What you will finish
You will have a teacher-reviewed rubric with clear expectations and points that match the assignment total.
Before you start
- Keep the assignment creator open with a title, instructions, and Max Grade (Points) filled in.
- A rubric is a marking grid. A criterion is one part you assess, such as Organization. Performance levels describe stronger and weaker work for that criterion.
Screenshots use a fictional practice class. Your labels and AI suggestions may differ. Select a screenshot to enlarge it. Close it with the X in the top-right corner or press Escape.
Choose three things to assess
For the school-start-time paragraph, use the three criteria below. They add up to a mark out of 100.
Use your own expectations for your real assignments. These practice values are examples, not an official assessment scale.
Ideas and reasons: 40 points — opinion, reasons, and an opposing view Organization: 30 points — order, connections, and conclusion Language: 30 points — clear sentences and accurate verbs
Edit the starting criteria and add the third
Scroll to Grading Criteria & Rubric. Click Expand all if you cannot see the editable fields.
In the first row, replace Criterion Title with Ideas and reasons and set Points to 40. In Description / Evaluation Focus, enter: A clear opinion, two reasons, and a response to an opposing view.
Change the second row to Organization, worth 30 points. Describe it as: Ideas follow a clear order and end with a conclusion.
Click Add Criterion. Name the new row Language, set Points to 30, and describe it as: Sentences communicate clearly; verbs agree with their subjects.
Describe the performance levels
Within each criterion, find Performance Levels. If no level boxes appear, click Add Standard Performance Levels.
Read and edit each description. Explain what a student must show to earn that level. Keep Organization descriptions about the order of ideas, and Language descriptions about the writing itself.
For Ideas and reasons, use the example below as a starting point. Describe the other levels so students can understand what to improve.
Strong work: States a clear opinion, develops two reasons, and answers an opposing view. Developing work: States an opinion with some support; a reason or opposing view is missing.
Check that the points add up
At the bottom of the rubric, look for Rubric total: 100 points and Valid Allocation. Compare this total with Max Grade (Points) above.
If they differ, change the Points fields. For this practice rubric, 40 + 30 + 30 = 100. After changing points, read the level descriptions and displayed marks again.
Check the preview before creating the assignment
Click Live Preview near the top of the page. Read the grid as if you were a student: would you know what successful work looks like?
Click Assignment Form to make changes. When the grid is ready, click Create & Add Student Work at the bottom. Print Rubric is optional if you want a paper copy.
Check your result
- Every criterion describes something observable in the writing.
- Performance levels explain meaningful differences.
- Criterion points add up to the assignment maximum.
- You reviewed and edited any generated content before using it.
If something looks different
Can Refine draft the rubric for me?
Yes. Before editing a rubric manually, you can enter requirements under AI Rubric Generator and click Generate Rubric. This uses the monthly allowance shown there and replaces the working rubric. Review every criterion and level afterwards. Align with MEQ asks for Québec ESL alignment; it is not official approval.
Generate Rubric is disabled.
Enter an assignment title, wait for any ongoing generation to finish, and check the monthly allowance displayed beside the generator. You can build criteria manually if no generations remain.
The total does not match the assignment grade.
Compare the sum of the criterion Points with Max Grade (Points). Change the criterion values or the intended assignment total, then recheck all performance levels.
The generated rubric does not fit my assignment.
Review the prompt and requirements, then edit the criteria and descriptors. Do not use the rubric unchanged just because it was generated successfully.
I cannot see any performance-level boxes.
Expand the criterion. Under Performance Levels, click Add Standard Performance Levels, then edit the descriptions that appear.
A useful habit
Write descriptions that a student can understand. Avoid judging effort or personality from a piece of writing.
Build the grid before reviewing a class so you can use the same expectations consistently.
Your next step
Review AI corrections
Read the suggested changes, reject any that do not fit, and edit the corrected version you want to return.
Continue to the next guide