

Assessment: Rubrics

A rubric is a set of criteria and standards linked to a learning objective. Another way to think of rubrics is detailed notes regarding performance in specific areas of an assignment. Education faculties have historically used rubrics to assess their students, but many other disciplines are also using them now.

Blackboard has several types of rubrics available to instructors. They can be based on points, point ranges, percentages or text. More than one rubric can be assigned to an assessment if appropriate and instructors also choose if/when students see scored rubrics. Once a rubric is created within Blackboard, it can be used and re-used within a course and between different courses.

Why use a rubric?

Rubrics are great for giving students detailed feedback on their performance. At the very least they can be used as instructor notes to assist in explaining grades when students have questions. Allowing students to see the rubric criteria along with the assignment’s description and details gives them a better idea of how to perform along with good and bad examples. Rubrics also provide detailed performance ranges or levels from poor to exemplary which can help make grading more objective.

For information on Blackboard Rubrics, see the Blackboard Rubrics Information page on Blackboard help.