Going Further With Grading

2. Rubrics and Marking Guides

The default grading method for activities on your site is Simple Direct Grading. This method is simply a point value intended to represent the quality of a learner's work. Assignment, Forum, and Workshop support additional, advanced grading methods called Rubric and Marking Guide (Marking Guides may have been renamed to "Grading Guide" on your site; both names refer to the same tool). Both methods help instructors incorporate more descriptive feedback to learners as part of the grading process.

Rubric vs. Marking Guide/Grading Guide

A rubric is a table with rows of criteria for assessment, and columns that indicate levels of proficiency (e.g. Needs Improvement, Adequate, Exceptional). A marking or grading guide is a single column with rows of criteria for assessment, and text fields for typed feedback to the learner. In other words, a rubric looks like a table, while a marking guide looks more like a checklist. While they can both be used to provide descriptive feedback to learners, they are distinct tools. Below are several characteristics of each to help you determine which will be the best fit for you.

Rubric

Each level of proficiency (column) for each criterion (row) has a specific, set point value.
- For example: levels of proficiency of Good, Better, and Best cannot be configured as Good (1-5 points), Better (6-10 points) and Best (11-15 points). They would instead have to be configured as Good (5 points), Better (10 points), and Best (15 points).
- This is usually a deciding factor for instructors considering a rubric versus a marking/grading guide. Some instructors prefer to have a range of points to enter for more flexibility (marking/grading guide), while others prefer the specificity of having a pre-set point value for each level of proficiency.
Rubrics are often highly descriptive, and clearly communicate instructor expectations to learners before work is submitted. If you have highly structured requirements for an assessment, rubric is likely the best choice for you.
When grading with a rubric, you will click on the level of proficiency (cell) for each criterion (row), and the activity will calculate the final grade based on your selections.
You will have a column for typed feedback if you choose to add it.
Different criteria (rows) can have different levels of proficiency (columns). For example: a rubric assessing a course presentation could have a criterion of "Topic is well organized" with levels of proficiency of
Rubrics can be reused in other activities or courses you create.
Rubrics can be used in Assignment, Forum, and Workshop activities.

Marking/Grading Guide

Marking guides do have criterion (rows) like rubrics, but do not have levels of proficiency.
Each criterion has a range of points associated with it.
- This is usually a deciding factor for instructors considering a marking/grading guide versus a rubric. Some instructors prefer having the flexibility a range of points affords, which helps in situations where grading and assessment is more subjective.
When grading with a marking guide, you'll (optionally) enter typed feedback for each criterion, then enter a point value based on the range you defined when you created the guide.
To account for the lack of levels of proficiency, marking guides come with a unique feature called Frequently Used Comments. This feature allows you to pre-save your most frequently typed feedback.
- When grading with a marking guide, you can click in the text box (cell) next to a criterion, then click on the saved comment to automatically paste it into the box.
Marking guides can be reused in other activities or courses you create.
Marking guides can be used in Assignment and Forum activities.