Step 1: Identifying Traits to Measure

Once you have identified student learning outcomes, you need to identify which traits these outcomes require you to look at.

Create criteria descriptors—descriptions of the “traits manifested in a project, performance, or text students produce in response to an assessment method” (Maki, 2004:121). The clearer you are about the traits you are looking at, the more likely you will measure what you intend to measure (validity).

Rubric Example:

If one of your learning outcomes was “Be able to structure and evaluate normative political arguments”, you might be interested in these traits:

Shows understanding of specified political argument

Describes strengths and weaknesses in specified political argument

Overarching thesis concerning their evaluation of specified political argument

Evaluation of argument is adequately supported and persuasive

Criteria descriptors for one of your traits—understanding—might be defined as “degree to which the student describes the main points and logic of the argument.”

Exam Example:

If one of your learning outcomes was “Value active and engaged citizenship”, you might be interested in these traits:

Community involvement

Knowledge of current events

Political activism

A criteria descriptor for one of your traits—knowledge of current events— might be defined, as “degree to which student can relate course content to social and political events that are currently being covered by the media.”

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Step 2: Identifying a Range or Continuum for Student Achievement

Once you have identified these traits, you need to identify a range or continuum along which students might demonstrate varying levels of achievement on these outcomes.

Rubric Example:

A continuum for one of your traits—understanding—might run from “does not demonstrate understanding of the specified political argument” to “demonstrates strong understanding of specified political argument”.

Exam Example:

A continuum for one of your traits—knowledge of current events—might run from “not able to identify current events” to “able to relate course content in detail to 3 or more current events”.

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Step 3: Creating Categories or Levels of Student Achievement

You would then create categories along this continuum that correspond to scores for each trait you hope to assess. These categories represent objective degrees or levels you can use to evaluate even very subjective student skills, knowledge and attitudes.

Create performance descriptors— “descriptions of how well students execute each criterion or trait along an achievement continuum” (Maki, 2004: 121), in other words, descriptions of your levels. The clearer you are about the levels of performances you expect, the more likely your results will be consistent (reliability).

Rubric Example:

Specific categories or levels along this continuum might be:

(a) does not demonstrate understanding of the argument;

(b) fair understanding of the argument;

(c) moderate understanding of the argument;

(d) strong understanding of the argument

Performance descriptors for these categories might be:

(a) no description or incorrect description of the argument

(b) describes basic ideas of the argument, but misses key relationships and contextual factors centrally involved in the argument

(c) describes basic ideas, some key relationships and some contextual factors centrally involved in the argument

(d) describes basic ideas, key relationships and contextual factors centrally involved in the argument

Exam Example:

Specific categories or levels along this continuum might be:

(a) does not demonstrate recognition;

(b) some recognition demonstrated;

(c) moderate level of recognition and ability to relate to course content;

(d) strong level of recognition and ability to relate to course content

Performance descriptors for these categories might be:

(a) not able to identify current events;

(b) able to identify current events;

(c) able to relate course content in some detail to 2 or fewer current events;

(d) able to relate course content in detail to 3 or more current events

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Rubric Example:

1. Create a table.

2. Leave the top row blank for now.

3. Place your traits with their criteria descriptors alongside the left most column, each with their own row.

4. In your blank top row, skip the first column and then label each cell with your categories. It may be helpful to scale these categories with a numerical rating (e.g., 0-5 or 1-5) to help when analyzing your results.

5. Fill in empty cells with your performance descriptors (below the category labels and along the same row as their corresponding traits) See example rubrics for dance (link), music composition (link), and creative writing (link).

Exam Example:

1. Create exam questions based on your learning outcome traits.

2. Use the performance descriptors associated with these traits to create answer choices for closed-ended questions, or to create the scoring guide for open-ended questions.

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Rubric Example:

1. Collect papers or observe student presentations for an assignment asking them to structure and evaluate normative political arguments.

2. Evaluate papers or presentations using the rubric, according to the traits you highlighted.

3. Assign a level or category that best corresponds with each student’s work, for each trait.

4. For basic analysis, you might consider one or more of the following:

(a) sum the numerical ratings for all students on each trait

(b) calculate a mean for each trait for a general picture of your students on this variable

(c) graph results to see the distribution of students along your continuum. Are more students clustered around lower levels, with a handful at the highest levels? This information would not be clear if you were to calculate a mean only.

Exam Example:

1. Administer your exam to students.

2. For basic analysis, you might consider one or more of the following:

(a) group responses according to the trait that they address

(b) sum the numerical ratings of all responses for each trait group

(c) calculate a mean for each trait

(d) graph results to see the distribution of students along your continuum.

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