By the tiswa editorial team, from the official sources listed at the end of this guide. How we write our guides
Most complaints about marks start with the same sentence: "I did not know why I got that grade." A good rubric answers that question before anyone asks it. The lecturer does not have to write more. The lecturer has to write what the top level looks like, in words the student can act on.
What makes a rubric useful to students?
A useful rubric describes what the student does, not the verdict. "Excellent" tells a student nothing. "Defines the research question and links it to the method used" tells them what is wanted. Once the top level is an observable performance, the student can see where they stand. They also see what the next level requires.
This ties directly to constructive alignment. The University of Queensland describes assessment as something that should match the intended outcomes, because students study for what they expect to be measured.2 A rubric is the tool that turns that matching into written criteria.
Analytic or holistic: which should you choose?
An analytic rubric scores each criterion separately and gives you a mark for each. A holistic one places the whole piece at one general level, described in a paragraph per level. Analytic suits a complex task, such as a report judged on presentation, method and analysis together. Holistic suits work where the overall judgement is the point, such as a short essay read as one piece.
Do not decide by which one is quicker to mark. Decide by what the student should learn about their performance. If you are unsure, start with analytic. It is easier to explain when a student objects.
How do you build a rubric step by step?
- Take criteria from the outcomes
Every criterion should serve one of the course outcomes. If a criterion serves none, drop it, however important it seems.
- Write the top level first
Describe what an excellent student does on each criterion, then work down to the lower levels. Writing from the top protects you from vague descriptions at the bottom.
- Make the levels step up visibly
Three or four levels are enough for most assignments. The difference between two levels should be something you can see, such as the number of sources or the accuracy of a solution.
- Set weights or points
In a percent-based rubric the weights must total exactly 100, and no criterion can carry zero weight.
| Element | What you write | Example of a measurable description |
|---|---|---|
| Criterion | One aspect of performance linked to an outcome | Defines the research question |
| Level | How well the criterion was met | States the question precisely and links it to the method |
| Weight | How much the criterion counts in the total | 25 percent of the final mark |
How do you set the rubric up in Blackboard?
In the Original Course View, open Control Panel, then Course Tools, then Rubrics, and choose Create Rubric. Give it a title and an optional description. The grid starts with three rows and three columns. Use Add Row and Add Column to expand it, and describe each cell in up to 1,000 characters.1
Once saved, open the assignment and choose Add Rubric. Pick the rubric you made, create a new one, or copy an existing one with Create From Existing. Set its Type to Used for Grading so it becomes the main marking scheme. Under Show Rubric to Students, decide whether students see the rubric, its point values, or only the rubric after grading.1
Which mistakes weaken a rubric?
- Levels that barely differ, such as "very good" and "excellent" separated by one word.
- Criteria that overlap. The student then loses marks twice for the same error, and language errors are the usual culprit.
- Descriptions made of generalities like "appropriate presentation", which tell the student nothing.
- A rubric written after marking half the scripts, so your reading of earlier work colours the scale.
Some assignments do not suit a rubric. An open creative task, such as designing an app or a piece of art, cannot be measured with the same precision. Use a checklist of questions instead.
What do you change after the first use?
Look at the marks after the first assignment. Find the criteria where most students land on the same level. If they are too easy, raise the top level. If they are unclear, rewrite them. Add anything students keep asking about to the description before the next cycle.
If you want to tie the criteria to course outcomes before writing them, start with the learning outcomes guide. If the task is partly graded for participation, write that into the rubric itself, so the student is not surprised by it.
