1. Developing Evaluation Rubrics or Scoring Guides  for UMass-Dartmouth  January 27, 2012

2. What is a Rubric? A Scoring Tool ◦ Lays out specific expectations (criteria) for an assignment or task ◦ Describes different levels of performance on those criteria

3. Why Use a Scoring Guide? Increase reliability when grading Clarify expectations for students Reduce time spent grading Provide detailed feedback in a timely manner Communicate with others about criteria and standards

4. When to use a Rubric? For any high-stakes assessment situation When several different people are doing the assessment When the criteria or expectations need to be clear!

5. Sharing One For a 200-level course in writing arguments For one of five assignments, assigned after mid-term

7. Steps in Creating a Rubric First, Reflection ◦ Why did you create this task or expectation? How does it relate to the readings or content of the course? What skills do students need to complete this project successfully? What scaffolding has the course provided thus far?

8. Next Step: Listing After completing the task description, you will want to make a list of all of the qualities or characteristics you are looking for as students complete this task.

9. Third, Grouping and Labeling Decide on priorities, as your rubric cannot cover everything. Also choose what you will call the levels of performance and what adjectives you think best describe the features.

10. Finally, Describing each Level of Performance Repeating key words or phrases across all levels is appropriate

11. Example: Support for Claim Writer offers an abundance of vivid examples, concrete details, and/or relevant passages of text to support the claim. Writer offers adequate support (examples, details, passages) for the claim. Writer offers little support for the claim or has depended on repetition as support.

12. Use of evidence shows original thought or unusual connections. Use of evidence is solid but may be predictable or not particularly striking. Use of evidence is entirely predictable, thin, or not relevant.

13. Let ’ s Get Started For the assignment you brought with you, write the task description--concisely. Look at your assignment sheet, think about the readings or context, and repeat some of the language students will be given re: the product, performance, or task.

14. Next Decide what to call your three levels of performance or achievement Examples: ◦ Exemplary, Proficient, Emerging ◦ Excellent, Good, Developing ◦ Strong, Satisfactory, Weak ◦ Amazing, Effective, Needs Work ◦ Above Average, Average, Below Average ◦ Good, Fair, Poor

15. Identify 5-6 criteria or dimensions Examples: ◦ Clear Thesis, Adequate Support, Logical Organization,... ◦ Eye Contact, Announces Topic, Elocution,... ◦ Follows Procedure, Conducts Follow-up,... ◦ Greets Clients by Name, Maintains Confidentiality of Files,...

16. Describe each Level Make sure the adjectives indicate qualitative differences Use qualifiers Other than adjectives or qualifiers, repetition is appropriate

17. Hints Most instructors find it easiest to describe first the top level and then the bottom level, saving the middle for last. If you describe FIVE levels of performance, you will work much harder, and students will see them as A, B, C, D, and F.

18. Good Advice Identify only features that can be measured “objectively. ” ◦ Not, for example, ◦ “seems to enjoy the task ” ◦ or ◦ “ has a poor attitude ”

19. More Good Advice Do not cram the “Dimensions” column (far left) full of descriptors or information. ◦ Stick to 1-3 word phrases Do not name a category “ overall ” !

20. Issues What about products that “don’t fit” anywhere on the scoring guide?