All About Rubrics Book

Not all rubrics are created (or employed) equally. Let's consider the benefits and pitfalls of rubrics when used in our courses:

When designed well, rubrics...

• describe (or show) the expectations for quality of performance.
• provide a guide or checklist for students to follow.
• improve the reliability and validity of the evaluation/judgment.
• increase efficiency of marking.
• indicate the gaps in quality.

• justify the score assigned to the performance or task.

• are unidimensional and flat, despite the fact the performance never is.
• suggest that the sum of the "rubricized parts" equals the quality of the whole
• list a bunch of invalid criteria that are easy to check-off but misaligned with the outcomes. 
• shackle professional judgement.
• decrease risk-taking by students.
• act as a ceiling on performance and subconsciously communicate that there is no more improvement to be had. 
• are not used by learners for learning.
• are just more work for the instructor.
• can fail to capture that "je ne sais quoi" in overall performance.