Grading Rubrics

Some instructors develop and use a grading rubric not only to guide their own evaluation of student work and to maintain standards, but to share with the students.  Some of these rubrics are adapted to specific assignments while others are more general and resemble the one used for the departmental diagnostic.

My experience is that students are receptive to these rubrics and fine them more valuable perhaps than the lengthy end notes I once wrote.  I still write in the margins on a final draft and often include a short narrative note - but I use a rubric now on which which I highlight the student's achievement.

Here is Sarah Bereiter's grading rubric for her first assignment. 

  Irvine Valley College, WR 201

Evaluation of Writing – Grading Rubric for Essay 1

Author: _________________________ Assignment: ____  Date: _____

Writing Outcomes	Scale
Focus
1.     Effectively, creatively, and successfully addresses the prompt.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
2.     Maintains a strong focus on the thesis throughout the essay.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
Development, Support, and Organization
3.     Reveals evidence of critical and creative thinking.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
4.     Supports the main idea through effective use of details, explanation of assertions, and description.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
5.     Presents ideas in a clear and logical order.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
6.     Uses transitions effectively to connect sentences and paragraphs.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
Readability, Style, and Format
7.     Contains few spelling, syntax, word-usage or punctuation errors.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
8.     Uses a tone that is appropriate to the audience and to the writing task, and strives to have an original voice.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
9.     Demonstrates strong command of language, and vocabulary is appropriate for college-level writing.	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor
Overall Evaluation	Excellent	Very Good	Adequate	Fair	Poor

Here is another approach to a grading rubric used by Carrie Goulding:

 MALCOLM X ASSIGNMENT:  GRADE EVALUATION

NAME:

GRADE:

Does the paper have a thesis that states the subject of the essay, a clear perspective on that subject, and provides a roadmap for the rest of the essay? (20 points)
Does the thesis (and the rest of the essay) respond directly to the assignment, which asks “Does Malcolm X in ‘Learning How to Read’ agree with Frederick Douglass that education will set him free”?  (20 points)
Do the supporting paragraphs begin with a signpost and include specific, well chosen examples that support the thesis well? (30 points)
Does the writer explain why each example supports the thesis?  (20 points)
Does the writer use a front door opener? (10 points)
Has the writer completed all the prewriting and workshop activities?  (-10 points if not completed)
Does the writer have both signatures from the writing center?  (-10% for each missing signature)

Grade breakdown:  95-100 points=A, 90-94=A-, 86-89=B+, 83-85=B, 80-82=B-, 76-79=C+, 73-75=C, 70-72=C-, 66-69=D+, 63-65=D, 60-62=D-, 59 and below=F. 

If you decide to revise this essay, your revision is due a week after you receive your graded essay, at the beginning of class.  I will average this grade with your revised grade.  I would highly recommend taking this sheet with your essay to the writing center for review before you begin working on your revision.