Post by WIDboard on Oct 21, 2011 10:42:44 GMT -5
*Note: this EWP post is being re-worked, so please forgive any current flaws.
Essentials of Writing Pedagogy #3: Using Rubrics to Grade Writing [/u]
Welcome to the third issue of Essentials of Writing Pedagogy, the WIDboard original series on the teaching of writing. As always, what is presented here is one way to view an issue in writing pedagogy, but not the only way. We at WIDboard believe that this is a strong introduction to the issue, but a single post cannot hope to cover the entire scope of the issue. Feel free to read this post and take from it whichever ideas seem useful to you, leaving behind those that don't. Now, please, enjoy EWP #3: Using Rubrics to Grade Writing.
__________________________________________________________________
One of the most frequently-debated topics in writing pedagogy is the use of rubrics as a means of assigning grades to student work. The question of rubrics is an issue that is hard to settle one way or the other with any certainty, and (unless a department or supervisor gives specific instructions) may need to be decided by each individual instructor, and may need to be changed from assignment to assignment. Below is a general summary of different concerns regarding rubrics.
What Supporters Might Say:
Adherents to use of rubrics might profess belief in any of the following:
What Opponents Might Say:
Opponents of using rubrics to grade student papers might express any of the following positions:
In reality, there is likely no easy answer for instructors. There are both benefits and drawbacks to using rubrics to respond to student writing, and your choices as an instructor might shift from assignment to assignment. The important part is ensuring that whatever your choices, they are thought out carefully and make sense for your instructional priorities.
__________________________________________________________________
Types of Rubrics:[/u]
There are a number of effective ways to organize or create rubrics that can be meaningful to students. Here are just a few (note, the names are not a recognized standard, but are just descriptive for the purposes of this post):
General Category Description:
In this rubric, the instructor lists a number of different categories in which students may earn points. Each category is given a general description paragraph of what is expected of a successful paper that category, and a total point value is assigned to the category. See attached file for an example by Prof. Carol Hayes.
Grid Description:
In this rubric, grading is broken down into several categories or sub-categories. Each category is given a maximum point value and a minimum value. For each potential value in a given category, there is a corresponding box in the rubric grid, with an explanation of what a score of the associated value means. For example, a "5/5" in "Citations" might carry the explanation of "Citations are excellent, with no mistakes, or no mistakes of significance." A "4/5" in that category might carry the explanation "Citations are generally excellent, with up to two relevant mistakes." See the resource "Rubistar" in the Assessment, Feedback & Grading section of WIDboard for an engine to use in creating grid description rubrics, or visit rubistar.4teachers.org/
Bullet List Rubric:
In this rubric, expectations are listed in bullet form, with associated point values listed next to each expected element. Students must meet each of the required elements in order to receive credit for it. For example, a given section might read:
Research:
--At least three scholarly sources are used in order to back up the writer's claim (__/10pts).
--At least one additional scholarly source is used to provide a counterargument, which is then refuted (__/6pts).
--Each Additional source of any kind used (__/2pts, maximum 8 total pts).
Number Lines & Comment Templates:
For each category, a number line is printed, along with a list of common student problems in that area of the assignment. The instructor circles for each category the value that is most appropriate, and any relevant problems that may apply. For example, a category might look like this:
Language Use:
5----4----3----2----1
__Sentence Clarity Issues
__Subject/Verb Disagreement
__Incorrect Pronoun Use
__Spelling Problems
__Excessive Use of Commas
__Other Specific Comments:
__________________________________________________________________
These are obviously just a few ways to construct rubrics, and none of them are without problems. Whatever your choices with rubrics, whether you choose to use them or not, carefully consider what you intend to emphasize in instruction and grading, and how your commentary (rubricized or otherwise) will convey useful and usable feedback to your students.
Essentials of Writing Pedagogy #3: Using Rubrics to Grade Writing [/u]
Welcome to the third issue of Essentials of Writing Pedagogy, the WIDboard original series on the teaching of writing. As always, what is presented here is one way to view an issue in writing pedagogy, but not the only way. We at WIDboard believe that this is a strong introduction to the issue, but a single post cannot hope to cover the entire scope of the issue. Feel free to read this post and take from it whichever ideas seem useful to you, leaving behind those that don't. Now, please, enjoy EWP #3: Using Rubrics to Grade Writing.
__________________________________________________________________
One of the most frequently-debated topics in writing pedagogy is the use of rubrics as a means of assigning grades to student work. The question of rubrics is an issue that is hard to settle one way or the other with any certainty, and (unless a department or supervisor gives specific instructions) may need to be decided by each individual instructor, and may need to be changed from assignment to assignment. Below is a general summary of different concerns regarding rubrics.
What Supporters Might Say:
Adherents to use of rubrics might profess belief in any of the following:
- Rubrics can provide standardization of grading, which is fairer to all students than is non-rubricized grading. Students are less likely to be hurt by instructor bias.
- Rubrics can be distributed in advance, and can clearly indicate for students the expectations for "A" papers, "B" papers, etc.
- Rubrics give a visually accessible means of conveying student grades, so students can immediately know where to focus.
- Rubrics allow instructors to easily defend their grading choices, by pointing to standardized, quantifiable reasons.
- Rubrics are an efficient way to respond to student writing, and they can therefore enable instructors to dedicate their time and energy more effectively than traditional grading.
What Opponents Might Say:
Opponents of using rubrics to grade student papers might express any of the following positions:
- Rubrics attempt to achieve objective standardization, but breaking down grading decisions into many small subjective choices is not inherently less subjective than one large subjective choice.
- Even if standardization is achieved, is applying the same exact standard to students of a wide variety of levels and backgrounds (including language backgrounds) the best way to approach writing instruction?
- Commentary on student papers should be far more individualized than rubrics alone allow.
- Experienced teachers "know" what an "A" paper should look like without using a rubric.
- It is impossible, or at least extremely difficult, to design a rubric that effectively addresses all possible assignment submissions. There are many ways to write effectively or ineffectively; a rubric cannot readily adjust to unconventional or unexpected modes of success or failure.
- An instructor ought to be able to defend grades without relying on a rubric.
- Expectations can be given clearly in advance without the use of a rubric.
In reality, there is likely no easy answer for instructors. There are both benefits and drawbacks to using rubrics to respond to student writing, and your choices as an instructor might shift from assignment to assignment. The important part is ensuring that whatever your choices, they are thought out carefully and make sense for your instructional priorities.
__________________________________________________________________
Types of Rubrics:[/u]
There are a number of effective ways to organize or create rubrics that can be meaningful to students. Here are just a few (note, the names are not a recognized standard, but are just descriptive for the purposes of this post):
General Category Description:
In this rubric, the instructor lists a number of different categories in which students may earn points. Each category is given a general description paragraph of what is expected of a successful paper that category, and a total point value is assigned to the category. See attached file for an example by Prof. Carol Hayes.
Grid Description:
In this rubric, grading is broken down into several categories or sub-categories. Each category is given a maximum point value and a minimum value. For each potential value in a given category, there is a corresponding box in the rubric grid, with an explanation of what a score of the associated value means. For example, a "5/5" in "Citations" might carry the explanation of "Citations are excellent, with no mistakes, or no mistakes of significance." A "4/5" in that category might carry the explanation "Citations are generally excellent, with up to two relevant mistakes." See the resource "Rubistar" in the Assessment, Feedback & Grading section of WIDboard for an engine to use in creating grid description rubrics, or visit rubistar.4teachers.org/
Bullet List Rubric:
In this rubric, expectations are listed in bullet form, with associated point values listed next to each expected element. Students must meet each of the required elements in order to receive credit for it. For example, a given section might read:
Research:
--At least three scholarly sources are used in order to back up the writer's claim (__/10pts).
--At least one additional scholarly source is used to provide a counterargument, which is then refuted (__/6pts).
--Each Additional source of any kind used (__/2pts, maximum 8 total pts).
Number Lines & Comment Templates:
For each category, a number line is printed, along with a list of common student problems in that area of the assignment. The instructor circles for each category the value that is most appropriate, and any relevant problems that may apply. For example, a category might look like this:
Language Use:
5----4----3----2----1
__Sentence Clarity Issues
__Subject/Verb Disagreement
__Incorrect Pronoun Use
__Spelling Problems
__Excessive Use of Commas
__Other Specific Comments:
__________________________________________________________________
These are obviously just a few ways to construct rubrics, and none of them are without problems. Whatever your choices with rubrics, whether you choose to use them or not, carefully consider what you intend to emphasize in instruction and grading, and how your commentary (rubricized or otherwise) will convey useful and usable feedback to your students.