Using Rubrics

Study Skill 8.4 Using Rubrics

Introduction

Have you ever completed an assignment that you felt really good about, only to receive it back from your teacher a few days later with a surprisingly low score? This can be frustrating because you were confident that you interpreted the assignment well and gave a great answer. Usually, this means that you didn’t have a clear understanding of the target you were trying to hit. Using a rubric can help!

Rubrics are designed to allow teachers to communicate specific expectations to students. By examining a rubric before beginning an assignment, students can use rubrics to guide their work like they might use a checklist, making sure to include each item being assessed in the correct way. A good rubric will contain a list of standards being assessed along the left hand side, and explains what students need to score highly. For each University of Missouri High School rubric, there will also be room for teachers to provide specific feedback on what you did well and how you can improve. When a rubric is effectively used, there should be little surprise when you receive back your graded assignment.

Watch

• Portland Community College: “What is a Rubric?” (YT 3:07) https://goo.gl/fVC5af Links to an external site. 

Visit

• Southwestern University “The Benefits of Rubrics” https://bit.ly/2U9fqVo Links to an external site.

Key Ideas

• Rubrics show an assignment’s target by explaining the expectations/requirements.
• Be proactive! Rubrics should ALWAYS be read before beginning an assignment.
• After receiving back graded work, look through the rubric to understand what you did well and what you can improve upon for the next assignment!

Apply

• Activity: Visit goo.gl/4aEhBG Links to an external site.. Design a rubric to assess a favorite food.
• Think: Look back at a graded rubric you received. Did you use the rubric before submitting your assignment? How did that help or could it have helped? What feedback did you receive from the rubric that will help you in the future?
• Family Activity: Work with a parent or other adult to design a rubric for a responsibility or chore you do at home. How might it help to have these clear expectations?