A Word about Rubrics
History Department Assessment Rubrics – for both B.A. and B.A. with T.C.
Curriculum Committee
Spring Semester 2004
2nd and Final Draft
The following rubrics are designed for the analysis of a source reading, an historical book review, and an independent research paper or project. The purpose of the rubrics is to provide a common process by which instructors can implement these activities into selected history courses, and share the results with the curriculum committee and department chair. Please note that many of these activities are already underway within the department, and that the three activities selected are those called out in the departmental assessment plan. Instructors will design their own assignments, but use the rubrics below to evaluate a sampling from selected courses. The rubrics focus on the abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that should be acquired through the content knowledge of the discipline of history. These include but are not restricted to the following skills:
• measuring the critical thinking skills essential for history students
• the ability to draw conclusions about an historical issue or problem through deduction and inference based upon the evidence provided
• the ability to identify unstated assumptions that may or may not be supported by the supporting evidence
• the ability to analyze the validity of an author’s selection and ordering of evidence into a coherent argument, theme, or position.
The rubrics appearing below represent a sampling of those currently being used by several faculty members in the History Department, the primary trait analysis rubric used for submission to the Electronic Writing Portfolio, and the University’s Primary Trait Analysis for Research. The idea is to be consistent and compatible with what we are currently doing.
Activity 1
Writing an Historical Book Review
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to identity and critique assumptions, methods, and theories that historians use to create coherent interpretations.
Collect in HIS 3555
|The following rubric |Book Review |4-Highly Competent |3-Competent |2-Minimally Competent |
|represents the criteria | | | | |
|or standard that will be | | | | |
|used in evaluating a | | | | |
|sampling of book reviews | | | | |
|assigned in the History | | | | |
|Department. | | | | |
|Thesis |Clearly identifies and |Identifies but not does |Identified a few main |Is unaware of the |
| |critically evaluates the |not critically evaluate |ideas but not the thesis |author’s thesis or the |
| |author’s central |the author’s central | |purpose of the book. The|
| |argument, purpose, and |argument, purpose, and | |review is descriptive but|
| |approach to the subject |approach to the subject | |not analytical |
|Organization |The review is |The review is reasonably |The view has a semblance |The review is |
| |exceptionally well |well organized |of structure but its |disorganized and |
| |organized with an | |coherence is minimized by|incoherent |
| |introduction, body, and | |poor organization | |
| |conclusion and follows | | | |
| |the thesis throughout | | | |
|Development |A general analysis of the|Demonstrates knowledge of|Minimal analysis, is |No analysis, but merely a|
| |salient features of the |the topic and provides |repetitious, or and lacks|description of summary of|
| |book, as opposed to a |supporting evidence and |development of salient |the book’s content |
| |general summary, and |adequate detail |features of the book | |
| |identifies the | |being reviewed | |
| |development of the | | | |
| |author’s thesis | | | |
| |throughout the book | | | |
|Style |Sophisticated sentence |Effective Use of Language|Simplistic sentence |Incorrect sentence |
| |structure and paragraph | |structure and imprecise |structure and use of |
| |development | |use of language |slang, jargon, or |
| | | | |inappropriate language |
|Mechanics |The mechanics of the |Few errors |Errors are present that |Excessive errors in |
| |paper are correct. It is| |interfere with the |grammar and punctuation. |
| |well written with no | |presentation of ideas and| |
| |grammar or punctuation | |arguments | |
| |errors, and little or no | | | |
| |use of the passive voice | | | |
Activity 2
Source Analysis Activity
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to analyze a source document.
Collect in HIS 2560
|Source Analysis |4-Highly Competent |3-Competent |2-Minimally Competent |1-Not Competent |
|Historical |Understands the |Shows a basic |Shows some understanding |Demonstrates no |
|Characteristics of the |historical |understanding of the | |understanding |
|Document |characteristics of the |characteristics of the | | |
| |document in relation to |document | | |
| |the topic of study | | | |
|Point of View and Bias |Identifies the point of |Shows a basic |Shows some understanding |Demonstrates no |
| |view of the author and |understanding | |understanding |
| |bias in relation to the | | | |
| |intended audience and the| | | |
| |author’s motive | | | |
|Organization |The paper is well |Logically organized |Organization lacks |Poorly organized |
| |structured and persuasive| |coherence | |
| |in the statement of its | | | |
| |thesis, with an | | | |
| |introduction and | | | |
| |conclusion | | | |
|Development |Demonstrates depth of |Demonstrates knowledge of|Presents undeveloped |Lacks idea development |
| |understanding of the |the topic and provides |ideas |and includes irrelevant |
| |topic, presents |supporting evidence and | |information |
| |supporting arguments |adequate detail | | |
| |clearly and analytically,| | | |
| |and provides excellent | | | |
| |documentation | | | |
|Style |Written in an |Effective Use of Language|Simplistic sentence |Incorrect sentence |
| |appropriately formal tone|Citations and |structure and imprecise |structure and use of |
| |without slang. Language |bibliography included but|use of language |slang, jargon, or |
| |is precise and sentence |not proper format |No citations or |inappropriate language |
| |structure varied. | |bibliography | |
| |Correct use of citations | | | |
| |(footnotes or endnotes), | | | |
| |quotes, and bibliography | | | |
|Mechanics |The mechanics of the |Few errors |Errors are present that |Excessive errors in |
| |paper are correct. It is| |interfere with the |grammar and punctuation. |
| |well written with no | |presentation of ideas and| |
| |grammar or punctuation | |arguments | |
| |errors, and little or no | | | |
| |use of the passive voice | | | |
Activity 3
Writing a Research Paper
Learning Objective:
Students will demonstrate the ability to conduct an independent research project.
Collect in HIS 2500
|Research Paper or Project |4-Highly Competent |3-Competent |2-Minimally Competent |1-Not Competent |
|Thesis/Argument |The thesis is clearly |Clear focus and |Thesis is evident but |The paper lacks a |
| |conceptualized, defined, |consistent statement of |confused |coherent thesis or is |
| |and supported by concrete|argument | |poorly developed |
| |examples throughout the | | | |
| |paper | | | |
|Organization |The paper is well |Logically organized |Organization lacks |Poorly organized |
| |structured and persuasive| |coherence | |
| |in the statement of its | | | |
| |thesis, with an | | | |
| |introduction and | | | |
| |conclusion | | | |
|Development |Demonstrates depth of |Demonstrates knowledge of|Presents undeveloped |Lacks idea development |
| |understanding of the |the topic and provides |ideas |and includes irrelevant |
| |topic, presents |supporting evidence and | |information |
| |supporting arguments |adequate detail | | |
| |clearly and analytically,| | | |
| |and provides excellent | | | |
| |documentation | | | |
|Style |Written in an |Effective Use of Language|Simplistic sentence |Incorrect sentence |
| |appropriately formal tone| |structure and imprecise |structure and use of |
| |without slang. Language | |use of language |slang, jargon, or |
| |is precise and sentence | | |inappropriate language |
| |structure varied | | | |
|Mechanics |The mechanics of the |Few errors |Errors are present that |Excessive errors in |
| |paper are correct. It is| |interfere with the |grammar and punctuation.|
| |well written with no | |presentation of ideas | |
| |grammar or punctuation | |and arguments | |
| |errors, and little or no | | | |
| |use of the passive voice | | | |
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.