All About Rubrics Book

4. Rubrics Everywhere

Evaluative scoring is used everywhere: Reality cooking shows, the CBC voting compass, avalanche decision making, sports competitions that use human judgment to score, or pretty much any time we choose between this or that, or pick a favourite something. In this case, we are subconsciously or consciously ranking criteria according to importance and then making a judgment. We are the "marker". 

But sometimes we use evaluative scoring in day-to-day life as if we were the learner. If you've ever applied for a grant or a job, or created something according to specifications, you probably asked the same question your students do, "what are they looking for?" If you've wondered what makes a good test question, or asked your colleagues for some example course syllabi before building your own, you're using a rubric, of sorts. 

Rubrics are extremely helpful tools. But they are just that - a tool.