Some Thoughts on Assessing Writing with Rubrics...

Last week I started thinking about how I assess writing. In the past, I’ve used rubrics that focus on specific parts of the writing. For example, an essay rubric would have the following categories: evidence and elaboration; organization; ideas; and grammar/mechanics. Developing the criteria for the differences between an A and B, or 5 points and 4 points, feels like splitting hairs! Even while grading, I’d come across writing that did not fit the neat criteria outlined in the rubric I created. It seems silly to break writing down into such discrete parts when we don’t read that way. I read holistically, taking in the whole piece. So why should I break down a piece into discrete categories to grade it? There must be a better way to assess writing...