When you research rubric, you will realize it is nothing fancy, it just highlighting text or words in red colors. This can be traced back to the medieval periods when red ink or paint was used in the heading of a book or manuscript to differentiate it from the rest of the text. Although the red was the predominant color, other colors were utilized also and were still considered as rubric.
It was a common practice for the scribe who did the initial manuscript to provide a rubricator with notes, which would be in the form of remarks made in margins of the text. In some cases the original scribe would act as the rubricator, at this time he would apply rubrication without using the notes. A rubrication is one of the steps for making a manuscript in the medieval process. The specialist scribes would take the text from the original manuscript and insert the red ink to emphasis the additional text.
This practice of rubrication was predominantly used to mark the ending and beginning of one section by adding the red headings; whether to introduce a subject or state function and purpose. To research rubric and understand its uses, similar to other subject matter, you have to look at where it all started. The term is commonly used for the general headers in different colors, but technically it should only be used in reference to the red ink headers.
Today, rubric is referred to in academics as a scoring tool which is a big difference from what it was originally. It is used extensively by instructors and teachers to add annotations in red ink when grading text. Some persons will disagree that they have differ from its origin as they still maintain its spirit in the usage as a guide for judging matters of importance.
When this is used as a scoring tool, there are different components that one has to consider. These include the definitions and examples which shows how the attributes are measured; the different dimensions that rates the performance and the use of a rating scale.
The magnitude of the scoring will encompass, one or more dimensions or traits that would act as the base when judging the student’s response; the examples and definitions that is used to explain each dimension or attribute; how to rate the dimensions on the values scale and the standards of distinction for specific levels of performance.
In more practical terms, the scoring tool uses a scale that is fixed and includes a list that will distinctly describes the performance of each score points that would be noted on the scale. This way teachers and parents can view the performances of the students as this provides them with information that is important to understand what these students are able to do and what they know.
In doing research rubric, some interesting issues where examined and this brought home the point that when this method is used to assess the students work. It provided clear statements to the teachers, parents and students on what is important and is worth learning. This approach that the educators are placing on assessment makes it easier for the teachers and students alike; it is so much easier to grade papers. 
|