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Understanding What A Rubric Is

Heading to university, new students try their best to anticipate what they’ll need to know, and do their best to be prepared. Classes will be large and far apart, possibly in different buildings. Expectations will be higher, workload greater, support minimal. Costs will be incurred, dorm living will be a big change. What many students don’t anticipate, though, is that the actual language at colleges and universities can be unfamiliar.
Of course it is still English, but there is enough jargon, lingo and specialized terms to confuse many a newcomer. The world of academia terms for things that you may never have known even existed, particularly concepts and things specific to scholarly concerns. One of these terms is rubric.

You will find that rubrics are widespread on campus, and they are actually really useful. By definition, an academic rubric is simply the specific criteria that are used for when marking coursework and assignments. A rubric allows you to check and assess your work as you work, allowing you to be sure that you’re meeting all the expectations and requirements. It lays out what is considered important by the professor, and gives you a good idea of what you need include and highlight in your work.

Additionally, since a rubric typically outlines performance and quality expectations, often divided into levels of minimum expectations for various grade points, you know in advance what you need to do in order to attain a specific grade. This Starts all students on a level playing field, as it were, and removes the mystery of what precisely the professor is looking for.

If an assignment comes with a rubric, pay attention to it and put it to good use. This is a tool that you’ve been given to help ensure that your work covers everything it needs to. Detailed rubrics give you a clear idea of what your professor is expecting.

Another academic rubric, on a larger scale, is a course rubric. This will give you clear guidelines about how the class is run and what the professor feels in important. Pay attention, and you can use it to great advantage, making your studies a bit easier.

By: Jon Ginsburg

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