The What, When, Why and How of Rubrics

What is a rubric?

A rubric is a tool used to evaluate student performance. It is made up of three key components:

1. Criteria: the specific elements or characteristics of learning being assessed, derived from learner outcomes
2. A fixed measurement scale: defined levels of performance (e.g., a 4-point scale or descriptors such as Excellent, Proficient, Adequate, and Limited)
3. Performance descriptors: clear descriptions of what student work looks like at each level of quality

When should I use a rubric?

Rubrics are most frequently used in assessment situations where we wish to provide specific feedback to students on various aspects of their learning.

Rubrics are only appropriate when it is possible to delineate various levels of quality. If a curriculum outcome is worded in such a way that its achievement is either observable or not, then a rubric would be inappropriate.

For example, a language arts outcome that asks students to print letters from left to right, using lines on a page as a guide would best be assessed by a checklist as there are not discernable levels that describe this skill – students can either do it or they cannot.

Rubrics support learning and assessment by:

• helping students understand expectations and monitor their progress
• helping educators apply criteria consistently when interpreting student evidence