Guidelines for Creating Rubrics (courtesy of ASCD Education Newsletter Volume 55 Number 8)
  1. Identify the proficient level first - identify level 3 first as this is the acceptable score
  2. Build the rest of the rubric around proficiency
  3. Focus on growth - if you use a '0' level, it should state "Not enough evidence at this point to assess understanding." This way the message to the student that the level of their performance can improve.

Online Tools:

Book recommendation: The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching: A Checklist for Staying Focused Every Day by Bryan Goodwin