Using Rubrics (Marking Grids) for Assessment
A rubric or marking grid lists evaluation criteria against level of achievement for an assignment or an assessed piece of work. It clearly indicates and explains marking criteria to students and markers. The use of a rubric or marking grid helps to ensure consistency in the evaluation of students' work.
Instructors can use a marking grid to plan and structure their assessment around the module’s learning outcomes. Students can use a rubric to structure their assignments and as a tool for self-assessment.
Ulster University’s Assessment Code of Practice and Guidelines to building marking rubrics explain when to use rubrics for assessment and feedback and how to determine the level descriptors to use.
Example of a Blackboard rubric layout
Criteria | 80-100% Outstanding | 70-79% Excellent | 60-69% Very Good | 50-59% Good | 40-49% Satisfactory | 0-39% Insufficient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Criteria 1 Spelling and grammar (10%) | No errors | One or two errors | Some errors | A few errors | Several errors | Many errors |
Criteria 2 | Demonstrates expert knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates thorough and insightful knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates considerable knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates some knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | Demonstrates limited knowledge of forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies | No knowledge of literary forms, conventions, terminology, and strategies |
Criteria 3 Critical and creative thinking skills (40%) | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with a high degree of effectiveness | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with considerable effectiveness | Uses critical and creative thinking skills with moderate effectiveness | Uses some critical and creative thinking skills with limited effectiveness | Uses some critical and creative thinking skills with limited effectiveness | No evidence of critical and creative thinking skills |
Criteria 4 Communication of information and ideas (20%) | Communicates information and ideas with a high degree of clarity and with confidence | Communicates information and ideas with great clarity | Communicates information and ideas with considerable clarity | Communicates information and ideas with some clarity | Communicates information and ideas with limited clarity | Limited communicates information and ideas without sense or clarity |
The rows correspond to the various criteria for an assignment. The columns correspond to the level of achievement expressed for each criterion. A description and point value for each cell in the rubric defines the evaluation and score of an assignment.
A typical marking rubric contains the assessment marking criteria, the level scale and the associated level descriptors. Marking criteria will elaborate on the module learning outcome(s) and will provide the finer detail of what is expected in submitted work. The associated descriptors will differentiate between levels of performance.
See the Ulster University guidelines to building marking rubrics
About different types of rubrics in Ultra
You can add rubrics to Blackboard and Turnitin assignment drop boxes as well as to assessed discussions and journals.
Blackboard assessment (assignment dropboxes, journals and discussions) supports rubrics that use percentage ranges, percentages, points, points ranges an no-points.
Find out how to add a rubric to Blackboard Assignment dropbox
Find out how to mark with a Blackboard assignment rubric
Turnitin supports standard rubrics that use percentages, custom rubrics, qualitative rubrics and grading forms.
Find out how to add a rubric to a Turnitin Assignment
Find out how to mark with a rubric in a Turnitin assignment
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Useful Links
Centre for Digital Learning Enhancement
ulster.ac.uk/learningengancement/cdle