Making the Grade: A Case for Rubrics

You recognize the signs.You're holding office hours after handing out problem sets or exams you've graded. A student walks in holding the recently returned effort, looking confused, upset, and possibly annoyed. It's going to be one of those conversations.

With this ENGAGE Engineering Faculty-Student Interaction (FSI) tip, you can set grading expectations up front, avoid lengthy explanations for grades, and encourage students to persist with specific feedback and suggested improvements.

Develop a Grading Rubric: Engage Students & Save Time

Why take the time to develop a grading rubric? You'll find it easier to:

  • Communicate expectations and quality standards in advance
  • Get a clearer picture of student strengths and weaknesses
  • Offer focused feedback and encouragement
  • Work with your TAs to maintain grading consistency

Your students will benefit in a variety of ways. They'll be able to:

  • More effectively plan and monitor their work
  • Make realistic judgments about the quality of their work
  • Focus on learning instead of simply completing tasks

ENGAGE Engineering offers a full slate of more quick and easy-to-use Faculty-Student Interactions tips that have a powerful impact on student motivation, their perceived ability to succeed, and ultimately on performance and persistence.

Take a look and see how you might incorporate one or more into your teaching.