We know the benefits of using rubrics to evaluate students’ work.  Using rubrics to evaluate students work makes assessment easier and more consistent.  A rubric is simply a grading tool that not only helpful to the instructor, but helpful to the students as well.  The rubric provides a set of criteria to help students understand what is expected.

Many times, however, there is one component that is missing from the rubric. The criteria should be linked to learning outcomes/objectives. When students see learning outcomes/objectives in the syllabus, they typical just read them and move on.  They don’t really connect what they are doing through assignments, projects, etc. to the learning outcomes/objectives. 

It is important to list the specific outcomes/objectives within the rubric.  This helps the instructor by making sure they are evaluating according to the outcomes/objectives, but also helps answer the question many students ask, “Why are we doing this?”  Helping everyone understand what is expected is beneficial and necessary.