The use of rubrics in enhancing student’s scientific writing skills in a

variety of disciplines in the Life Sciences

Dr. Deborah V. Robertson-Andersson

SLS Westville

• Formal classroom teaching,

• Lectures

• Class discussions

• Instructional videos

• Practical work

• Computer simulations

• Laboratory activities

• Online teaching

• Field trips

Rahman,&

Spafford (2009)

3 avenues through which life sciences can be taught

Involve students in meaningful

learning experiences that challenge

them to meet real-world standards.

What do we want from our lessons?

How Do We Assess learning?

How do studentsknow whether they are learning?

What does 75/100 mean for

students?

To be a life long learner and critical thinker

“Learning increases, even in its

serendipitous aspects,

when learners have a sense of

what they are setting out to

learn, a statement of explicit

standards they must meet,

and a way of seeing what they

have learned.”

Huberet al. 2000

When students know what they are learning their

performance on average is

27 percentile points higher

than students who do not know

what they are learning.

Dr Robert J Marzano (Marzano 2005)

Why Rubrics?• Formative type of assessment

• Ongoing part of the whole teaching and

learning process.

How do studentsknow whether they are learning?

• Rubrics answer student questions about

learning by:

• Making criteria for improvement visible.

• Revealing a process of learning

• Showing standards

Huba and Freed, pp. 154-55

BIOL231

BIOLOGY

GEOLOGY

CHEMISTRY

PHYSICS

BIOL231 student

This Is My Country! Criterion-Based Performance List

Yes No Points

Student has chosen a name for their new

country.

(5 points)

Student has identified five requirements

for citizenship.

(10 points total, 2 points each)

Student has justified the reason for each

of the five requirements.

(10 points total, 2 points each)

Student has presented the requirements

to a small group of students.

(5 points)

Total Points /30

Final Grade _________

Performance criteria Biological

Science

Chemistry Geology Physical

oceanography

Write, criticize and analyse concepts in science 4 4 4 4

Use the process of scientific enquiry to formulate

hypothesis relevant to the assignment

4 4 4 4

Apply content knowledge from and resolve issues 4 4 4 4

Reason logically 3 3 3 3

Critically evaluate their information particularly in

context with relevant literature

3 3 3 3

Argue their viewpoint persuasively 2 2 2 2

Illustrate the relevance of their work to everyday lives 1 1 1 1

2013Biological Science Chemistry Geology Physical

oceanography

Mean (std dev) 53 (17) 51 (12) 52 (11) 55 (14)

Range 11 – 90 14 – 85 24 – 85 17 – 86

Median 54 50 51 57

Mode 46 50 46 60

Pearson 1 -0.440 0.114 0.496 -0.360

Pearson 2 -0.166 0.343* 0.180 -0.478*

Number of values

in the Mode

6 15 7 15

2014Biological

Science

Chemistry Geology Physical

oceanography

Mean (std dev) 61 (14) 58 (11) 55 (14) 61 (11)

Range 17 - 92 25 – 80 20 – 95 23 – 85

Median 62 59 55 61

Mode 68 62 46 59

Pearson 1 -0.463 -0.386 0.657 0.187

Pearson 2 -0.142 -0.177 0.051 0.020

Number of

values in the

Mode

8 13 9 9

Mean (std dev) 22 (10)

Median 19

Mode 17

Range 4 – 52

22 % increase in pass marks from

2013 to 2014

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0 -39 40 - 49 50 - 59 60 - 69 70 - 74 75 - 100

Mark distribution

2013 2014

2013 pass rate 2013 average class

mark

2014 pass rate 2014 average class

mark

56.9 % passed

74 of 130 students50.6

86.2 % passed

137 of 15957.4

2015Biological

Science

Chemistry Geology Physical

oceanography

Mean (std dev) I wish I could say the same:

There is no bias in the marking:

I. Despite employing 4 additional markers to cope with the

increase in class size (137 % increase).

II. Despite 8 demonstrators never doing the course

III. Despite 5 demonstrators coming from other disciplines

BUT

Range

Median

Mode

Pearson 1

Pearson 2

Number of

values in the

Mode

2015Biological

Science

Chemistry Geology Physical

oceanography

Mean (std dev)

BUT70 students failed to achieve a 40 % DP

Due to 3 weeks of the course being affected

by strikes

Marks show no incremental increase in

learning during or post those 3 weeks

Range

Median

Mode

Pearson 1

Pearson 2

Number of

values in the

Mode

Thank You

References• Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom. By Judith Arter and Jay McTighe.

Corwin Press, 2001.

• Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses by Mary E. Huba

and Jann E. Freed. Allyn and Bacon, 2000. *

• Introduction to Rubrics, by Dannelle D. Stevens and Antonia J. Levi.

Stylus Publications, 2005. *

• Assessing for Learning, by Peggy L. Maki. Stylus Publications, 2004.

• Assessing Student Learning by Linda Suskie. Anker, 2004.

• http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/glossary.htm