- Rubrics allow you to set an expectation for each grading level when you start a project. Letter grades can be subjective, but when you set up a rubric you can write exactly what each level means. This style allows the student to see exactly what the expectations are for each category and what they need to do for each grading level. There are no surprises when using this tool.
- Rubrics are very restrictive. You must grade based on the exact words that you wrote. If you think of something later that you think is important for grading, you can't change it later. Of course, as the educator you have the final say in the classroom, but it's very unethical to change your grading system once the project has started.
- Each category usually has three to five levels to grade on. Typically the levels are one through four. One would be the equivalent to an "F" while a four would be an "A." Each category is graded individually; once they've all been graded you add them up.
- There's technically no right or wrong way to set up a rubric. Typically, your first row is the header. The first column is for your category. This is where you explain what you're looking for. For example, if your assignment is for essay writing your categories might be "Focus on topic," "Accuracy of facts," "Introduction," "Organization of information," and "Transitions." The following columns are for your grades. The column for the lowest score would spell out that what you're evaluating in that category wasn't evident or was barely evident. The top level would explain exactly what you're looking for and a project deserving of a perfect score.
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