Create Rubrics in myCourses

You can create two different types of rubrics in myCourses:

• Analytic Rubrics allow you to assess student work on multiple criteria and give them an Overall Score based on the sum of levels they achieve for each criteria.

• Holistic Rubrics allow you assess students' overall achievement on a single criterion.

For either type of rubric, you can choose to assess student work using a numeric or text-based scoring method.

You can access the Rubrics tool through Course Admin, or add a link to Rubrics on your Navigation Bar. 

In this article:

Create a rubric

1. On the main Rubrics page, click New Rubric.

2. Enter a Name.

3. Published is the default status for any new rubric. Other statuses include:

   • Draft: The rubric is not yet available for new associations.

   • Published: This is the default status for any new rubric. The rubric is available to be associated with an activity (e.g., a quiz or assignment). Once a rubric has an association, you cannot change its name, description, levels and/or criteria.

   • Archived: Select this status to hide a rubric in your list. Archived rubrics do not appear in default search results and are not available for new associations. Existing associations with archived rubrics remain functional.

4. (Optional) The description field is at the bottom of the page and will appear after you click on Options. This is where you can enter a text for your personal reference. Students cannot see this information. 

5. From the Type drop-down list, select one of the following:

   • Analytic: These rubrics include multiple criteria on which to assess student work. You can use Points or No score scoring methods. This type of rubric is useful if you want to evaluate several characteristics of your students' work.

   • Holistic: These rubrics only include levels. You can use Percentages or No Score scoring methods. This type of rubric is useful if you want to assess one performance measure or give an overall evaluation of your students' work.

6. From the Scoring drop-down menu, select one of the following options:

   • No Score: Each rubric level is associated with text, rather than numerical values.

   • Points (Analytic Only): Each rubric level is assigned a specific number of points. 

   • Custom Points (Analytic Only): The Custom Points scoring method is similar to the Points method, but you can customize the points given for each criterion (row).

   • Percentages (Holistic Only): Each level is assigned a percentage value.

7. Click Close. This will create a rubric with the properties you selected. Rubrics save automatically as you make changes. 
   
   

 

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Manage rubric levels

Add rubric levels

You can add more levels to a rubric to increase the range of scoring options.

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click the + button to add a level before or after existing levels.
   
   

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3. In the box that now appears, enter the name of the new level.

4. (Analytic Rubrics Only) If you are using Points for the scoring method, enter a number beside Score (pt). 

5. (Holistic Rubrics Only) If you are using Percentages for the scoring method, enter a percentage beside the percentage symbol (%) for a Holistic Rubric. 

6. (Optional) In the box below the level, you can enter a description of the level for each criterion.

7. (Optional) In the Initial Feedback section, you can enter feedback that all students will receive if they achieve this level of a criterion. 

8. Click Close.

Edit rubric levels

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of the rubric and click Edit.

2. Click on the level you wish to edit and make your changes.

3. Click Close.

Edit overall levels (analytic rubrics only)

An Analytic Rubric's Overall Score is the sum of points for all rubric criteria. You can set point thresholds for students to reach different levels of achievement. In the below example, students who obtain between five and seven points are assessed at Level 2. Additionally, you can change these level names to reflect course-specific standards, such as “Needs Improvement”, “Good”, and “Above Average”. 

 

 

To edit overall levels:

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. After you scroll down, you will see the Overall Score section.

3. To add a level, click the + button at the start or the end of existing levels.

4. Enter the name of the new level.

5. In the Points fields, enter the number of points that students will need to earn to achieve each overall level. This field is not available if you have selected No Score as the Scoring Type.

6. Click Close.

Reorder rubric levels

You can reverse the order of levels in a rubric if you want your lowest levels to appear on the left and your highest levels on the right.

To reverse the order of a rubric's levels:

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click the Reverse Level Order button.

Delete rubric levels

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click on trash icon beside the level you want to delete.

3. In the confirmation box that will appear, click on Delete to remove the level.

 

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Manage rubric criteria (Analytic Rubrics only)

Rubric criteria represent the various performance measures on which you can evaluate student work. You can Add, Edit, Reorder, and Delete Levels for both Analytic and Holistic Rubrics. Only Analytic Rubrics allow you to define multiple criteria.

Add rubric criteria

Criteria are only available for Analytic Rubrics.

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click Add Criterion at the bottom of the Rubric table.

3. Enter a Criterion Name.

4. (Optional) If you selected Custom Points as your scoring method, enter a Score (pt) for each level. 

5. (Optional) Enter a description for each level of the new criterion. 

6. (Optional) Enter Initial Feedback to give to every student who achieves that specific level for the criterion. For example, the lowest level might advise students to review a certain lecture or reading.

7. Click Close.

Edit rubric criteria

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click on the criterion you wish to edit and enter your changes.

3. Click Close.

Reorder criteria

You may want to change the order of your rows of criteria or criteria groups in your rubric.

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click the icon to the left of a criterion. 

3. Click and hold the left mouse button.

4. You can now drag the criterion to a different location within the group (above or below other criteria).

Delete criteria

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click on ... button next to the criterion name and select Delete Row.
   
   

3. In the confirmation box that appears, click Delete.

 

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Manage criteria groups (Analytic Rubrics only)

Criteria groups may be useful if you want to set up a rubric with distinct categories of criteria. For example, if some criteria are focused on assignment content, whereas others encompass writing and reference style. Criteria groups are only available for Analytic Rubrics.

Add a criteria group

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click Add Criteria Group under the rubric body.
   
   

3. Enter a name at the top-left of the new group.

4. By default, the new group will have the same number of levels as the original criteria group.  

5. Enter a Criterion Name.

6. (Optional) If you selected Custom Points as your scoring method, enter a Score (pt) for each level. 

7. (Optional) Enter a description for each level of the new criterion. 

8. (Optional) Enter Initial Feedback to give to every student who achieves that specific level for the criterion. For example, the lowest level might advise students to review a certain lecture or reading.

9. Click Close.
   
   

Edit a criteria group

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click on the criteria group you wish to edit and enter your changes.

3. Click Close.

Delete a criteria group

1. On the main Rubrics page, click the downward arrow beside the name of a rubric and click Edit.

2. Click on the ... button next to the criteria group you want to delete.

3. In the confirmation box that appears, click Delete.

 

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Edit a locked rubric

 

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