Writing assessment rubrics should
help you keep your focus on the goals you want to achieve by the
end of the year.
To do that, your rubrics need to have five components.
1) Identification of the writing situation for which it is used.
You might have one rubric for writing done in class in a period
and another for writing done outside class, when students theoretically
have more time to spend.
I have different rubrics for work that follows the persuasive
essay pattern and for work that uses a narrative
format, since these are organized very differently.
2) Elements the written piece must include.
A rubric for evaluating a three-paragraph essay wouldn’t have
the same list of elements as a rubric for evaluating a term paper.
Your rubric should be detailed enough to serve as a checklist
for students preparing their writing.
3) Standards for mechanical competence in that class.
Your rubrics should indicate your standard of acceptable
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.
Work that is not up to your standard for mechanical competence
should not get an A no matter how good the writing is in other respects.
4) Total points possible for various components of the writing.
Research shows that if you want student to become good writers,
you have to grade them primarily on the content of their writing.
That means grading on
By stipulating how many of the points possible you will award to
the content itself and how much to the mechanical components, you
keep yourself focused on the content as you grade. Typically, you
should assign no more than 30% of the points possible to writing
mechanics.
5) A place for comments about one thing the student could do to
improve the next paper.
Help students focus on something they can do to improve their grade
on the next paper.
If possible, give two suggestions. One that will produce
a quick improvement (such as following directions!) and one
that will produce results over a longer period, such as more
complete development of ideas.
Including these 5 components
in your assessment rubrics assures you will evaluate all essential
elements in every piece of formal writing.
created 12-Apr-2008; updated: 13-Oct-2008
