Rubric guides & how-tos
Practical, classroom-tested guidance on building and using grading rubrics — how to write one, which type to choose, and how to grade fairly and faster.
Guides
- How to Write a Rubric: A Step-by-Step Guide for Teachers
A practical, step-by-step guide to writing a clear grading rubric — from choosing criteria and performance levels to writing descriptors that grade themselves.
- Analytic vs. Holistic vs. Single-Point Rubrics: Which Should You Use?
Compare analytic, holistic, and single-point rubrics — how each works, their pros and cons, and when to choose one, with examples.
- How to Grade Essays Fairly and Faster With a Rubric
Use a rubric to grade essays consistently and quickly — setting criteria, calibrating scoring, avoiding bias, and giving useful feedback.
- Standards-Based Grading With Rubrics: A Practical Guide
Align rubrics to standards and learning objectives for standards-based grading — proficiency scales, reporting, and converting to grades.
- How to Grade Group Projects Fairly Without Punishing the Team
Strategies and rubrics for grading group work fairly — separating individual and group contributions, peer assessment, and accountability.
- Rubrics for Presentations and Oral Assessments
Build a fair rubric for student presentations and speaking assessments — criteria for content, delivery, visuals, and Q&A, with examples.
- How Many Performance Levels Should a Rubric Have?
3, 4, 5, or 6 levels? How the number of performance levels affects reliability and feedback, and how to choose and label the right scale.
- Turning Learning Objectives Into Rubric Criteria
A method for converting learning objectives and standards into clear, measurable rubric criteria and descriptors students understand.