A rubric is a scoring guide that lists the criteria for an assignment and describes what work looks like at each level of quality, so students know the target and teachers grade consistently.
Two main types
Analytic rubric. Scores each criterion separately in a grid. Good for feedback, because a student sees exactly where points were lost.
Holistic rubric. Gives one overall score based on a description of the whole piece. Faster to use, less detailed.
Single-point rubric. A variation listing only the “meets expectations” description for each criterion, with space for notes on what fell short or went beyond.
A scored example
A persuasive essay rubric with four criteria, each scored 1 to 4:
Criterion
Score
Thesis and argument
3
Evidence and sources
4
Organization
3
Grammar and style
2
Total
12 / 16
12 ÷ 16 = 75%. Whether that becomes a C or something higher depends on the teacher’s conversion; some treat “all 3’s” (meets expectations) as a B or better. The easy grader converts rubric totals to percentages quickly.
Building one
Write criteria that describe the thinking you want to see, not just the format. The rubric maker generates an editable grid, and our article on rubrics in the AI era shows how to weight process and reasoning so work can’t simply be generated. Rubrics are the backbone of standards-based grading and are used for most summative assessments like projects and essays. For narrative feedback alongside scores, see report card comments.
Frequently asked questions
How do you turn a rubric score into a grade?
Divide the points earned by the points possible and multiply by 100. A student who scores 12 out of 16 has 75%. Some teachers use a conversion chart instead, because a straight percentage can make a 3 out of 4 (meets expectations) look like a C.
What are the four parts of a rubric?
Most rubrics have a task description, a list of criteria (what’s being judged), a scale of performance levels (for example 1 to 4), and descriptors explaining what each level looks like for each criterion.