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C E VALUE R
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT VALUE RUBRIC
for more information, please contact [email protected]
The VALUE rubrics were developed by teams of faculty experts representing colleges and universities across the United States through a process that examined many existing campus rubrics and related documents for each learning
outcome and incorporated additional feedback from faculty. The rubrics articulate fundamental criteria for each learning outcome, with performance descriptors demonstrating progressively more sophisticated levels of attainment. The
rubrics are intended for institutional-level use in evaluating and discussing student learning, not for grading. The core expectations articulated in all 15 of the VALUE rubrics can and should be translated into the language of individual
campuses, disciplines, and even courses. The utility of the VALUE rubrics is to position learning at all undergraduate levels within a basic framework of expectations such that evidence of learning can by shared nationally through a common
dialog and understanding of student success.
Civic engagement is "working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a
community, through both political and non-political processes." (Excerpted from Civic Responsibility and Higher Education, edited by Thomas E hrlich, published by Oryx Press, 2000, Preface, page vi.) In addition, civic engagement encompasses
actions wherein individuals participate in activities of personal and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community.
Framing Language
Preparing graduates for their public lives as citizens, members of communities, and professionals in society has historically been a responsibility of higher education. Yet the outcome of a civic-minded graduate is a complex concept.
Civic learning outcomes are framed by personal identity and commitments, disciplinary frameworks and traditions, pre-professional norms and practice, and the mission and values of colleges and universities. This rubric is designed to make
the civic learning outcomes more explicit. Civic engagement can take many forms, from individual volunteerism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. For students this could include community-based learning through
service-learning classes, community-based research, or service within the community. Multiple types of work samples or collections of work may be utilized to assess this, such as:
The student creates and manages a service program that engages others (such as youth or members of a neighborhood) in learning about and taking action on an issue they care about. In the process, the student also teaches and
models processes that engage others in deliberative democracy, in having a voice, participating in democratic processes, and taking specific actions to affect an issue.
The student researches, organizes, and carries out a deliberative democracy forum on a particular issue, one that includes multiple perspectives on that issue and how best to make positive change through various courses of public
action. As a result, other students, faculty, and community members are engaged to take action on an issue.
The student works on and takes a leadership role in a complex campaign to bring about tangible changes in the public's awareness or education on a particular issue, or even a change in public policy. Through this process, the student
demonstrates multiple types of civic action and skills.
The student integrates their academic work with community engagement, producing a tangible product (piece of legislation or policy, a business, building or civic infrastructure, water quality or scientific assessment, needs survey,
research paper, service program, or organization) that has engaged community constituents and responded to community needs and assets through the process.
In addition, the nature of this work lends itself to opening up the review process to include community constituents that may be a part of the work, such as teammates, colleagues, community/ agency members, and those served or
collaborating in the process.
The definitions that follow were developed to clarify terms and concepts used in this rubric only.
Civic identity: When one sees her or himself as an active participant in society with a strong commitment and responsibility to work with others towards public purposes.
Service-learning class: A course-based educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity and reflect on the experience in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader
appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of personal values and civic responsibility.
Communication skills: Listening, deliberation, negotiation, consensus building, and productive use of conflict.
Civic life: The public life of the citizen concerned with the affairs of the community and nation as contrasted with private or personal life, which is devoted to the pursuit of private and personal interests.
Politics: A process by which a group of people, whose opinions or interests might be divergent, reach collective decisions that are generally regarded as binding on the group and enforced as common policy. Political life enables
people to accomplish goals they could not realize as individuals. Politics necessarily arises whenever groups of people live together, since they must always reach collective decisions of one kind or another.
Government: "The formal institutions of a society with the authority to make and implement binding decisions about such matters as the distribution of resources, allocation of benefits and burdens, and the management of
conflicts." (Retrieved from the Center for Civic Engagement Web site, May 5, 2009.)
Civic/ community contexts: Organizations, movements, campaigns, a place or locus where people and/ or living creatures inhabit, which may be defined by a locality (school, national park, non-profit organization, town, state, nation)
or defined by shared identity (i.e., African-Americans, North Carolinians, Americans, the Republican or Democratic Party, refugees, etc.). In addition, contexts for civic engagement may be defined by a variety of approaches intended to
benefit a person, group, or community, including community service or volunteer work, academic work.
Civic engagement is "working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a
Evaluators are encouraged to assign a zero to any work sample or collection of work that does not meet benchmark (cell one) level performance.
Diversity of Communities and Cultures
Demonstrates evidence of adjustment in own
attitudes and beliefs because of working
within and learning from diversity of
communities and cultures. Promotes others'
engagement with diversity.
Reflects on how own attitudes and beliefs are
different from those of other cultures and
communities. Exhibits curiosity about what
can be learned from diversity of communities
and cultures.
Has awareness that own attitudes and beliefs
are different from those of other cultures and
communities. Exhibits little curiosity about
what can be learned from diversity of
communities and cultures.
Expresses attitudes and beliefs as an
individual, from a one-sided view. Is
indifferent or resistant to what can be learned
from diversity of communities and cultures.
Analysis of Knowledge
Connects and extends knowledge (facts,
theories, etc.) from one's own academic
study/ field/discipline to civic engagement and
to one's own participation in civic life,
politics, and government.
Analyzes knowledge (facts, theories, etc.) from
one's own academic study/ field/ discipline
making relevant connections to civic
engagement and to one's own participation in
civic life, politics, and government.
Begins to connect knowledge (facts, theories,
etc.) from one's own academic
to tone's own participation in civic life,
Begins to identify knowledge (facts, theories,
study/ field/discipline that is relevant to civic
Civic Identity and Commitment
Provides evidence of experience in civicengagement activities and describes what
she/ he has learned about her or himself as it
relates to a reinforced and clarified sense of
civic identity and continued commitment to
public action.
relates to a growing sense of civic identity and
Evidence suggests involvement in civicengagement activities is generated from
expectations or course requirements rather
than from a sense of civic identity.
Provides little evidence of her/his experience
in civic-engagement activities and does not
connect experiences to civic identity.
Civic Communication
Tailors communication strategies to effectively Effectively communicates in civic context,
express, listen, and adapt to others to establish showing ability to do all of the following:
relationships to further civic action
express, listen, and adapt ideas and messages
based on others' perspectives.
Communicates in civic context, showing
ability to do more than one of the following:
ability to do one of the following: express,
listen, and adapt ideas and messages based on
others' perspectives.
Civic Action and Reflection
Demonstrates independent experience and
shows initiative in team leadership of complex or
multiple civic engagement activities,
accompanied by reflective insights or analysis
about the aims and accomplishments of one's
team leadership of civic action, with reflective
insights or analysis about the aims and
accomplishments of one's actions.
Has clearly participated in civically focused
actions and begins to reflect or describe how
these actions may benefit individual(s) or
Has experimented with some civic activities but
shows little internalized understanding of their
aims or effects and little commitment to future
Civic Contexts/Structures
Demonstrates ability and commitment to
collaboratively work across and within community
contexts and structures to achieve a civic aim.
Demonstrates ability and commitment to work Demonstrates experience identifying
actively within community contexts and
intentional ways to participate in civic contexts
structures to achieve a civic aim.
and structures.
Experiments with civic contexts and
structures, tries out a few to see what fits.
CREATIVE THINKING VALUE RUBRIC
The VALUE rubrics were developed by teams of faculty experts representing colleges and universities across the United States through a process that examined many existing campus rubrics
and related documents for each learning outcome and incorporated additional feedback from faculty. The rubrics articulate fundamental criteria for each learning outcome, with performance descriptors
demonstrating progressively more sophisticated levels of attainment. The rubrics are intended for institutional-level use in evaluating and discussing student learning, not for grading. The core
expectations articulated in all 15 of the VALUE rubrics can and should be translated into the language of individual campuses, disciplines, and even courses. The utility of the VALUE rubrics is to
position learning at all undergraduate levels within a basic framework of expectations such that evidence of learning can by shared nationally through a common dialog and understanding of student
Creative thinking is both the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative way
characterized by a high degree of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.
Creative thinking, as it is fostered within higher education, must be distinguished from less focused types of creativity such as, for example, the creativity exhibited by a small child's drawing,
which stems not from an understanding of connections, but from an ignorance of boundaries. Creative thinking in higher education can only be expressed productively within a particular domain. The
student must have a strong foundation in the strategies and skills of the domain in order to make connections and synthesize. While demonstrating solid knowledge of the domain's parameters, the
creative thinker, at the highest levels of performance, pushes beyond those boundaries in new, unique, or atypical recombinations, uncovering or critically perceiving new syntheses and using or
recognizing creative risk-taking to achieve a solution.
The Creative Thinking VALUE Rubric is intended to help faculty assess creative thinking in a broad range of transdisciplinary or interdisciplinary work samples or collections of work. The
rubric is made up of a set of attributes that are common to creative thinking across disciplines. Examples of work samples or collections of work that could be assessed for creative thinking may
include research papers, lab reports, musical compositions, a mathematical equation that solves a problem, a prototype design, a reflective piece about the final product of an assignment, or other
academic works. The work samples or collections of work may be completed by an individual student or a group of students.
E xemplar: A model or pattern to be copied or imitated (quoted from www.dictionary.reference.com/ browse/ exemplar).
Domain: Field of study or activity and a sphere of knowledge and influence.
Creative thinking is both the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways and the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative way characterized by a high degree
of innovation, divergent thinking, and risk taking.
This step refers to acquiring strategies and skills
within a particular domain.
May include personal risk (fear of embarrassment
or rejection) or risk of failure in successfully
completing assignment, i.e. going beyond original
parameters of assignment, introducing new
materials and forms, tackling controversial topics,
advocating unpopular ideas or solutions.
Reflect: Evaluates creative process and
product using domain-appropriate criteria.
Create: Creates an entirely new object,
solution or idea that is appropriate to the
domain.
Adapt: Successfully adapts an appropriate
exemplar to his/her own specifications.
Model: Successfully reproduces an
appropriate exemplar.
Actively seeks out and follows through on
untested and potentially risky directions or
approaches to the assignment in the final
Incorporates new directions or approaches
to the assignment in the final product.
Considers new directions or approaches
without going beyond the guidelines of the
assignment.
Stays strictly within the guidelines of the
Not only develops a logical, consistent plan Having selected from among alternatives,
to solve problem, but recognizes
develops a logical, consistent plan to solve
consequences of solution and can articulate the problem.
reason for choosing solution.
Considers and rejects less acceptable
approaches to solving problem.
Only a single approach is considered and is
used to solve the problem.
Embracing Contradictions
Integrates alternate, divergent, or
contradictory perspectives or ideas fully.
Includes (recognizes the value of) alternate,
divergent, or contradictory perspectives or
ideas in a small way.
Acknowledges (mentions in passing)
alternate, divergent, or contradictory
perspectives or ideas.
Innovative Thinking
Extends a novel or unique idea, question,
Creates a novel or unique idea, question,
format, or product to create new knowledge format, or product.
or knowledge that crosses boundaries.
Novelty or uniqueness (of idea, claim, question,
form, etc.)
Connecting, Synthesizing, Transforming Transforms ideas or solutions into entirely
new forms.
Incorporates alternate, divergent, or
contradictory perspectives or ideas in a
exploratory way.
Synthesizes ideas or solutions into a
Experiments with creating a novel or unique Reformulates a collection of available ideas.
idea, question, format, or product.
Connects ideas or solutions in novel ways.
Recognizes existing connections among
ideas or solutions.
CRITICAL THINKING VALUE RUBRIC
Critical thinking is a habit of mind characterized by the comprehensive exploration of issues, ideas, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating an opinion or conclusion.
This rubric is designed to be transdisciplinary, reflecting the recognition that success in all disciplines requires habits of inquiry and analysis that share common attributes. Further, research
suggests that successful critical thinkers from all disciplines increasingly need to be able to apply those habits in various and changing situations encountered in all walks of life.
This rubric is designed for use with many different types of assignments and the suggestions here are not an exhaustive list of possibilities. Critical thinking can be demonstrated in assignments
that require students to complete analyses of text, data, or issues. Assignments that cut across presentation mode might be especially useful in some fields. If insight into the process components of
critical thinking (e.g., how information sources were evaluated regardless of whether they were included in the product) is important, assignments focused on student reflection might be especially
illuminating.
Ambiguity: Information that may be interpreted in more than one way.
Assumptions: Ideas, conditions, or beliefs (often implicit or unstated) that are "taken for granted or accepted as true without proof." (quoted from
www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/assumptions)
Context: The historical, ethical. political, cultural, environmental, or circumstantial settings or conditions that influence and complicate the consideration of any issues, ideas, artifacts, and
Literal meaning: Interpretation of information exactly as stated. For example, "she was green with envy" would be interpreted to mean that her skin was green.
Metaphor: Information that is (intended to be) interpreted in a non-literal way. For example, "she was green with envy" is intended to convey an intensity of emotion, not a skin color.
Explanation of issues
Issue/ problem to be considered critically is
stated clearly and described
comprehensively, delivering all relevant
information necessary for full
stated, described, and clarified so that
understanding is not seriously impeded by
omissions.
Issue/problem to be considered critically is
stated but description leaves some terms
undefined, ambiguities unexplored,
boundaries undetermined, and/or
backgrounds unknown.
stated without clarification or description.
Selecting and using information to investigate a
point of view or conclusion
Information is taken from source(s) with
enough interpretation/ evaluation to develop
a comprehensive analysis or synthesis.
Viewpoints of experts are questioned
thoroughly.
a coherent analysis or synthesis.
Viewpoints of experts are subject to
some interpretation/evaluation, but not
enough to develop a coherent analysis or
synthesis.
Viewpoints of experts are taken as mostly
fact, with little questioning.
Information is taken from source(s) without
any interpretation/evaluation.
Viewpoints of experts are taken as fact,
without question.
Influence of context and assumptions
Thoroughly (systematically and
methodically) analyzes own and others'
assumptions and carefully evaluates the
relevance of contexts when presenting a
Identifies own and others' assumptions and Questions some assumptions. Identifies
several relevant contexts when presenting a several relevant contexts when presenting a
position. May be more aware of others'
assumptions than one's own (or vice versa).
Shows an emerging awareness of present
assumptions (sometimes labels assertions as
assumptions).
Begins to identify some contexts when
presenting a position.
Student's position (perspective,
thesis/hypothesis)
Specific position (perspective,
thesis/ hypothesis) is imaginative, taking into
account the complexities of an issue.
Limits of position (perspective,
thesis/ hypothesis) are acknowledged.
Others' points of view are synthesized
within position (perspective,
thesis/ hypothesis).
thesis/ hypothesis) takes into account the
complexities of an issue.
Others' points of view are acknowledged
thesis/hypothesis).
thesis/hypothesis) acknowledges different
sides of an issue.
thesis/hypothesis) is stated, but is simplistic
and obvious.
Conclusions and related outcomes
(implications and consequences)
(consequences and implications) are logical
and reflect student's informed evaluation
and ability to place evidence and
perspectives discussed in priority order.
Conclusion is logically tied to a range of
information, including opposing viewpoints;
related outcomes (consequences and
implications) are identified clearly.
Conclusion is logically tied to information
(because information is chosen to fit the
desired conclusion); some related outcomes
(consequences and implications) are
identified clearly.
Conclusion is inconsistently tied to some of
the information discussed; related outcomes
oversimplified.
ETHICAL REASONING VALUE RUBRIC
E thical Reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct. It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical
issues in a variety of settings, think about how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. Students' ethical self identity
evolves as they practice ethical decision-making skills and learn how to describe and analyze positions on ethical issues.
This rubric is intended to help faculty evaluate work samples and collections of work that demonstrate student learning about ethics. Although the goal of a liberal education should be to help
students turn what they've learned in the classroom into action, pragmatically it would be difficult, if not impossible, to judge whether or not students would act ethically when faced with real ethical
situations. What can be evaluated using a rubric is whether students have the intellectual tools to make ethical choices.
The rubric focuses on five elements: E thical Self Awareness, Ethical Issue Recognition, Understanding Different Ethical Perspectives/ Concepts, Application of Ethical Principles, and
E valuation of Different Ethical Perspectives/Concepts. Students' Ethical Self Identity evolves as they practice ethical decision-making skills and learn how to describe and analyze positions on ethical
issues. Presumably, they will choose ethical actions when faced with ethical issues.
Core Beliefs: Those fundamental principles that consciously or unconsciously influence one's ethical conduct and ethical thinking. Even when unacknowledged, core beliefs shape one's
responses. Core beliefs can reflect one's environment, religion, culture or training. A person may or may not choose to act on their core beliefs.
E thical Perspectives/ concepts: The different theoretical means through which ethical issues are analyzed, such as ethical theories (e.g., utilitarian, natural law, virtue) or ethical concepts (e.g.,
rights, justice, duty).
Complex, multi-layered (gray) context: The sub-parts or situational conditions of a scenario that bring two or more ethical dilemmas (issues) into the mix/ problem/ context/ for student's
identification.
Cross-relationships among the issues: Obvious or subtle connections between/among the sub-parts or situational conditions of the issues present in a scenario (e.g., relationship of production
of corn as part of climate change issue).
Ethical Reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct. It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, think about
how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas, and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. Students' ethical self-identity evolves as they practice ethical decision-making skills and learn how to describe and
analyze positions on ethical issues.
Ethical Self-Awareness
Student discusses in detail/ analyzes both core Student discusses in detail/ analyzes both core Student states both core beliefs and the origins Student states either their core beliefs or
beliefs and the origins of the core beliefs and beliefs and the origins of the core beliefs.
of the core beliefs.
articulates the origins of the core beliefs but
discussion has greater depth and clarity.
not both.
Understanding Different Ethical
Perspectives/Concepts
Student names the theory or theories, can
present the gist of said theory or theories, and
accurately explains the details of the theory or
theories used.
Student can name the major theory or theories Student can name the major theory she/ he
Student only names the major theory she/ he
she/ he uses, can present the gist of said
uses, and is only able to present the gist of the uses.
theory or theories, and attempts to explain the named theory.
details of the theory or theories used, but has
some inaccuracies.
Ethical Issue Recognition
Student can recognize ethical issues when
presented in a complex, multilayered (gray)
context AND can recognize crossrelationships among the issues.
issues are presented in a complex, multilayered
(gray) context OR can grasp crossrelationships among the issues.
Student can recognize basic and obvious
ethical issues and grasp (incompletely) the
complexities or interrelationships among the
ethical issues but fails to grasp complexity or
interrelationships.
Application of Ethical
Student can independently apply ethical
perspectives/ concepts to an ethical question,
accurately, and is able to consider full
implications of the application.
Student can independently (to a new example)
apply ethical perspectives/ concepts to an
ethical question, accurately, but does not
consider the specific implications of the
Student can apply ethical
independently (to a new example) and the
application is inaccurate.
perspectives/ concepts to an ethical question
with support (using examples, in a class, in a
group, or a fixed-choice setting) but is unable
to apply ethical perspectives/ concepts
independently (to a new example.).
Evaluation of Different Ethical
Student states a position and can state the
objections to, assumptions and implications of
and can reasonably defend against the
different ethical perspectives/ concepts, and
the student's defense is adequate and effective.
objections to, assumptions and implications
of, and respond to the objections to,
assumptions and implications of different
ethical perspectives/ concepts, but the
student's response is inadequate.
Student states a position but cannot state the
objections to, assumptions and implications of objections to and assumptions and limitations
of the different perspectives/ concepts.
different ethical perspectives/ concepts but
does not respond to them (and ultimately
objections, assumptions, and implications are
compartmentalized by student and do not
affect student's position.)
INFORMATION LITERACY VALUE RUBRIC
The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand. Adopted from the National Forum on Information Literacy
This rubric is recommended for use evaluating a collection of work, rather than a single work sample in order to fully gauge students' information skills. Ideally, a collection of work would
contain a wide variety of different types of work and might include: research papers, editorials, speeches, grant proposals, marketing or business plans, PowerPoint presentations, posters, literature
reviews, position papers, and argument critiques to name a few. In addition, a description of the assignments with the instructions that initiated the student work would be vital in providing the
complete context for the work. Although a student's final work must stand on its own, evidence of a student's research and information gathering processes, such as a research journal/ diary, could
provide further demonstration of a student's information proficiency and for some criteria on this rubric would be required.
The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand. - The National Forum on Information Literacy
Determine the Extent of Information
Effectively defines the scope of the research
question or thesis. E ffectively determines key
concepts. Types of information (sources)
selected directly relate to concepts or answer
research question.
Defines the scope of the research question or
thesis completely. Can determine key concepts.
Types of information (sources) selected relate to
concepts or answer research question.
Access the Needed Information
Accesses information using effective, welldesigned search strategies and most appropriate
information sources.
Accesses information using variety of search
Accesses information using simple search
Accesses information randomly, retrieves
strategies and some relevant information sources. strategies, retrieves information from limited and information that lacks relevance and quality.
Demonstrates ability to refine search.
similar sources.
Evaluate Information and its Sources
Thoroughly (systematically and methodically)
analyzes own and others' assumptions and
carefully evaluates the relevance of contexts
when presenting a position.
Identifies own and others' assumptions and
several relevant contexts when presenting a
Questions some assumptions. Identifies several
relevant contexts when presenting a position.
May be more aware of others' assumptions than
one's own (or vice versa).
assumptions). Begins to identify some contexts
Use Information Effectively to Accomplish
a Specific Purpose
Communicates, organizes and synthesizes
information from sources to fully achieve a
specific purpose, with clarity and depth
information from sources. Intended purpose is
achieved.
Communicates and organizes information from
sources. The information is not yet synthesized,
so the intended purpose is not fully achieved.
Communicates information from sources. The
information is fragmented and/ or used
inappropriately (misquoted, taken out of context,
or incorrectly paraphrased, etc.), so the intended
purpose is not achieved.
Access and Use Information Ethically and
Students use correctly all of the following
information use strategies (use of citations and
references; choice of paraphrasing, summary, or
quoting; using information in ways that are true
to original context; distinguishing between
common knowledge and ideas requiring
attribution) and demonstrate a full understanding
of the ethical and legal restrictions on the use of
published, confidential, and/ or proprietary
Students use correctly three of the following
attribution) and demonstrates a full
understanding of the ethical and legal
restrictions on the use of published, confidential,
and/ or proprietary information.
Students use correctly two of the following
Students use correctly one of the following
understanding of the ethical and legal restrictions
on the use of published, confidential, and/ or
proprietary information.
thesis incompletely (parts are missing, remains
too broad or too narrow, etc.). Can determine
key concepts. Types of information (sources)
selected partially relate to concepts or answer
Has difficulty defining the scope of the research
question or thesis. Has difficulty determining key
selected do not relate to concepts or answer
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS VALUE RUBRIC
Inquiry is a systematic process of exploring issues, objects or works through the collection and analysis of evidence that results in informed conclusions or judgments. Analysis is the process of
breaking complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.
This rubric is designed for use in a wide variety of disciplines. Since the terminology and process of inquiry are discipline-specific, an effort has been made to use broad language which reflects
multiple approaches and assignments while addressing the fundamental elements of sound inquiry and analysis (including topic selection, existing, knowledge, design, analysis, etc.) The rubric language
assumes that the inquiry and analysis process carried out by the student is appropriate for the discipline required. For example, if analysis using statistical methods is appropriate for the discipline then a
student would be expected to use an appropriate statistical methodology for that analysis. If a student does not use a discipline-appropriate process for any criterion, that work should receive a
performance rating of "1" or "0" for that criterion.
In addition, this rubric addresses the products of analysis and inquiry, not the processes themselves. The complexity of inquiry and analysis tasks is determined in part by how much
information or guidance is provided to a student and how much the student constructs. The more the student constructs, the more complex the inquiry process. For this reason, while the rubric can be
used if the assignments or purposes for work are unknown, it will work most effectively when those are known. Finally, faculty are encouraged to adapt the essence and language of each rubric
criterion to the disciplinary or interdisciplinary context to which it is applied.
• Conclusions: A synthesis of key findings drawn from research/evidence.
• Limitations: Critique of the process or evidence.
• Implications: How inquiry results apply to a larger context or the real world.
Inquiry is a systematic process of exploring issues/objects/works through the collection and analysis of evidence that result in informed conclusions/ judgments. Analysis is the process of breaking
complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.
Topic selection
Identifies a creative, focused, and
manageable topic that addresses
potentially significant yet previously lessexplored aspects of the topic.
Existing Knowledge, Research,
and/or Views
Synthesizes in-depth information from Presents in-depth information from
relevant sources representing various
points of view/approaches.
All elements of the methodology or
theoretical framework are skillfully
developed. Appropriate methodology or
theoretical frameworks may be
synthesized from across disciplines or
from relevant subdisciplines.
Organizes and synthesizes evidence to Organizes evidence to reveal important
reveal insightful patterns, differences, or patterns, differences, or similarities
similarities related to focus.
related to focus.
States a conclusion that is a logical
States a conclusion focused solely on the States a general conclusion that, because States an ambiguous, illogical, or
extrapolation from the inquiry findings. inquiry findings. The conclusion arises it is so general, also applies beyond the unsupportable conclusion from inquiry
specifically from and responds
scope of the inquiry findings.
findings.
specifically to the inquiry findings.
Limitations and Implications
Insightfully discusses in detail relevant
and supported limitations and
Identifies a focused and
manageable/doable topic that
appropriately addresses relevant aspects
of the topic.
Identifies a topic that while
manageable/ doable, is too narrowly
focused and leaves out relevant aspects
Identifies a topic that is far too general
and wide-ranging as to be manageable
and doable.
Presents information from relevant
sources representing limited points of
view/ approaches.
Presents information from irrelevant
Critical elements of the methodology or Critical elements of the methodology or Inquiry design demonstrates a
theoretical framework are appropriately theoretical framework are missing,
misunderstanding of the methodology
developed, however, more subtle
incorrectly developed, or unfocused.
or theoretical framework.
elements are ignored or unaccounted
Discusses relevant and supported
limitations and implications.
Organizes evidence, but the
Lists evidence, but it is not organized
organization is not effective in revealing and/ or is unrelated to focus.
important patterns, differences, or
similarities.
Presents relevant and supported
Presents limitations and implications,
but they are possibly irrelevant and
unsupported.
INTEGRATIVE LEARNING VALUE RUBRIC
The VALUE rubrics were developed by teams of faculty experts representing colleges and universities across the United States through a process that examined many existing campus rubrics and related documents for each learning outcome
and incorporated additional feedback from faculty. The rubrics articulate fundamental criteria for each learning outcome, with performance descriptors demonstrating progressively more sophisticated levels of attainment. The rubrics are intended for
institutional-level use in evaluating and discussing student learning, not for grading. The core expectations articulated in all 15 of the VALUE rubrics can and should be translated into the language of individual campuses, disciplines, and even courses.
The utility of the VALUE rubrics is to position learning at all undergraduate levels within a basic framework of expectations such that evidence of learning can by shared nationally through a common dialog and understanding of student success.
Integrative learning is an understanding and a disposition that a student builds across the curriculum and co-curriculum, from making simple connections among ideas and experiences to synthesizing and transferring learning to new, complex
situations within and beyond the campus.
Fostering students' abilities to integrate learning—across courses, over time, and between campus and community life—is one of the most important goals and challenges for higher education. Initially, students connect previous learning to new
classroom learning. Later, significant knowledge within individual disciplines serves as the foundation, but integrative learning goes beyond academic boundaries. Indeed, integrative experiences often occur as learners address real-world problems,
unscripted and sufficiently broad, to require multiple areas of knowledge and multiple modes of inquiry, offering multiple solutions and benefiting from multiple perspectives. Integrative learning also involves internal changes in the learner. These internal
changes, which indicate growth as a confident, lifelong learner, include the ability to adapt one's intellectual skills, to contribute in a wide variety of situations, and to understand and develop individual purpose, values and ethics. Developing students'
capacities for integrative learning is central to personal success, social responsibility, and civic engagement in today's global society. Students face a rapidly changing and increasingly connected world where integrative learning becomes not just a
benefit...but a necessity.
Because integrative learning is about making connections, this learning may not be as evident in traditional academic artifacts such as research papers and academic projects unless the student, for example, is prompted to draw implications for
practice. These connections often surface, however, in reflective work, self assessment, or creative endeavors of all kinds. Integrative assignments foster learning between courses or by connecting courses to experientially-based work. Work samples or
collections of work that include such artifacts give evidence of integrative learning. Faculty are encouraged to look for evidence that the student connects the learning gained in classroom study to learning gained in real life situations that are related to
other learning experiences, extra-curricular activities, or work. Through integrative learning, students pull together their entire experience inside and outside of the formal classroom; thus, artificial barriers between formal study and informal or tacit
learning become permeable. Integrative learning, whatever the context or source, builds upon connecting both theory and practice toward a deepened understanding.
Assignments to foster such connections and understanding could include, for example, composition papers that focus on topics from biology, economics, or history; mathematics assignments that apply mathematical tools to important issues and
require written analysis to explain the implications and limitations of the mathematical treatment, or art history presentations that demonstrate aesthetic connections between selected paintings and novels. In this regard, some majors (e.g., interdisciplinary
majors or problem-based field studies) seem to inherently evoke characteristics of integrative learning and result in work samples or collections of work that significantly demonstrate this outcome. However, fields of study that require accumulation of
extensive and high-consensus content knowledge (such as accounting, engineering, or chemistry) also involve the kinds of complex and integrative constructions (e.g., ethical dilemmas and social consciousness) that seem to be highlighted so extensively in
self reflection in arts and humanities, but they may be embedded in individual performances and less evident. The key in the development of such work samples or collections of work will be in designing structures that include artifacts and reflective
writing or feedback that support students' examination of their learning and give evidence that, as graduates, they will extend their integrative abilities into the challenges of personal, professional, and civic life.
Academic knowledge: Disciplinary learning; learning from academic study, texts, etc.
Content: The information conveyed in the work samples or collections of work.
Contexts: Actual or simulated situations in which a student demonstrates learning outcomes. New and challenging contexts encourage students to stretch beyond their current frames of reference.
Co-curriculum: A parallel component of the academic curriculum that is in addition to formal classroom (student government, community service, residence hall activities, student organizations, etc.).
Experience: Learning that takes place in a setting outside of the formal classroom, such as workplace, service learning site, internship site or another.
Form: The external frameworks in which information and evidence are presented, ranging from choices for particular work sample or collection of works (such as a research paper, PowerPoint, video recording, etc.) to choices in make-up of
the eportfolio.
Performance: A dynamic and sustained act that brings together knowing and doing (creating a painting, solving an experimental design problem, developing a public relations strategy for a business, etc.); performance makes learning observable.
Reflection: A meta-cognitive act of examining a performance in order to explore its significance and consequences.
Self Assessment: Describing, interpreting, and judging a performance based on stated or implied expectations followed by planning for further learning.
Integrative learning is an understanding and a disposition that a student builds across the curriculum and cocurriculum, from making simple connections among ideas and experiences to synthesizing and
transferring learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.
Effectively selects and develops
examples of life experiences, drawn from
a variety of contexts (e.g., family life,
artistic participation, civic involvement,
work experience), to illuminate
concepts/theories/frameworks of fields
of study.
Compares life experiences and academic
knowledge to infer differences, as well as
similarities, and acknowledge
perspectives other than own.
Connections to Experience
Connects relevant experience and academic
Meaningfully synthesizes connections
among experiences outside of the formal
classroom (including life experiences and
academic experiences such as internships
and travel abroad) to deepen
understanding of fields of study and to
broaden own points of view.
Identifies connections between life
experiences and those academic texts and
ideas perceived as similar and related
to own interests.
Connections to Discipline
Sees (makes) connections across disciplines,
Independently creates wholes out of
Independently connects examples, facts,
multiple parts (synthesizes) or draws
or theories from more than one field of
conclusions by combining examples, facts, study or perspective.
study or perspective.
When prompted, connects examples,
When prompted, presents examples, facts,
facts, or theories from more than one field or theories from more than one field of
of study or perspective.
Adapts and applies skills, abilities, theories, or
methodologies gained in one situation to new
Adapts and applies, independently, skills,
abilities, theories, or methodologies gained
in one situation to new situations to solve
difficult problems or explore complex
issues in original ways.
Adapts and applies skills, abilities, theories,
or methodologies gained in one situation
to new situations to solve problems or
explore issues.
Uses skills, abilities, theories, or
Uses, in a basic way, skills, abilities,
methodologies gained in one situation in a theories, or methodologies gained in one
new situation to contribute to
situation in a new situation.
understanding of problems or issues.
Integrated Communication
Fulfills the assignment(s) by choosing a
format, language, or graph (or other visual
representation) in ways that enhance
meaning, making clear the
interdependence of language and
meaning, thought, and expression.
representation) to explicitly connect
content and form, demonstrating
awareness of purpose and audience.
representation) that connects in a basic
way what is being communicated
(content) with how it is said (form).
Fulfills the assignment(s) (i.e. to produce
an essay, a poster, a video, a PowerPoint
presentation, etc.) in an appropriate
form.
Reflection and Self-Assessment
Demonstrates a developing sense of self as a
learner, building on prior experiences to respond
to new and challenging contexts (may be evident
in self-assessment, reflective, or creative work)
Envisions a future self (and possibly
makes plans that build on past
experiences) that have occurred across
multiple and diverse contexts.
Evaluates changes in own learning over
time, recognizing complex contextual
factors (e.g., works with ambiguity and
risk, deals with frustration, considers
ethical frameworks).
Articulates strengths and challenges
(within specific performances or events)
to increase effectiveness in different
contexts (through increased selfawareness).
Describes own performances with general
descriptors of success and failure.
INTERCULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCE VALUE RUBRIC
The VALUE rubrics were developed by teams of faculty experts representing colleges and universities across the United States through a process that examined many existing campus rubrics and related
documents for each learning outcome and incorporated additional feedback from faculty. The rubrics articulate fundamental criteria for each learning outcome, with performance descriptors demonstrating
progressively more sophisticated levels of attainment. The rubrics are intended for institutional-level use in evaluating and discussing student learning, not for grading. The core expectations articulated in all 15
of the VALUE rubrics can and should be translated into the language of individual campuses, disciplines, and even courses. The utility of the VALUE rubrics is to position learning at all undergraduate levels
within a basic framework of expectations such that evidence of learning can by shared nationally through a common dialog and understanding of student success.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence is "a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts."
(Bennett, J. M. 2008. Transformative training: Designing programs for culture learning. In Contemporary leadership and intercultural competence: Understanding and utilizing cultural diversity to build successful organizations, ed.
M. A. Moodian, 95-110. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.)
The call to integrate intercultural knowledge and competence into the heart of education is an imperative born of seeing ourselves as members of a world community, knowing that we share the future
with others. Beyond mere exposure to culturally different others, the campus community requires the capacity to: meaningfully engage those others, place social justice in historical and political context, and put
culture at the core of transformative learning. The intercultural knowledge and competence rubric suggests a systematic way to measure our capacity to identify our own cultural patterns, compare and contrast
them with others, and adapt empathically and flexibly to unfamiliar ways of being.
The levels of this rubric are informed in part by M. Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (Bennett, M.J. 1993. Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural
sensitity. In Education for the intercultural experience, ed. R. M. Paige, 22-71. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press). In addition, the criteria in this rubric are informed in part by D.K. Deardorff's intercultural
framework which is the first research-based consensus model of intercultural competence (Deardorff, D.K. 2006. The identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of
internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education 10(3): 241-266). It is also important to understand that intercultural knowledge and competence is more complex than what is reflected in this
rubric. This rubric identifies six of the key components of intercultural knowledge and competence, but there are other components as identified in the Deardorff model and in other research.
• Culture: All knowledge and values shared by a group.
• Cultural rules and biases: Boundaries within which an individual operates in order to feel a sense of belonging to a society or group, based on the values shared by that society or group.
• Empathy: "Empathy is the imaginary participation in another person's experience, including emotional and intellectual dimensions, by imagining his or her perspective (not by assuming the person's
position)". Bennett, J. 1998. Transition shock: Putting culture shock in perspective. In Basic concepts of intercultural communication, ed. M. Bennett, 215-224. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
• Intercultural experience: The experience of an interaction with an individual or groups of people whose culture is different from your own.
• Intercultural/ cultural differences: The differences in rules, behaviors, communication and biases, based on cultural values that are different from one's own culture.
• Suspends judgment in valuing their interactions with culturally different others: Postpones assessment or evaluation (positive or negative) of interactions with people culturally different from one self.
Disconnecting from the process of automatic judgment and taking time to reflect on possibly multiple meanings.
• Worldview: Worldview is the cognitive and affective lens through which people construe their experiences and make sense of the world around them.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence is "a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts." (Bennett, J. M. 2008. Transformative training: Designing
programs for culture learning. In Contemporary leadership and intercultural competence: Understanding and utilizing cultural diversity to build successful organizations, ed. M. A. Moodian, 95-110. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.)
Cultural self- awareness
Articulates insights into own cultural rules and
biases (e.g. seeking complexity; aware of how
her/ his experiences have shaped these rules, and
how to recognize and respond to cultural biases,
resulting in a shift in self-description.)
Recognizes new perspectives about own cultural
rules and biases (e.g. not looking for sameness;
comfortable with the complexities that new
perspectives offer.)
Identifies own cultural rules and biases (e.g. with a
strong preference for those rules shared with own
cultural group and seeks the same in others.)
Shows minimal awareness of own cultural rules and
biases (even those shared with own cultural
group(s)) (e.g. uncomfortable with identifying
possible cultural differences with others.)
Knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks
Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the
complexity of elements important to members of
another culture in relation to its history, values,
politics, communication styles, economy, or beliefs
and practices.
Demonstrates adequate understanding of the
Demonstrates partial understanding of the
Demonstrates surface understanding of the
Interprets intercultural experience from the
perspectives of own and more than one worldview
and demonstrates ability to act in a supportive
manner that recognizes the feelings of another
cultural group.
Recognizes intellectual and emotional dimensions
of more than one worldview and sometimes uses
more than one worldview in interactions.
Identifies components of other cultural
Views the experience of others but does so through
perspectives but responds in all situations with own own cultural worldview.
worldview.
Verbal and nonverbal communication
Articulates a complex understanding of cultural
differences in verbal and nonverbal communication
(e.g., demonstrates understanding of the degree to
which people use physical contact while
communicating in different cultures or use
direct/ indirect and explicit/ implicit meanings) and
is able to skillfully negotiate a shared understanding
based on those differences.
Recognizes and participates in cultural differences
in verbal and nonverbal communication and begins
to negotiate a shared understanding based on those
differences.
Identifies some cultural differences in verbal and
nonverbal communication and is aware that
misunderstandings can occur based on those
differences but is still unable to negotiate a shared
Has a minimal level of understanding of cultural
differences in verbal and nonverbal communication;
is unable to negotiate a shared understanding.
Asks complex questions about other cultures, seeks Asks deeper questions about other cultures and
out and articulates answers to these questions that seeks out answers to these questions.
reflect multiple cultural perspectives.
Asks simple or surface questions about other
cultures.
States minimal interest in learning more about other
Initiates and develops interactions with culturally
Begins to initiate and develop interactions with
different others. Suspends judgment in valuing
culturally different others. Begins to suspend
her/ his interactions with culturally different others. judgment in valuing her/ his interactions with
culturally different others.
Expresses openness to most, if not all, interactions
with culturally different others. Has difficulty
suspending any judgment in her/ his interactions
with culturally different others, and is aware of own
judgment and expresses a willingness to change.
Receptive to interacting with culturally different
others. Has difficulty suspending any judgment in
her/ his interactions with culturally different others,
but is unaware of own judgment.
FOUNDATIONS AND SKILLS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING VALUE RUBRIC
Lifelong learning is "all purposeful learning activity, undertaken on an ongoing basis with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence". An endeavor of higher education is to
prepare students to be this type of learner by developing specific dispositions and skills described in this rubric while in school. (From The European Commission. 2000. Commission staff working
paper: A memorandum on lifelong learning. Retrieved September 3, 2003, www.see-educoop.net/education_in/ pdf/ lifelong-oth-enl-t02.pdf.)
This rubric is designed to assess the skills and dispositions involved in lifelong learning, which are curiosity, transfer, independence, initiative, and reflection. Assignments that encourage students
to reflect on how they incorporated their lifelong learning skills into their work samples or collections of work by applying above skills and dispositions will provide the means for assessing those
criteria. Work samples or collections of work tell what is known or can be done by students, while reflections tell what students think or feel or perceive. Reflection provides the evaluator with a much
better understanding of who students are because through reflection students share how they feel about or make sense of their learning experiences. Reflection allows analysis and interpretation of the
work samples or collections of work for the reader. Reflection also allows exploration of alternatives, the consideration of future plans, and provides evidence related to students' growth and
development. Perhaps the best fit for this rubric are those assignments that prompt the integration of experience beyond the classroom.
Lifelong learning is "all purposeful learning activity, undertaken on an ongoing basis with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence". An endeavor of higher education is to prepare students to be
this type of learner by developing tspecific dispositions and skills (described in this rubric) while in school. (From The European Commission. 2000. Commission staff working paper: A memorandum on lifelong
learning. Retrieved September 3, 2003, from www.see-educoop.net/ education_in/ pdf/ lifelong-oth-enl-t02.pdf.)
Explores a topic in depth, yielding a rich
awareness and/ or little-known
information indicating intense interest in
the subject.
Explores a topic in depth, yielding insight Explores a topic with some evidence of
and/ or information indicating interest in depth, providing occasional insight
and/or information indicating mild
interest in the subject.
Completes required work, generates and
pursues opportunities to expand
knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Completes required work, identifies and
Completes required work and identifies
Completes required work.
opportunities to expand knowledge, skills,
and abilities.
Educational interests and pursuits exist
and flourish outside classroom
requirements. Knowledge and/or
experiences are pursued independently.
Beyond classroom requirements, pursues
substantial, additional knowledge and/or
actively pursues independent educational
additional knowledge and/or shows
interest in pursuing independent
educational experiences.
Begins to look beyond classroom
requirements, showing interest in pursuing
knowledge independently.
Makes explicit references to previous
learning and applies in an innovative (new
and creative) way that knowledge and
those skills to demonstrate
comprehension and performance in novel
Makes references to previous learning and
shows evidence of applying that
knowledge and those skills to demonstrate
attempts to apply that knowledge and
Makes vague references to previous
learning but does not apply knowledge
and skills to demonstrate comprehension
and performance in novel situations.
Reviews prior learning (past experiences
inside and outside of the classroom) in
depth to reveal significantly changed
perspectives about educational and life
experiences, which provide foundation for
expanded knowledge, growth, and
maturity over time.
depth, revealing fully clarified meanings or
indicating broader perspectives about
educational or life events.
inside and outside of the classroom) with
some depth, revealing slightly clarified
meanings or indicating a somewhat
broader perspectives about educational or
life events.
inside and outside of the classroom) at a
surface level, without revealing clarified
meaning or indicating a broader
perspective about educational or life
Explores a topic at a surface level,
providing little insight and/or information
beyond the very basic facts indicating low
ORAL COMMUNICATION VALUE RUBRIC
The type of oral communication most likely to be included in a collection of student work is an oral presentation and therefore is the focus for the application of this rubric.
Oral communication is a prepared, purposeful presentation designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners' attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.
Oral communication takes many forms. This rubric is specifically designed to evaluate oral presentations of a single speaker at a time and is best applied to live or video-recorded presentations.
For panel presentations or group presentations, it is recommended that each speaker be evaluated separately. This rubric best applies to presentations of sufficient length such that a central message is
conveyed, supported by one or more forms of supporting materials and includes a purposeful organization. An oral answer to a single question not designed to be structured into a presentation does
not readily apply to this rubric.
Central message: The main point/thesis/"bottom line"/"take-away" of a presentation. A clear central message is easy to identify; a compelling central message is also vivid and memorable.
Delivery techniques: Posture, gestures, eye contact, and use of the voice. Delivery techniques enhance the effectiveness of the presentation when the speaker stands and moves with authority,
looks more often at the audience than at his/her speaking materials/notes, uses the voice expressively, and uses few vocal fillers ("um," "uh," "like," "you know," etc.).
Language: Vocabulary, terminology, and sentence structure. Language that supports the effectiveness of a presentation is appropriate to the topic and audience, grammatical, clear, and free from
bias. Language that enhances the effectiveness of a presentation is also vivid, imaginative, and expressive.
Organization: The grouping and sequencing of ideas and supporting material in a presentation. An organizational pattern that supports the effectiveness of a presentation typically includes an
introduction, one or more identifiable sections in the body of the speech, and a conclusion. An organizational pattern that enhances the effectiveness of the presentation reflects a purposeful
choice among possible alternatives, such as a chronological pattern, a problem-solution pattern, an analysis-of-parts pattern, etc., that makes the content of the presentation easier to follow and
more likely to accomplish its purpose.
Supporting material: Explanations, examples, illustrations, statistics, analogies, quotations from relevant authorities, and other kinds of information or analysis that supports the principal ideas
of the presentation. Supporting material is generally credible when it is relevant and derived from reliable and appropriate sources. Supporting material is highly credible when it is also vivid and
varied across the types listed above (e.g., a mix of examples, statistics, and references to authorities). Supporting material may also serve the purpose of establishing the speakers credibility. For
example, in presenting a creative work such as a dramatic reading of Shakespeare, supporting evidence may not advance the ideas of Shakespeare, but rather serve to establish the speaker as a
credible Shakespearean actor.
Organizational pattern (specific
introduction and conclusion, sequenced
material within the body, and transitions)
is clearly and consistently observable and
is skillful and makes the content of the
presentation cohesive.
is clearly and consistently observable
within the presentation.
is intermittently observable within the
presentation.
is not observable within the presentation.
Language choices are imaginative,
memorable, and compelling, and enhance
the effectiveness of the presentation.
Language in presentation is appropriate to
Language choices are thoughtful and
generally support the effectiveness of the
presentation. Language in presentation is
appropriate to audience.
Language choices are mundane and
commonplace and partially support the
effectiveness of the presentation.
Language choices are unclear and
minimally support the effectiveness of the
not appropriate to audience.
Delivery techniques (posture, gesture, eye
contact, and vocal expressiveness) make
the presentation compelling, and speaker
appears polished and confident.
the presentation interesting, and speaker
appears comfortable.
the presentation understandable, and
speaker appears tentative.
contact, and vocal expressiveness) detract
from the understandability of the
presentation, and speaker appears
uncomfortable.
Supporting Material
A variety of types of supporting materials
(explanations, examples, illustrations,
statistics, analogies, quotations from
relevant authorities) make appropriate
reference to information or analysis that
significantly supports the presentation or
establishes the presenter's
credibility/ authority on the topic.
Supporting materials (explanations,
examples, illustrations, statistics, analogies,
quotations from relevant authorities) make
appropriate reference to information or
analysis that generally supports the
presentation or establishes the presenter's
analysis that partially supports the
credibility/authority on the topic.
Insufficient supporting materials
relevant authorities) make reference to
information or analysis that minimally
supports the presentation or establishes
the presenter's credibility/authority on the
topic.
Central message is compelling (precisely Central message is clear and consistent
stated, appropriately repeated, memorable, with the supporting material.
and strongly supported.)
Central message is basically
understandable but is not often repeated
and is not memorable.
Central message can be deduced, but is
not explicitly stated in the presentation.
PROBLEM SOLVING VALUE RUBRIC
Problem solving is the process of designing, evaluating and implementing a strategy to answer an open-ended question or achieve a desired goal.
Problem-solving covers a wide range of activities that may vary significantly across disciplines. Activities that encompass problem-solving by students may involve problems that range from
well-defined to ambiguous in a simulated or laboratory context, or in real-world settings. This rubric distills the common elements of most problem-solving contexts and is designed to function across
all disciplines. It is broad-based enough to allow for individual differences among learners, yet is concise and descriptive in its scope to determine how well students have maximized their respective
abilities to practice thinking through problems in order to reach solutions.
This rubric is designed to measure the quality of a process, rather than the quality of an end-product. As a result, work samples or collections of work will need to include some evidence of
the individual's thinking about a problem-solving task (e.g., reflections on the process from problem to proposed solution; steps in a problem-based learning assignment; record of think-aloud protocol
while solving a problem). The final product of an assignment that required problem resolution is insufficient without insight into the student's problem-solving process. Because the focus is on
institutional level assessment, scoring team projects, such as those developed in capstone courses, may be appropriate as well.
Contextual Factors: Constraints (such as limits on cost), resources, attitudes (such as biases) and desired additional knowledge which affect how the problem can be best solved in the real world
or simulated setting.
Critique: Involves analysis and synthesis of a full range of perspectives.
Feasible: Workable, in consideration of time-frame, functionality, available resources, necessary buy-in, and limits of the assignment or task.
"Off the shelf "solution: A simplistic option that is familiar from everyday experience but not tailored to the problem at hand (e.g. holding a bake sale to "save" an underfunded public library).
Solution: An appropriate response to a challenge or a problem.
Strategy: A plan of action or an approach designed to arrive at a solution. ( If the problem is a river that needs to be crossed, there could be a construction-oriented, cooperative (build a bridge
with your community) approach and a personally oriented, physical (swim across alone) approach. An approach that partially applies would be a personal, physical approach for someone who
doesn't know how to swim.
Support: Specific rationale, evidence, etc. for solution or selection of solution.
Problem solving is the process of designing, evaluating, and implementing a strategy to answer an open-ended question or achieve a desired goal.
Define Problem
Demonstrates the ability to construct a clear Demonstrates the ability to construct a
and insightful problem statement with
problem statement with evidence of most
evidence of all relevant contextual factors. relevant contextual factors, and problem
statement is adequately detailed.
Begins to demonstrate the ability to
Demonstrates a limited ability in identifying
construct a problem statement with
a problem statement or related contextual
evidence of most relevant contextual
factors.
factors, but problem statement is superficial.
Identify Strategies
Identifies multiple approaches for solving
the problem that apply within a specific
the problem, only some of which apply
within a specific context.
Identifies only a single approach for solving Identifies one or more approaches for
the problem that does apply within a
solving the problem that do not apply
specific context.
Propose Solutions/Hypotheses
Proposes one or more solutions/ hypotheses
that indicates a deep comprehension of the
problem. Solution/ hypotheses are sensitive
to contextual factors as well as all of the
following: ethical, logical, and cultural
dimensions of the problem.
Proposes one or more solutions/hypotheses
that indicates comprehension of the
problem. Solutions/ hypotheses are sensitive
to contextual factors as well as the one of
the following: ethical, logical, or cultural
Proposes one solution/hypothesis that is
"off the shelf " rather than individually
designed to address the specific contextual
factors of the problem.
Proposes a solution/hypothesis that is
difficult to evaluate because it is vague or
only indirectly addresses the problem
statement.
Evaluate Potential Solutions
Evaluation of solutions is deep and elegant
(for example, contains thorough and
insightful explanation) and includes, deeply
and thoroughly, all of the following:
considers history of problem, reviews
logic/ reasoning, examines feasibility of
solution, and weighs impacts of solution.
Evaluation of solutions is adequate (for
example, contains thorough explanation)
and includes the following: considers history
of problem, reviews logic/reasoning,
examines feasibility of solution, and weighs
impacts of solution.
Evaluation of solutions is brief (for
example, explanation lacks depth) and
includes the following: considers history of
problem, reviews logic/reasoning, examines
feasibility of solution, and weighs impacts
of solution.
Evaluation of solutions is superficial (for
example, contains cursory, surface level
explanation) and includes the following:
Implement Solution
Implements the solution in a manner that
addresses thoroughly and deeply multiple
contextual factors of the problem.
addresses multiple contextual factors of the addresses the problem statement but ignores does not directly address the problem
problem in a surface manner.
relevant contextual factors.
Evaluate Outcomes
Reviews results relative to the problem
defined with thorough, specific
considerations of need for further work.
defined with some consideration of need
for further work.
Reviews results in terms of the problem
defined with little, if any, consideration of
need for further work.
Reviews results superficially in terms of the
problem defined with no consideration of
need for further work
QUANTITATIVE LITERACY VALUE RUBRIC
documents for each learning outcome and incorporated additional feedback from faculty. The rubrics articulate fundamental criteria for each learning outcome, with performance descriptors demonstrating progressively
more sophisticated levels of attainment. The rubrics are intended for institutional-level use in evaluating and discussing student learning, not for grading. The core expectations articulated in all 15 of the VALUE rubrics
can and should be translated into the language of individual campuses, disciplines, and even courses. The utility of the VALUE rubrics is to position learning at all undergraduate levels within a basic framework of
expectations such that evidence of learning can by shared nationally through a common dialog and understanding of student success.
Quantitative Literacy (QL) – also known as Numeracy or Quantitative Reasoning (QR) – is a "habit of mind," competency, and comfort in working with numerical data. Individuals with strong QL skills possess
the ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. They understand and can create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence and
they can clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).
Quantitative Literacy Across the Disciplines
Current trends in general education reform demonstrate that faculty are recognizing the steadily growing importance of Quantitative Literacy (QL) in an increasingly quantitative and data-dense world. AAC&U's
recent survey showed that concerns about QL skills are shared by employers, who recognize that many of today's students will need a wide range of high level quantitative skills to complete their work responsibilities.
Virtually all of today's students, regardless of career choice, will need basic QL skills such as the ability to draw information from charts, graphs, and geometric figures, and the ability to accurately complete
straightforward estimations and calculations.
Preliminary efforts to find student work products which demonstrate QL skills proved a challenge in this rubric creation process. It's possible to find pages of mathematical problems, but what those problem
sets don't demonstrate is whether the student was able to think about and understand the meaning of her work. It's possible to find research papers that include quantitative information, but those papers often don't
provide evidence that allows the evaluator to see how much of the thinking was done by the original source (often carefully cited in the paper) and how much was done by the student herself, or whether conclusions
drawn from analysis of the source material are even accurate.
Given widespread agreement about the importance of QL, it becomes incumbent on faculty to develop new kinds of assignments which give students substantive, contextualized experience in using such skills as
analyzing quantitative information, representing quantitative information in appropriate forms, completing calculations to answer meaningful questions, making judgments based on quantitative data and communicating
the results of that work for various purposes and audiences. As students gain experience with those skills, faculty must develop assignments that require students to create work products which reveal their thought
processes and demonstrate the range of their QL skills.
This rubric provides for faculty a definition for QL and a rubric describing four levels of QL achievement which might be observed in work products within work samples or collections of work. Members of
AAC&U's rubric development team for QL hope that these materials will aid in the assessment of QL – but, equally important, we hope that they will help institutions and individuals in the effort to more thoroughly
embed QL across the curriculum of colleges and universities.
This rubric has been designed for the evaluation of work that addresses quantitative literacy (QL) in a substantive way. QL is not just computation, not just the citing of someone else's data. QL is a habit of
mind, a way of thinking about the world that relies on data and on the mathematical analysis of data to make connections and draw conclusions. Teaching QL requires us to design assignments that address authentic,
data-based problems. Such assignments may call for the traditional written paper, but we can imagine other alternatives: a video of a PowerPoint presentation, perhaps, or a well designed series of web pages. In any
case, a successful demonstration of QL will place the mathematical work in the context of a full and robust discussion of the underlying issues addressed by the assignment.
Finally, QL skills can be applied to a wide array of problems of varying difficulty, confounding the use of this rubric. For example, the same student might demonstrate high levels of QL achievement when
working on a simplistic problem and low levels of QL achievement when working on a very complex problem. Thus, to accurately assess a students QL achievement it may be necessary to measure QL achievement
within the context of problem complexity, much as is done in diving competitions where two scores are given, one for the difficulty of the dive, and the other for the skill in accomplishing the dive. In this context, that
would mean giving one score for the complexity of the problem and another score for the QL achievement in solving the problem.
Quantitative Literacy (QL) – also known as Numeracy or Quantitative Reasoning (QR) – is a "habit of mind," competency, and comfort in working with numerical data. Individuals with strong QL skills possess the ability to reason and solve
quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. They understand and can create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence and they can clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of
formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).
Provides accurate explanations of information
Ability to explain information presented in mathematical presented in mathematical forms. Makes
presented in mathematical forms. For instance,
forms (e.g., equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words)
appropriate inferences based on that
accurately explains the trend data shown in a graph.
information. For example, accurately explains the trend
data shown in a graph and makes reasonable predictions
regarding what the data suggest about future events.
Provides somewhat accurate explanations of
information presented in mathematical forms,
but occasionally makes minor errors related to
computations or units. For instance, accurately
explains trend data shown in a graph, but may
miscalculate the slope of the trend line.
Attempts to explain information presented in
mathematical forms, but draws incorrect
conclusions about what the information means.
For example, attempts to explain the trend data shown in
a graph, but will frequently misinterpret the nature of
that trend, perhaps by confusing positive and negative
Ability to convert relevant information into various
mathematical forms (e.g., equations, graphs, diagrams,
tables, words)
Skillfully converts relevant information into an
Competently converts relevant information into
insightful mathematical portrayal in a way that
an appropriate and desired mathematical
contributes to a further or deeper understanding. portrayal.
Completes conversion of information but
resulting mathematical portrayal is only partially
appropriate or accurate.
resulting mathematical portrayal is inappropriate
or inaccurate.
Calculations attempted are essentially all
successful and sufficiently comprehensive to
solve the problem. Calculations are also
presented elegantly (clearly, concisely, etc.)
solve the problem.
Calculations attempted are either unsuccessful or Calculations are attempted but are both
represent only a portion of the calculations
unsuccessful and are not comprehensive.
required to comprehensively solve the problem.
Application / Analysis
Ability to make judgments and draw appropriate
conclusions based on the quantitative analysis of data,
while recognizing the limits of this analysis
Uses the quantitative analysis of data as the basis
for deep and thoughtful judgments, drawing
insightful, carefully qualified conclusions from
this work.
for competent judgments, drawing reasonable
and appropriately qualified conclusions from this
for workmanlike (without inspiration or nuance,
ordinary) judgments, drawing plausible
conclusions from this work.
for tentative, basic judgments, although is
hesitant or uncertain about drawing conclusions
from this work.
Ability to make and evaluate important assumptions in
estimation, modeling, and data analysis
Explicitly describes assumptions and provides
compelling rationale for why each assumption is compelling rationale for why assumptions are
appropriate. Shows awareness that confidence in appropriate.
final conclusions is limited by the accuracy of the
assumptions.
Explicitly describes assumptions.
Attempts to describe assumptions.
Expressing quantitative evidence in support of the
argument or purpose of the work (in terms of what
evidence is used and how it is formatted, presented, and
contextualized)
Uses quantitative information in connection with
the argument or purpose of the work, presents it
in an effective format, and explicates it with
consistently high quality.
Uses quantitative information in connection with Uses quantitative information, but does not
the argument or purpose of the work, though
effectively connect it to the argument or purpose
data may be presented in a less than completely of the work.
effective format or some parts of the explication
may be uneven.
Presents an argument for which quantitative
evidence is pertinent, but does not provide
adequate explicit numerical support. (May use
quasi-quantitative words such as "many," "few,"
"increasing," "small," and the like in place of
actual quantities.)
READING VALUE RUBRIC
Reading is "the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language" (Snow et al., 2002). (From www.rand.org/ pubs/ research_briefs/ RB8024/ index1.html)
To paraphrase Phaedrus, texts do not explain, nor answer questions about, themselves. They must be located, approached, decoded, comprehended, analyzed, interpreted, and discussed, especially complex academic texts used in college and
university classrooms for purposes of learning. Historically, college professors have not considered the teaching of reading necessary other than as a "basic skill" in which students may require "remediation." They have assumed that students come with
the ability to read and have placed responsibility for its absence on teachers in elementary and secondary schools.
This absence of reading instruction in higher education must, can, and will change, and this rubric marks a direction for this change. Why the change? Even the strongest, most experienced readers making the transition from high school to
college have not learned what they need to know and do to make sense of texts in the context of professional and academic scholarship--to say nothing about readers who are either not as strong or as experienced. Also, readers mature and develop their
repertoire of reading performances naturally during the undergraduate years and beyond as a consequence of meeting textual challenges. This rubric provides some initial steps toward finding ways to measure undergraduate students' progress along the
continuum. Our intention in creating this rubric is to support and promote the teaching of undergraduates as readers to take on increasingly higher levels of concerns with texts and to read as one of "those who comprehend."
Readers, as they move beyond their undergraduate experiences, should be motivated to approach texts and respond to them with a reflective level of curiosity and the ability to apply aspects of the texts they approach to a variety of aspects in
their lives. This rubric provides the framework for evaluating both students' developing relationship to texts and their relative success with the range of texts their coursework introduces them to. It is likely that users of this rubric will detect that the cell
boundaries are permeable, and the criteria of the rubric are, to a degree, interrelated.
Analysis: The process of recognizing and using features of a text to build a more advanced understanding of the meaning of a text. (Might include evaluation of genre, language, tone, stated purpose, explicit or implicit logic (including flaws of
reasoning), and historical context as they contribute to the meaning of a text.]
Comprehension: The extent to which a reader "gets" the text, both literally and figuratively. Accomplished and sophisticated readers will have moved from being able to "get" the meaning that the language of the texte provides to being able to
"get" the implications of the text, the questions it raises, and the counterarguments one might suggest in response to it. A helpful and accessible discussion of 'comprehension' is found in Chapter 2 of the RAND report, Reading for
Understanding: www.rand.org/ pubs/ monograph_reports/ MR1465/ MR1465.ch2.pdf.
Epistemological lens: The knowledge framework a reader develops in a specific discipline as s/ he moves through an academic major (e.g., essays, textbook chapters, literary works, journal articles, lab reports, grant proposals, lectures, blogs,
webpages, or literature reviews, for example). The depth and breadth of this knowledge provides the foundation for independent and self-regulated responses to the range of texts in any discipline or field that students will encounter.
Genre: A particular kind of "text" defined by a set of disciplinary conventions or agreements learned through participation in academic discourse. Genre governs what texts can be about, how they are structured, what to expect from them,
what can be done with them, how to use them
Interpretation: Determining or construing the meaning of a text or part of a text in a particular way based on textual and contextual information.
Interpretive Strategies: Purposeful approaches from different perspectives, which include, for example, asking clarifying questions, building knowledge of the context in which a text was written, visualizing and considering counterfactuals (asking
questions that challenge the assumptions or claims of the text, e.g., What might our country be like if the Civil War had not happened? How would Hamlet be different if Hamlet had simply killed the King?).
Multiple Perspectives: Consideration of how text-based meanings might differ depending on point of view.
Parts: Titles, headings, meaning of vocabulary from context, structure of the text, important ideas and relationships among those ideas.
Relationship to text: The set of expectations and intentions a reader brings to a particular text or set of texts.
Searches intentionally for relationships: An active and highly-aware quality of thinking closely related to inquiry and research.
Takes texts apart: Discerns the level of importance or abstraction of textual elements and sees big and small pieces as parts of the whole meaning (compare to Analysis above).
Metacognition: This is not a word that appears explicitly anywhere in the rubric, but it is implicit in a number of the descriptors, and is certainly a term that we find frequently in discussions of successful and rich learning.. Metacognition, (a
term typically attributed to the cognitive psychologist J.H. Flavell) applied to reading refers to the awareness, deliberateness, and reflexivity defining the activities and strategies that readers must control in order to work their ways effectively
through different sorts of texts, from lab reports to sonnets, from math texts to historical narratives, or from grant applications to graphic novels, for example. Metacognition refers here as well to an accomplished reader's ability to consider the
ethos reflected in any such text; to know that one is present and should be considered in any use of, or response to a text.
Recognizes possible implications of the text
for contexts, perspectives, or issues beyond
the assigned task within the classroom or
beyond the author's explicit message (e.g.,
might recognize broader issues at play, or
might pose challenges to the author's
message and presentation).
Uses the text, general background
knowledge, and/or specific knowledge of the
author's context to draw more complex
inferences about the author's message and
Uses ability to identify texts within and
Articulates distinctions among genres and
across genres, monitoring and adjusting
their characteristic conventions.
reading strategies and expectations based on
generic nuances of particular texts.
Evaluates how textual features (e.g.,
sentence and paragraph structure or tone)
contribute to the author's message; draws
basic inferences about context and purpose
of text.
Apprehends vocabulary appropriately to
paraphrase or summarize the information the
text communicates.
Reflects on reading experiences across a
variety of genres, reading both with and
against the grain experimentally and
intentionally.
Applies tacit genre knowledge to a variety of
classroom reading assignments in
productive, if unreflective, ways.
Evaluates texts for scholarly significance and
Relationship to Text
Making meanings with texts in their contexts relevance within and across the various
disciplines, evaluating them according to
their contributions and consequences.
Uses texts in the context of scholarship to
develop a foundation of disciplinary
knowledge and to raise and explore
important questions.
Engages texts with the intention and
expectation of building topical and world
Approaches texts in the context of
assignments with the intention and
expectation of finding right answers and
learning facts and concepts to display for
credit.
Evaluates strategies for relating ideas, text
Interacting with texts in parts and as wholes structure, or other textual features in order to
build knowledge or insight within and across
texts and disciplines.
Identifies relations among ideas, text
structure, or other textual features, to
evaluate how they support an advanced
understanding of the text as a whole.
Recognizes relations among parts or aspects
of a text, such as effective or ineffective
arguments or literary features, in considering
how these contribute to a basic
Identifies aspects of a text (e.g., content,
structure, or relations among ideas) as
needed to respond to questions posed in
assigned tasks.
Demonstrates that s/he can read
purposefully, choosing among interpretive
strategies depending on the purpose of the
reading.
Can identify purpose(s) for reading, relying
on an external authority such as an instructor
for clarification of the task.
Making sense with texts as blueprints for
Provides evidence not only that s/he can read
by using an appropriate epistemological lens
but that s/he can also engage in reading as
part of a continuing dialogue within and
beyond a discipline or a community of
readers.
Articulates an understanding of the multiple
ways of reading and the range of interpretive
strategies particular to one's discipline(s) or
in a given community of readers.
Reader's Voice
Participating in academic discourse about
Discusses texts with an independent
intellectual and ethical disposition so as to
further or maintain disciplinary
conversations.
Elaborates on the texts (through
Discusses texts in structured conversations
interpretation or questioning) so as to deepen (such as in a classroom) in ways that
or enhance an ongoing discussion.
contribute to a basic, shared understanding
of the text.
Comments about texts in ways that preserve
the author's meanings and link them to the
TEAMWORK VALUE RUBRIC
Teamwork is behaviors under the control of individual team members (effort they put into team tasks, their manner of interacting with others on team, and the quantity and quality of
contributions they make to team discussions.)
Students participate on many different teams, in many different settings. For example, a given student may work on separate teams to complete a lab assignment, give an oral presentation, or
complete a community service project. Furthermore, the people the student works with are likely to be different in each of these different teams. As a result, it is assumed that a work sample or
collection of work that demonstrates a student's teamwork skills could include a diverse range of inputs. This rubric is designed to function across all of these different settings.
Two characteristics define the ways in which this rubric is to be used. First, the rubric is meant to assess the teamwork of an individual student, not the team as a whole. Therefore, it is possible
for a student to receive high ratings, even if the team as a whole is rather flawed. Similarly, a student could receive low ratings, even if the team as a whole works fairly well. Second, this rubric is
designed to measure the quality of a process, rather than the quality of an end product. As a result, work samples or collections of work will need to include some evidence of the individual's
interactions within the team. The final product of the team's work (e.g., a written lab report) is insufficient, as it does not provide insight into the functioning of the team.
It is recommended that work samples or collections of work for this outcome come from one (or more) of the following three sources: (1) students' own reflections about their contribution to a
team's functioning; (2) evaluation or feedback from fellow team members about students' contribution to the team's functioning; or (3) the evaluation of an outside observer regarding students'
contributions to a team's functioning. These three sources differ considerably in the resource demands they place on an institution. It is recommended that institutions using this rubric consider
carefully the resources they are able to allocate to the assessment of teamwork and choose a means of compiling work samples or collections of work that best suits their priorities, needs, and abilities.
Teamwork is behaviors under the control of individual team members (effort they put into team tasks, their manner of interacting with others on team, and the quantity and quality of contributions they make to team discussions.)
Contributes to Team Meetings
Helps the team move forward by articulating
the merits of alternative ideas or proposals.
Offers alternative solutions or courses of action Offers new suggestions to advance the work of Shares ideas but does not advance the work of
that build on the ideas of others.
the group.
Facilitates the Contributions of Team
Engages team members in ways that facilitate
their contributions to meetings by both
constructively building upon or synthesizing
the contributions of others as well as noticing
when someone is not participating and inviting
them to engage.
their contributions to meetings by
the contributions of others.
their contributions to meetings by restating the
views of other team members and/or asking
questions for clarification.
Engages team members by taking turns and
listening to others without interrupting.
Individual Contributions Outside of Team
Completes all assigned tasks by deadline;
work accomplished is thorough,
comprehensive, and advances the project.
Proactively helps other team members
complete their assigned tasks to a similar level
of excellence.
work accomplished advances the project.
Completes all assigned tasks by deadline.
Fosters Constructive Team Climate
Supports a constructive team climate by doing Supports a constructive team climate by
Supports a constructive team climate by
Supports a constructive team climate by doing
all of the following:
doing any three of the following:
doing any two of the following:
• Treats team members respectfully by
being polite and constructive in
• Uses positive vocal or written tone,
facial expressions, and/or body
language to convey a positive attitude
about the team and its work.
• Motivates teammates by expressing
confidence about the importance of
the task and the team's ability to
accomplish it.
• Provides assistance and/or
encouragement to team members.
Responds to Conflict
Addresses destructive conflict directly and
constructively, helping to manage/resolve it in
a way that strengthens overall team
cohesiveness and future effectiveness.
Identifies and acknowledges conflict and stays
engaged with it.
Redirecting focus toward common ground,
toward task at hand (away from conflict).
Passively accepts alternate
viewpoints/ideas/opinions.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION VALUE RUBRIC
Written communication is the development and expression of ideas in writing. Written communication involves learning to work in many genres and styles. It can involve working with many different writing technologies, and mixing
texts, data, and images. Written communication abilities develop through iterative experiences across the curriculum.
This writing rubric is designed for use in a wide variety of educational institutions. The most clear finding to emerge from decades of research on writing assessment is that the best writing assessments are locally determined and
sensitive to local context and mission. Users of this rubric should, in the end, consider making adaptations and additions that clearly link the language of the rubric to individual campus contexts.
This rubric focuses assessment on how specific written work samples or collectios of work respond to specific contexts. The central question guiding the rubric is "How well does writing respond to the needs of audience(s) for the
work?" In focusing on this question the rubric does not attend to other aspects of writing that are equally important: issues of writing process, writing strategies, writers' fluency with different modes of textual production or publication, or
writer's growing engagement with writing and disciplinarity through the process of writing.
Evaluators using this rubric must have information about the assignments or purposes for writing guiding writers' work. Also recommended is including reflective work samples of collections of work that address such questions as:
What decisions did the writer make about audience, purpose, and genre as s/ he compiled the work in the portfolio? How are those choices evident in the writing -- in the content, organization and structure, reasoning, evidence, mechanical
and surface conventions, and citational systems used in the writing? This will enable evaluators to have a clear sense of how writers understand the assignments and take it into consideration as they evaluate
The first section of this rubric addresses the context and purpose for writing. A work sample or collections of work can convey the context and purpose for the writing tasks it showcases by including the writing assignments
associated with work samples. But writers may also convey the context and purpose for their writing within the texts. It is important for faculty and institutions to include directions for students about how they should represent their writing
contexts and purposes.
Faculty interested in the research on writing assessment that has guided our work here can consult the National Council of Teachers of English/ Council of Writing Program Administrators' White Paper on Writing Assessment
(2008; www.wpacouncil.org/ whitepaper) and the Conference on College Composition and Communication's Writing Assessment: A Position Statement (2008; www.ncte.org/ cccc/ resources/ positions/ 123784.htm)
Content Development: The ways in which the text explores and represents its topic in relation to its audience and purpose.
Context of and purpose for writing: The context of writing is the situation surrounding a text: who is reading it? who is writing it? Under what circumstances will the text be shared or circulated? What social or political factors
might affect how the text is composed or interpreted? The purpose for writing is the writer's intended effect on an audience. Writers might want to persuade or inform; they might want to report or summarize information; they might want
to work through complexity or confusion; they might want to argue with other writers, or connect with other writers; they might want to convey urgency or amuse; they might write for themselves or for an assignment or to remember.
Disciplinary conventions: Formal and informal rules that constitute what is seen generally as appropriate within different academic fields, e.g. introductory strategies, use of passive voice or first person point of view, expectations for
thesis or hypothesis, expectations for kinds of evidence and support that are appropriate to the task at hand, use of primary and secondary sources to provide evidence and support arguments and to document critical perspectives on the
topic. Writers will incorporate sources according to disciplinary and genre conventions, according to the writer's purpose for the text. Through increasingly sophisticated use of sources, writers develop an ability to differentiate between their
own ideas and the ideas of others, credit and build upon work already accomplished in the field or issue they are addressing, and provide meaningful examples to readers.
Evidence: Source material that is used to extend, in purposeful ways, writers' ideas in a text.
Genre conventions: Formal and informal rules for particular kinds of texts and/ or media that guide formatting, organization, and stylistic choices, e.g. lab reports, academic papers, poetry, webpages, or personal essays.
Sources: Texts (written, oral, behavioral, visual, or other) that writers draw on as they work for a variety of purposes -- to extend, argue with, develop, define, or shape their ideas, for example.
Written communication is the development and expression of ideas in writing. Written communication involves learning to work in many genres and styles. It can involve working with many different writing
technologies, and mixing texts, data, and images. Written communication abilities develop through iterative experiences across the curriculum.
Context of and Purpose for Writing
Includes considerations of audience,
purpose, and the circumstances
surrounding the writing task(s).
Demonstrates a thorough understanding
of context, audience, and purpose that is
responsive to the assigned task(s) and
focuses all elements of the work.
Demonstrates adequate consideration of
context, audience, and purpose and a
clear focus on the assigned task(s) (e.g.,
the task aligns with audience, purpose,
and context).
Demonstrates awareness of context,
audience, purpose, and to the assigned
tasks(s) (e.g., begins to show awareness
of audience's perceptions and
Demonstrates minimal attention to
context, audience, purpose, and to the
assigned tasks(s) (e.g., expectation of
instructor or self as audience).
Uses appropriate, relevant, and
compelling content to illustrate mastery
of the subject, conveying the writer's
understanding, and shaping the whole
compelling content to explore ideas
within the context of the discipline and
shape the whole work.
Uses appropriate and relevant content to Uses appropriate and relevant content to
develop and explore ideas through most develop simple ideas in some parts of the
of the work.
Genre and Disciplinary Conventions
Formal and informal rules inherent in
the expectations for writing in particular
forms and/or academic fields (please see
glossary).
Demonstrates detailed attention to and
successful execution of a wide range of
conventions particular to a specific
discipline and/or writing task (s)
including organization, content,
presentation, formatting, and stylistic
Demonstrates consistent use of
important conventions particular to a
specific discipline and/or writing task(s),
presentation, and stylistic choices
Follows expectations appropriate to a
Attempts to use a consistent system for
specific discipline and/or writing task(s) basic organization and presentation.
for basic organization, content, and
Sources and Evidence
Demonstrates skillful use of highquality, credible, relevant sources to
develop ideas that are appropriate for the
discipline and genre of the writing
Demonstrates consistent use of credible,
relevant sources to support ideas that are
situated within the discipline and genre
of the writing.
Demonstrates an attempt to use credible Demonstrates an attempt to use sources
and/or relevant sources to support ideas to support ideas in the writing.
that are appropriate for the discipline and
genre of the writing.
Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Uses graceful language that skillfully
communicates meaning to readers with
clarity and fluency, and is virtually errorfree.
Uses straightforward language that
generally conveys meaning to readers.
The language in the portfolio has few
Uses language that generally conveys
Uses language that sometimes impedes
meaning to readers with clarity, although meaning because of errors in usage.
writing may include some errors.
Using Rubrics to make assessment more efficient
Leadership Student Learning Outcomes
CLS response
Reading Bingo Book Reports