventionsPoor – little or no attempt to follow literary

conventions

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Cognitive levels of masteryKnowledgeComprehension

ApplicationAnalysisSynthesisEvaluation

Bloom’s Taxonomy

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KnowledgeRecall data or information.

Examples: Recite a policy. Quote prices from memory to a customer. Repeat the safety rules.

Key Words: define, describe, identify, label, list, match, name, outline, reproduce, select, state

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ComprehensionDemonstrate understanding of the meaning, translation, and interpretation of instructions and problems.

Examples: Explain in your own words the steps for performing a complex task. Translate an equation into a computer spreadsheet.

Key Words: convert, explain, interpret, give examples, paraphrase, summarize, translate

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ApplicationUse a concept in a new situation or unprompted use of an abstraction. Apply what was learned in the classroom into novel situations in the work place.

Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee’s vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to evaluate the reliability of a written test. Key Words: apply, demonstrate, modify, operate, predict, prepare, produce, relate, show, solve, use

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AnalysisSeparate material or concepts into component parts so that its organizational structure may be understood. Distinguish between facts and inferences.

Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by using logical deduction. Explain logic fallacies in reasoning.

Key Words: analyze, break down, compare, contrast, diagram, deconstruct, differentiate, distinguish, outline, relate, separate

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SynthesisBuild a structure or pattern from diverse elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.

Examples: Design a machine to perform a specific task. Integrate training from several sources to solve a problem.

Key Words: compile, compose, create, devise, design, generate, organize, plan, rearrange, reconstruct, reorganize, revise

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EvaluationMake judgments about the value of ideas or materials.

Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire the most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a new budget.

Key Words: appraise, criticize, defend, evaluate, justify, support

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A more detailed chart for Bloom’s Taxonomy can be found at the following link:

http://global.cscc.edu/assessment/Bloom.shtml

A set of rubrics to measure general education across the curriculum can be be found at the following link:

http://global.cscc.edu/assessment/index.shtml

In the “General Education Goals” menu, click on the “Gen Ed Rubrics” link.

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