Create rubrics to establish specific criteria and performance expectations for assignments and discussions to make your grading expectations and criteria transparent and consistent. While rubrics require an investment to create and calibrate, the long-term savings in time, the improved quality of feedback and objectivity in grading makes them a valuable resource to include in your course.
UB Learns allows you to create rubrics that can be attached to an assignment, grade item or other assessed items such as discussion topics. There are many benefits of rubrics and a variety of types available. To develop a rubric, first determine the performance levels, criterion categories, a description of each level and a grading structure. The following steps guide you through creating and attaching rubrics to your course assignments and discussions.
On this page:
Rubric Options
When creating your rubric, you have the flexibility to create multiple, varying rubrics, depending on your grading needs.
Within your course, you will have the option to create one or both types of rubrics:
Holistic – one dimensional, with single criterion and predefined performance levels.
Analytic – multidimensional, with various criterion categories. Allows for additional customization.
While building your rubric, it can be beneficial to put its status in draft form. This is particularly important when the rubric will not be finished in one sitting and remains as a work in progress. When completed and ready, change the rubric status to published. You can also archive previous rubrics you may want to revisit at a later date. Change the status within the rubric editor by selecting the Status drop-down in the upper-right corner.
A rubric will automatically publish unless the status of the rubric is changed manually to Archived or Draft. To change the status, click on Status: Publishedin the right hand corner of the rubric interface and select your preferred publication status.
Each rubric type has a unique scoring structure. Select your preferred point format under the Scoring drop-down menu at the top of the rubric editor.
Analytic rubric options
Points – Creates a shared value across each performance level and criterion category.
Custom points – Used to differentiate or weight specific criterion categories. This can be used when criterion vary in their value or emphasis.
No points – Removes all point values. This can be used for low-stakes formative assessment, self-grading or practice assignments.
Holistic rubric options
Percentage – Assigns a percentage score based on a general set of criteria.
No points - Removes all point values. This can be used for low-stakes formative assessment, self-grading or practice assignments.
Building Rubrics
It is recommended that you first build the rubric using the Rubrics tool in Course Admin (under Instructor Only in the navbar). After the rubrics are built, they can easily be attached to assignments and discussions.
On the navbar, click Instructor Only and select Course Admin.
Click Rubrics.
Click New Rubric.
Enter the details for the rubric.
Please note: the status of your new rubric will automatically be set to Published unless manually changed to Archived or Draft.
Click Close.
On the navbar, click Grades.
Click Manage Grades.
Click New and select Item.
Click a Grade Item Type.
Fill in the appropriate information for the grade item.
Click [Create Rubric in New Window] under Grading.
This will open the Rubrics tool in a new browser tab.
Fill in the appropriate information for the rubric.
Click Close.
Return to your grade item tab.
Click Add Rubric.
Click the checkbox next to the new rubric.
Click Add Selected.
Click Save and Close.
Reviewing and Editing an Existing Rubric
Once complete, it is helpful to review the rubric from the students’ perspective. To do this, return to the Rubrics tool. Find the rubric listed and click the chevron icon next to the rubric's name and select Preview. You can also print a student-friendly copy from this window. To make additional changes to the rubric, select View using the same process.
Click Add Rubric in Evaluation & Feedback on the right and select Add Existing.
Select Create New to create a new rubric. A new browser tab will open.
Click the checkbox next to a rubric.
Click Add Selected.
Click Save and Close.
Discussions
To add a rubric to an existing discussion, select the corresponding item in the Discussion tool.
Click the chevron icon next to a discussion topic and select Edit Topic.
Click Add Rubric in Evaluation & Feedback on the right and select Add Existing.
Select Create New to create a new rubric. A new browser tab will open.
Click the checkbox next to a rubric.
Click Add Selected.
Click Save and Close.
Note: You cannot add an assessment to a forum. There must first be a topic added, then the rubric can be added to the discussion topic.
Copying, Deleting and Sharing Rubrics
You may want to use the same rubric for various courses you are teaching or share your rubric with colleagues in your department. You can easily copy, delete or share a rubric following the guide below.
Once the rubric is attached to an assignment or discussion, it is easy to use when grading.
Locate a post within a discussion topic.
Click the chevron icon next to the post subject and select Assess Student.
The rubric will populate on the right side of each submission under the Evaluation & Feedback header.
Click the rubric on the right side of the page.
Click the performance level for each of the criterion.
If the rubric uses points or percentages, the grade will calculate automatically. However, you can manually change category scores, total score and overall score.
Add feedback in the Overall Feedback field if necessary.
Click Publish or Save Draft.
Locate the discussion topic, select the chevron icon [⌵] and click Assess Topic.
Under View Options, choose Show Topic Scores.
Navigate to a learner’s submission and select Topic Score.
If you have attached a rubric and the Assess with Embedded Rubrics feature is enabled, it will populate here. You can also view the learner’s threads and replies within this window for easier grading.
Select the performance level for each of the criterion per that submission.
Use the preassigned feedback or customize each section as desired.
If the rubric uses points or percentages, the grade will calculate automatically; however, you can manually change category scores, overall score and topic score.
Scroll down to add general feedback as desired.
When finished with the rubric, select Publish.
You will then return to the Assess Topics page.
Continue grading other learner submissions.
When done grading, select the Published checkbox for all new grades you would like added to the grade book.