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Grading Method: Rubric

Learn how to set a Rubric for grading

Updated over 7 months ago

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how to use the Rubric feature in Moodle

Note

Rubrics are a type of Advanced Grading Method in Moodle. A rubric allows you to design criteria and then post comments along with a score for each criterion. The form then totals the scores to calculate a total grade for the activity.

Procedures

Create a New Rubric

  1. Start with a new Assignment or Forum activity. This example shows how to set it up in an Assignment, but the process is similar for both

  2. Scroll to the Grade section of the Assignment settings page

  3. Click the dropdown menu for Grading method and choose Rubric. You can also select the Grading guide; however, these instructions focus only on the Rubric

  4. Next, click on Save and display to access the Rubric setup screen

  5. Don’t choose Save and return to course. If you do, you’ll need to go back to the Assignment settings menu and choose Define rubric from the dropdown menu

    Setting page with Grade section open and Rubric selected under Grading method.

  6. Click on Define new grading form from scratch to begin setting up the grading form

Advanced grading screen shown with "Define new grading form from scratch" selected.

Refer to the screenshot below the following steps:

  1. Name the Rubric

  2. Add a description (optional)

  3. Add the desired information into the first criterion: Name/Description, Level, Points

  4. If you need more than one, click on the +Add Criterion button to set up additional items

  5. Add Preset criterion if desired (optional)

  6. Click on Save rubric and make it ready when you are finished.

If you need to finish later, select the Save as draft option, but even if you choose Save and make ready, you can still go back and edit it later before you start grading

Rubric setup page:

Rubric setup page: arrows pointing Name, description, add level, add criterion, and rubric options.

How it looks on the grading screen:

Grading screen with instructions to click on the correct grade, it will then display in green. Arrow pointing to white box with instructions to insert remarks for each criterion.

Your grading screen will look similar to the screenshot above. The Rubric criterion items appear first.

Each criterion displays the options you set up, and there is also a field for comments.

The usual Assignment feedback options are located below the criterion items.

The Rubric can also be set up in Forums. It is just a little bit different compared to the setup for an Assignment.

Reuse a Rubric

You can reuse an existing Rubric by following this process:

  1. Start a new Assignment or Forum

  2. Choose Rubric as the Grading Method (as described earlier in these instructions)

  3. Click on Create new grading form from a template

    Advanced grading screen with "Create new grading form from a template" selected.

  4. Mark the selection box in front of include my own forms and click the Search button

    Grading forms search shown with "include my own forms selected and an arrow pointing to the Search button.

  5. Scroll to the bottom of the grading form that you want to use and click on Use this form as a template. Click on Continue

    Use this form as a template

  6. Click on Edit the current form definition button

    Advanced grading screen with "Edit the current form definition" selected.

  7. Rename the form

  8. Make your desired changes for the new activity

  9. Click on Save when you are finished editing or Save as draft if you need to finish later

Save button

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