Rubrics

Rubrics are perhaps the most widely-used classroom assessment instrument. They are a very effective way to provide systematic evidence of student learning, using direct observations of student work. When shared with students, they are also powerful instructional tools.

AAC&U Essential Learning Outcomes Meta-Rubrics
The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has assembled inter-institutional teams of faculty to create "meta-rubrics" for the fourteen essential learning outcomes ( This site may be offline. ) AAC&U has identified for undergraduate students, such as critical thinking, integrative learning, inquiry and analysis, written communication, oral communication, problem-solving, and quantitative literacy. Each meta-rubric incorporates common elements from rubrics already in use at colleges and universities around the country. 

Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Common Scoring Rubric
A template developed by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE) to score CLA performance tasks, in which students are asked to develop and defend an evidence-based policy or decision recommendation. The rubric includes several dimensions of critical thinking, analytic reasoning, effective writing, and problem solving, and can be adapted easily for use with specific course assignments. The CLA is being used by St. Olaf, Carleton, and Macalester to assess all of these key student learning outcomes. 

Critical Thinking Holistic Rubric 
A rubric developed by Dr. Peter Facione and Dr. Noreen Facione of Insight Assessment, home of the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory.

Washington State University Integrative and Critical Thinking Rubric
A rubric template assessing multiple dimensions of critical thinking and effective communication which has been adapted for use in a wide array of disciplines, and which is being used as an instructional tool in courses with measurable impact on improved student learning at Washington State University

CALL critical thinking rubric (Microsoft Word 40kB Apr15 09)
A rubric developed by a group of St. Olaf faculty based on the definition of "critical thinking" developed by the Collaborative Assessment for Liberal Learning (CALL) Critical Thinking Team, consisting of faculty from Carleton, St. Olaf, Macalester, and Grinnell 

CALL effective writing rubric (Microsoft Word 39kB Apr15 09)
A rubric developed by a group of St. Olaf faculty based on the definition of "effective writing" developed by the Collaborative Assessment for Liberal Learning (CALL) Critical Thinking Team, consisting of faculty from Carleton, St. Olaf, Macalester, and Grinnell 

Oral Presentation Comprehensive Rubric for Instruction and Evaluation (Microsoft Word 77kB Apr17 09) 
A rubric developed by an inter-institutional team of faculty to assess the quality of students' oral presentations

Rubistar: Create Rubrics for Your Project-Based Learning Activities
This is a site where you can browse and/or create wide variety of rubrics. Though designed for K-12 instructors, the principles and resources are relevant to college instructors as well.