SCORING RUBRICS

(HOLISTIC AND ANALYTIC)

Rhea Bell I. De Paz
IV-BEED

RUBRIC

Is a scoring scale used to assess

student performance along a taskspecific set of criteria.

are descriptive scoring schemes that

are developed by teachers or other
evaluators to guide the analysis of
the products or processes of
students' efforts (Brookhart, 1999)

Each rubric consists of a set of

scoring criteria and point values
associated with these criteria.
communicate expectations of
quality around a task and in many
cases, scoring rubrics are used to
delineate consistent criteria for
grading.

HOLISTIC RUBRIC

Used when a quick or gross judgment

needs to be made.

criteria is considered in combination on a

single descriptive scale (Brookhart, 1999)

support broader judgements concerning

the quality of the process or the product.

describe the work by applying all the

criteria at the same time and enabling an
overall judgment about the quality of the
work.

may be preferable to an analytic scoring

rubric.

Level

Description

Above Average

The audience is able to easily identify the focus of the work

and is engaged by its clear focus and relevant details.
Information is presented logically and naturally. There are no
more than two mechanical errors or misspelled words to
distract the reader.

Sufficient

The audience is easily able to identify the focus of the

student work which is supported by relevant ideas and
supporting details. Information is presented in a logical
manner that is easily followed. There is minimal interruption
to the work due to misspellings and/or mechanical errors.

Developing

The audience can identify the central purpose of the student

work without little difficulty and supporting ideas are present
and clear. The information is presented in an orderly fashion
that can be followed with little difficulty. There are some
misspellings and/or mechanical errors, but they do not
seriously distract from the work.

Needs Improvement

The audience cannot clearly or easily identify the central

ideas or purpose of the student work. Information is
presented in a disorganized fashion causing the audience to
have difficulty following the author's ideas. There are many
misspellings and/or mechanical errors that negatively affect
the audience's ability to read the work.

ANALYTIC RUBRIC

Articulates levels of performance for each

criterion so the teacher can assess
student performance on each criterion.
like the checklist, allows for the separate
evaluation of each of these factors

quality of written expression and

persuasiveness of the argument
describe work on each criterion
separately.
does not eliminate the possibility of a
holistic factor

Needs Improvement

(1)ds Improvement
(1)
Clarity (Thesis
The purpose of the
supported by
student work is not
relevant information well-defined. Central
and ideas.)
ideas are not focused
to support the thesis.
Thoughts appear
disconnected.

Organization
(Sequencing of
elements/ideas)

Mechanics
(Correctness of
grammar and
spelling)

Information and
ideas are poorly
sequenced (the
author jumps
around). The
audience has
difficulty following
the thread of
thought.

Developing
(2)eloping (2)

Sufficient
(3)ufficient (3)

AbovAbove Average
(4)e Average (4)

The central purpose

of the student work
is identified. Ideas
are generally focused
in a way that
supports the thesis.

The central purpose

of the student work
is clear and ideas are
almost always
focused in a way that
supports the thesis.
Relevant details
illustrate the
authors ideas.

The central purpose

of the student work
is clear and
supporting ideas
always are always
well-focused. Details
are relevant, enrich
the work.

Information and
Information and
Information and
ideas are presented ideas are presented ideas are presented
in an order that the in a logical sequence in a logical sequence
audience can follow which is followed by which flows naturally
with minimum
the reader with little and is engaging to
difficulty.
or no difficulty.
the audience.

There are five or

There are no more
There are no more
There are no more
more misspellings
than four
than three
than two misspelled
and/or systematic
misspellings and/or misspellings and/or words or grammatical
grammatical errors
systematic
grammatical errors
errors in the
per page or 8 or more grammatical errors
per page and no
document.
in the entire
per page or six or more than five in the
document. The
more in the entire
entire document.
readability of the
document. Errors
The readability of
work is seriously
distract from the the work is minimally
hampered by errors.
work.
interrupted by
errors.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF RUBRICS
Type of
Rubric

Definition

Advantages

Disadvantages

Analytic

Each
criterion
(dimension
, trait) is
evaluated
separately.

Gives diagnostic information to

teacher.
Gives formative feedback to
students.
Easier to link to instruction
than holistic rubrics.
Good for formative
assessment; adaptable for
summative assessment; if you
need an overall score for
grading, you can combine the
scores.

Takes more time

to score than
holistic rubrics.
Takes more time
to achieve interrater reliability
than with holistic
rubrics.

Type of Definition
Rubric

Advantages

Disadvantages

Holistic All criteria

(dimensions,
traits) are
evaluated
simultaneously

Scoring is faster
than with
analytic rubrics.
Requires less
time to achieve
inter-rater
reliability.
Good for
summative
assessment.

Single overall score

does not communicate
information about
what to do to improve.
Not good for
formative assessment