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Senior 2

Appendix 5:
Developing Assessment
Rubrics in 8cience
Senior 2 Science Appendix 5
Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science A241
APPENDIX 5: DEVELOPING ASSESSMENT RUBRICS
IN SCIENCE
What Assessment Rubrics Are
Rubrics are assessment tools that identiIy criteria by which student processes,
perIormances, or products will be assessed. They also describe the qualities oI
work at various levels oI proIiciency Ior each criterion.
The Iollowing types oI assessment rubrics may be used in classroom
assessment:
Ceneral rubrics provide descriptions oI proIiciency levels that can be
applied to a range oI student perIormance processes, perIormances, or
products. Using the same rubric Ior similar tasks helps teachers manage
marking assignments based on student choice, and helps students internalize
the common qualities oI eIIective processes, perIormances, and products.
1ask-specific rubrics describe the criteria used in assessing speciIic Iorms,
such as the use oI a balance, writing a laboratory report, calibrating CBL
probes. Complex student projects may require a diIIerent rubric Ior each
phase (e.g., a group inquiry project may require a rubric Ior collaborative
work, inIormation-gathering processes, oral presentations, and written
reports).
Holistic rubrics are used to assign a single mark to a process, perIormance,
or product on the basis oI its adequacy in meeting identiIied criteria.
Analytic rubrics are used to assign individual scores to diIIerent aspects oI a
process, perIormance, or product, based on their speciIic strengths and
weaknesses according to identiIied criteria. See Appendix 6.3: Assessment
oI a Decision-Making Process Activity.
Checklists are lists oI criteria that do not distinguish between levels oI
perIormance. They are used to assess the presence or absence oI certain
behaviours, and are most suitable Ior assessing processes (e.g., 'Did the
student perIorm all the necessary steps?). Because they require 'Yes/No
judgements Irom the assessor, checklists are easy Ior students to use in peer
assessment.
Rating scales ask assessors to rate various elements oI a process,
perIormance, or product on a numerical scale. They do not provide complete
descriptions oI perIormance at various levels.
The Nature,
Purposes, and
Sources of
Assessment
Rubrics for
Science
Appendix 5 Senior 2 Science
A242 Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science
Why Teachers Use Assessment Rubrics
The best assessment tasks ask students to perIorm the sorts oI scientiIic literacy
tasks they will be called upon to perIorm in real-world situations. They allow
students to demonstrate not only the declarative knowledge they have gained,
but also the interplay oI attitudes, skills, and strategies that constitute their
learning. Authentic assessment tasks invite a range oI responses and allow
students to express their individuality. Eor all these reasons, assessing scientiIic
literacy is a complex matter.
Assessment rubrics
help teachers clariIy the qualities they are looking Ior in student work
ensure that all students are assessed by the same criteria
help teachers communicate the goals oI each assignment in speciIic terms
allow teachers within schools, school divisions/districts, and the province to
collaborate in assessment
play an important part in instruction
How Assessment Rubrics Enhance Instruction
The best assessment tools do not simply sort and score student work; instead,
they describe it in speciIic terms. This assessment inIormation
helps teachers adjust instruction to meet student learning requirements
tells students what teachers expect and will look Ior in their work, and helps
them to Iocus their eIIorts
allows students to assess their own work using the criteria teachers will use
to set goals and to monitor their progress
aids in the development oI metacognition by giving students a vocabulary
Ior talking about particular aspects oI their work
Sources of Assessment Rubrics
Teachers develop assessment rubrics in collaboration with students, on their
own, and/or with other teachersor obtain them through published sources.
Classroom Development
Developing assessment rubrics in collaboration with students can be a time-
consuming process, but one that has many beneIits in instruction and
learning. (Both the beneIits and the process are explored on the Iollowing
pages.) Although it may not be possible to involve students in the process in
every instance, some experience in developing rubrics will help students to
use ready-made rubrics with more understanding.
Senior 2 Science Appendix 5
Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science A243
1eacher-Developed
Teachers develop general perIormance and product rubrics individually, in
collaboration within a school or school division/district. Rubrics need to be
adapted regularly to accurately reIlect student perIormance levels.
It is important that teacher-developed rubrics use language that students
understand, and that teachers provide an example oI work at each level oI
proIiciency. These examples (called anchors or exemplars) illustrate Ior
students the descriptive phrases used in the rubrics.
Published Sources
High-quality assessment rubrics are available in various educational
resources. The disadvantage oI ready-made rubrics is that they may not be
congruent with the learning outcomes targeted in a particular assignment,
and may not accurately describe Senior 2 perIormance levels and criteria.
Student Benefits
Developing rubrics in collaboration with students requires students to look at
work samples, and to identiIy the attributes that make some samples successIul
and others unsuccessIul. Teachers assist students by providing them with the
vocabulary to articulate the various elements they see, and by ensuring the
criteria are comprehensive and consistent with learning outcomes. This process
requires students to make judgments about the work they see, and identiIy
the qualities oI eIIective writing, speaking, and representing science
concepts.
results in an assessment tool that students understand and Ieel they own.
Assessment criteria are not perceived as arbitrary or imposed, but rather
express students` own observations about what constitutes quality work.
The Development Process
Eor their Iirst experience in designing a rubric, ask students to articulate the
criteria they use in making judgments about something in everyday liIethe
quality oI a restaurant, Ior example (McTighe, 1997). The model rubric that
they develop Ior assessing restaurants may help students grasp how the parts oI
a rubric work.
Students may also Iind it helpIul to develop rubrics aIter they have done some
preliminary work on the assessment task, and so are Iamiliar with the demands
oI the particular assignment.
DeveIoping
Rubrics in
CoIIaboration
with Students
Appendix 5 Senior 2 Science
A244 Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science
The process oI developing assessment rubrics in collaboration with students
involves numerous steps:
1. Look at samples.
Develop assessment rubrics by analyzing genuine samples oI student work
that illustrate the learning outcomes that the assessment task in question
addresses. Samples are usually drawn Irom student work Irom previous
years, used with permission and with names removed. Beginning teachers
who do not have Iiles oI samples may need to borrow Irom colleagues.
Select samples that are clear and characteristic oI student work at various
levels. Streamline the process by distributing examples at only three levels oI
proIiciency: excellent, adequate, and inadequate. Provide two or three
examples oI each level. Allow students time to read the examples and to talk
about them in groups.
2. Describe the samples.
Suggest that students Iocus on the examples oI excellent work Iirst. Pose the
question: 'What makes this piece successIul? Then ask students to
brainstorm attributes oI or criteria Ior success. Some oI the attributes
students list will describe behaviours that are useIul in meeting the goals oI
the work (e.g., the topic is stated at the beginning, there are Iew spelling
errors, a graph is used to represent statistical Iindings).
What rubrics must attempt to articulate, beyond identiIying these behaviours,
is the essence oI a good product or perIormance. As Wiggins (1996) points
out, eye contact may be important in the perIormance oI an oral report, but it
is possible to deliver a dreary talk while maintaining eye contact (V1-5: 6).
Together with students, wrestle with identiIying the salient qualities oI works
related to science that are engaging and eIIective. These may be qualities
that are harder to deIine and illustrate (e.g., the speaker has moved beyond a
superIicial understanding oI the subject, the producer oI a video is aware oI
the audience, the writer`s voice is discernible in a science journalism piece).
3. Develop criteria categories.
Erom the brainstormed list oI attributes, select the criteria categories that will
make up the assessment rubric. Most rubrics are limited to three to Iive
criteria categories. A greater number makes the rubrics diIIicult Ior assessors
to use, especially in assessing live perIormances. Listing too many criteria
can also overwhelm or conIuse students who use the rubrics Ior selI-
assessment and goal setting.
Develop criteria categories by combining related attributes, and selecting
three to Iive that are considered most important. Label the criteria categories
in general terms (organization, style, content) and expand them by listing the
speciIic elements to be examined in assessing quality in these criteria (e.g.,
in the 'organization category, the elements may be 'statement oI purpose,
topic sentences, transition words and phrases, paragraph breaks, order oI
ideas).
Senior 2 Science Appendix 5
Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science A245
Ensure that no essential attribute that deIines good perIormance is leIt out.
This means including elements considered hard to assess (such as style or
creativity). Ignoring elements such as these signals that they are not
important. Addressing them helps students grasp the things they can do to
improve their own work in these areas. II graphical analysis is identiIied as
one criteria category, Ior example, the rubric may list elements that convey
the details oI such an analysis (e.g., placement oI dependent and independent
variables, placement oI data points, line oI best Iit). It may also provide
deIinitions.
As students collaborate to develop criteria categories, monitor whether the
criteria chosen are related to the intended learning outcomes.
4. Decide how many performance levels the rubric will contain.
The Iirst rubric students develop will have three perIormance levels, based
on identiIying student work samples as excellent, adequate, or inadequate. In
later rubrics, students may move to Iiner distinctions between levels. The
number oI levels needed to make meaningIul judgements regarding the Iull
range oI proIiciency is best decided by the teacher. II the scale is large (e.g.,
seven levels), Iiner distinctions can be made, but it may be diIIicult to
diIIerentiate clearly one level Irom the next. In science, assessment rubrics
designed to be used by students as well as teachers generally use three, Iour,
or Iive perIormance levels.*
Using the same number oI perIormance levels Ior various tasks throughout
the course has the advantage oI giving students and the teacher a common
vocabulary in talking about ways to improve perIormance (e.g., 'This piece
does not have the concrete detail oI level 4 writing). Once the number oI
criteria categories and perIormance levels has been determined, a rubric
template such as the Iollowing can be used in developing rubrics.
Rubric Template
* Many designers oI rubrics advocate a Iive-level scale. Levels 1, 3, and 5 are
developed Irom an initial sorting oI student work into excellent, adequate, and
inadequate samples. Levels 2 and 4 describe work that is between these anchor
points. Other educators argue that an even-point scale (Iour or six levels) Iorces
more care in judging than an odd number does; it prevents assessors Irom overusing
a middle category Ior work that is diIIicult to assess.
p
Criteria Categories
P
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1
2
3
4
5
5. Describe the performance levels.
In developing the assessment criteria (Step 3), students analyzed successIul
pieces oI work. They now Iill in descriptions oI excellent, adequate, and
inadequate perIormance in each criteria category.
There are two ways oI describing perIormance levels:
Evaluative rubrics use comparative adjectives (e.g., 'weak
organization).
Descriptive rubrics speciIy the qualities oI work at each perIormance
level with respect to the criteria (e.g., 'unconnected ideas appear in the
same paragraph). The attributes listed may be negative (e.g., 'subscripts
and coeIIicients are incorrectly applied), Ior sometimes the most telling
characteristic oI certain levels is their Iailure to do what they should be
doing.
Descriptive rubrics have many advantages over evaluative rubrics. They are
more helpIul to students, because they spell out the behaviours and qualities
students encounter in assessing their own and others` work, and the things
they can address in their own work in order to improve.
When beginning to write descriptive rubrics, students may suggest generally
descriptive adjectives (such as 'interesting, 'boring), which may not
convey inIormation about what an interesting piece looks like, and how they
can improve their work in this area. The description needs to go on to state
the attributes that make a work interesting, and in acceptable style Ior
scientiIic communication. Classes may need to begin by using comparative
language or general descriptions. As the students and teacher collect
examples, they can then Iine-tune the rubric with speciIic descriptions.
By the end oI this step, students will have a description oI perIormance at
three levels. II the class has decided to create a rubric with Iour, Iive, or six
perIormance levels, it may be most eIIicient Ior the teacher to draIt
gradations oI quality Ior the middle levels, and present them to the class Ior
revision. These middle levels are the most diIIicult to write, and call on more
experience and expertise in developing a smooth continuum oI proIiciency.
. Use the rubric for student self-assessment, for teacher assessment, and for
instruction.
BeIore using the rubric on an actual assignment, students and teachers may
want to test it against unsorted samples oI work Irom previous years.
Applying the rubric to student work helps the class determine whether the
rubric accurately describes the qualities oI the work they see, and helps
students make meaningIul distinctions between work at diIIerent levels oI
proIiciency. As students become more adept at using the rubric, and when
they have internalized the perIormance levels, present them with more
diverse samples and assessment challenges.
Appendix 5 Senior 2 Science
A246 Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science
Rubrics make it possible Ior students to assess their own work on the basis
oI the criteria that the teacher will use. Any diIIerences in scores between a
student`s and a teacher`s assessment can be the subject oI proIitable and
Iocused discussion in student conIerences.
II numerical scores are required, point values assigned to each level can be
totalled. II the teacher and students decide that certain criteria categories
should be more heavily weighted than others, the points assigned to these
categories can be multiplied by a Iactor.
A rubric developed collaboratively can also become a valuable instructional
tool, encouraging students to look closely at the speciIic things they can do
to improve a piece oI work. II students decide that a writing sample in
science is at level 3, they can be asked to work together in groups to improve
it so that it Iits the description Ior level 4 work.
7. Continue to revise the rubric.
Any assessment rubric can be considered a work in progress, especially iI it
is stored on the computer. Both teacher and students should careIully review
the rubric each time they use it, asking, 'Do these criteria capture the most
important qualities oI excellence in this work? 'What other words and
phrases can we use to describe work at this level? In keeping with this, the
rubrics appearing in Appendix 6 oI this document are intended as templates,
open to situational revisions.
Senior 2 Science Appendix 5
Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science A247
NOTES
Appendix 5 Senior 2 Science
A248 Developing Assessment Rubrics in Science

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