Instructor Support for Educational Systems

How do I create or edit a Rubric?

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This article explains how to create a Rubric. It also contains videos that explain how to create different kinds of Rubrics. 

The content of this articles exists out of:

Please see here for video's on creating different kind of Rubrics

Create a Rubric

  • Navigate to Course Tools in the navbar of your course
  • Click on Course Admin
  • Click on Rubrics
  • Click on New Rubric

You will see the screen below:

Although a Rubric is set to Published, students are not able to see the Rubric. This depends on Rubric Visibility and if a Rubric is associated to an assignment/discussion. So, don't worry about setting the status to Published!

  1. Enter a name for the Rubric
  2. Leave the Rubric Status to Published
    • Rubrics set to “Draft” or “Archived”, will not be able to be linked to an assignment/discussion etc.
  3. In the top bar you can:
    • Select the desired Type of Rubric. See here for more information on the different types
    • Select the desired scoring method. See here for more information on the scoring methods
    • Reverse level order, if you like.
  4. Levels:You can rename the levels as you like
    • Use the plus icons left and right of the levels to add levels.
    • You can alter the amount of points for each individual level.
    • Click on the  bin icon to delete a level.
  5. Criteria: For each criterion you can add a description and possibly a specific feedback for that criterion. 
    • Under Initial Feedback you can add possible criterion-specific feedback. Note that this feedback will not be displayed in the general feedback.
    • On the right you will see the amount of points a student can get for each criterion.
    • Click on the bin icon on the right to delete a criterion.
  6. In case you want to group criteria to structure your Rubric, click on Add Criteria Group to add another matrix to the rubric. Criterion groups can be reordered after they've been created.
  7. The action menu next to the criterion name provides Copy and Delete options.
    When an instructor copies a criterion, the new criterion is added under the original with the criterion name Copy of [name of original criterion].
  8. The Rubrics tool automatically saves your progress

The Overall Score only tells a student how much he or she could improve. It is a separate feature within the Rubrics tool. 

The Total Score is the score that is transferred to Grades after assessment.

  1. The Overall Score is located separately below each of the criterion groups. Here you can specify the performance levels based on the score the student can achieve in total.
    • For each level, enter how many points a student must achieve to accomplish that level.
    • The plus icons allow you to add levels. You can remove levels using the bin icon.
    • You can enter feedback for each level (in the example, students can read what they have to do to reach a certain level, and what can be done to reach a higher level the next time).
  2. Click on Options to open more settings.
  3. Select whether students are able to see the rubric:
    • Rubric is visible to students: students can always see the rubric as soon as they can see the activity the rubric is linked to.
    • Rubric is hidden from students: students cannot see the rubric.
    • Rubric is hidden from students until feedback is published: students can only see the rubric if you have published the feedback for the activity the rubric is linked to.
  4. Select Hide Scores from students if you do not want to show the scores to students.
  5. You can add a short description to the rubric.
  6. Make sure the box of Competencies is checked! If the box is not checked, you will not be able to associate a rubric an assignment/discussion etc.

Click on Close to close the rubric and return to the rubrics homepage.

Edit a Rubric

It is possible to edit the text of an existing Rubric, even if it has been used to score students. Navigate through Course Tools to Course Admin and finally to Rubrics (beneath Assessment).

  1. Click on the arrow next to the Rubric you want to edit
  2. Click on Edit Options
  1. Click on Edit Text

A Pop-up will show up. Click on Edit Text once again.

When you are done editing, click anywhere else than the text field. The rubric will update automatically. Your changes will be highlighted.

Videos on creating Rubrics

Create a Holistic Rubric

This video is made by Brightspace supplier D2L. Some screens might have a different look and feel to the Universiteit Leiden Brightspace environment.

Create a Analytic Rubric

This video is made by Brightspace supplier D2L. Some screens might have a different look and feel to the Universiteit Leiden Brightspace environment.

Create a weighted Rubric

This video is made by Brightspace supplier D2L. Some screens might have a different look and feel to the Universiteit Leiden Brightspace environment.

Edit Rubrics

You can change the text of a Rubric even if it is already in use.

Navigate to Course Tools, then to Course Admin and finally look for Rubrics(under Assessment).

1. Click the arrow next to the Rubric you want to edit

2. Click on Edit Options

1. Click on Edit text tot edit the text

After you clicked on Edit text you get a pop-up screen. Here you will have to click on Edit text again and when you're done click on Close to save your edit.

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