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I. Why would I want to use rubric assessment?

What is a rubric? How does it fit with authentic assessment? What are some teacher advantages for using rubrics? How are rubrics helpful to students? What are some common features of rubrics? What are some descriptors used to rate student work?

• The Advantages of Rubrics: What is a Rubric? http://www.teachervision.fen.com/lesson-plans/lesson-4522.html
• What is a Rubric? http://www.uen.org/rubric/html/know.html
• Understanding Rubrics (Heidi Goodrich Andrade) http://learnweb.harvard.edu/alps/thinking/docs/rubricar.htm
• More About Descriptors and Rating Scales http://www.interactiveclassroom.com/articles_006.htm
• Just What is a Rubric? (Explain it to parents.) http://www.middleweb.com/CSLB2rubric.html

II. How do I write a rubric?

• Follow these steps to get started. (Adapted from Teachervision.com.)
  1. Determine the concepts to be taught. What are the essential learning objectives?
  2. Choose the criteria or elements to be evaluated. Name the evidence to be produced. Select a rating scale or set of descriptors.
  3. Develop a grid. Plug in the criteria down the left side and the descriptors across the top. Then fill in the indicators, beginning with the highest level.
  4. Share the rubric with students before they begin.
  5. Evaluate the end product.
• Examine a list of questions to ask when creating your own rubric.
• Avoid unclear and negative language by comparing the Book Talk Rubric in Figure 2 with the Rubric for Oral Presentation in Figure 3.
• Read the text above the Rubric for Evaluating a Scrapbook in Figure 4 to examine a technique for writing indicators.
• Learn to weight your rubric.
  
• Guidelines for Rubric Development http://edweb.sdsu.edu/triton/july/rubrics/Rubric_Guidelines.html

III. How can rubrics be created, customized, and stored on the Web?

• Use the Rubistar Web site to quickly create generic rubrics for various types of assignments. If you need help, review the steps in the tutorial. The Rubistar site allows rubrics to be saved and edited. They are given a URL which can be shared with students and parents.
• Generate a rubric from the Teach-nology Web site, or select the General Rubric Generator to create your own from scratch. This site allows rubrics to be printed, but they are not saved for later access.
• Generate a rubric of your own from the ClassWeb Rubric Builder site.
  

IV. Where can I find rubrics that are already created?

These Web sites contain links to rubrics in many different subject areas:

• Region 20 Education Services Grade Level Examples http://www.esc20.net/etprojects/rubrics/Default.htm
• The Staff Room for OntarioÕs Teachers http://www.quadro.net/~ecoxon/Reporting/rubrics.htm
• Kathy SchrockÕs Subject-Specific and General Rubrics http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html#rubrics