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Determining Levels in Rubrics

Tips for determining the number of levels include

• In general, four to six levels are considered ideal.
  • Fewer than four makes it difficult to distinguish performances
  • More than six makes it difficult to comprehend distinctions (particularly for students).
• More complex performances require comparatively more level than simpler tasks.
• When deciding on an odd or even number of levels, consider the effect of having a middle level. Will middle represent ‘neutral’ and is that acceptable for the task?
• Develop names for the levels that are tactful and descriptive. Examples:
  • Expert, proficient, developing, novice o Exceeds expectations, meets expectations, approaching expectations, below expectations
  • Exemplary, acceptable, developing, unacceptable o Expert, intermediate, developing, beginning o Excellent, good, average, fair
  • Exceeds standard, meets standards, marginal, unacceptable
  • Optimizing, operating, developing, emerging o Accomplished, advancing, developing, beginning
  • Exceptional, advanced, proficient, basic

When writing the descriptions of the levels ensure that the descriptions:

• Have a face validity (make sense to students and other faculty).
• Are instructive to students. That is, the descriptions break down the dimensions of the task and articulate what quality is for each dimension.
• Reflect variation in quality of the dimension (rather than a shift in the definition of the dimension).
• Provide enough information to discern important differences, but not too much to encourage focusing on trivial differences. • Are clearly defined, and avoid overuse of terms such as “fairly well,” “some,” or “substantial.”
• Are described well enough so that someone else could use the rubric and get the same result as you would.