{"id":5451,"date":"2025-11-21T13:59:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T13:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elearning.fse.manchester.ac.uk\/getting-started-with-canvas\/?p=5451"},"modified":"2025-11-21T14:16:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T14:16:56","slug":"managing-rubrics-in-canvas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elearning.fse.manchester.ac.uk\/getting-started-with-canvas\/managing-rubrics-in-canvas\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Rubrics in Canvas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A rubric in Canvas<\/strong> is a scoring guide that helps you evaluate students\u2019 work based on specific criteria. They present students with the expectations of an assignment and how they\u2019ll be scored accordingly. You can attach rubrics to Assignments<\/strong>, graded Discussions<\/strong>, and Quizzes<\/strong>, or use them as standalone assessment tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Creating a Rubric<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Setting up a Rubric<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Editing a Rubric<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Editing Rubric Criteria<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Useful Links<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    Creating a Rubric<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Rubrics can be created and managed via the Rubrics <\/strong>area of your Canvas course space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    STEP 1: In the Course Navigation Menu<\/strong>, click Rubrics<\/strong> to access the Rubrics area of your course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    STEP 2: Select + Create New Rubric<\/strong> to create a new rubric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    Setting Up a Rubric<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    To build a rubric from scratch in Canvas, you need to name your rubric<\/strong>, select appropriate settings<\/strong> and also draft criteria<\/strong>, which will form the basis of your rubric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    STEP 1: Adjust rubric settings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Type<\/strong>: Scale<\/strong> or Written Feedback<\/strong>. A Scale rubric allows you to use either fixed points or set a points range for each rating (rubric cell). A Written Feedback rubric is designed to provide qualitative feedback, and does not support point ranges. To create a rubric which is similar to a Turnitin Grading form, use a Written Feedback rubric, but leave the rating descriptions fields blank.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Rating Order (High < Low)<\/strong>: Determines the order that the ratings appear in your rubric. For example, Distinction to Fail versus Fail to Distinction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Scoring:<\/strong> You can choose Scored<\/strong> or Unscored<\/strong> for both Scale and Written Feedback rubrics. This simply determines whether or not the points for each criteria will be displayed to staff and students when the rubric is applied. To verify that points have been removed on an \u2018Unscored\u2019 rubric, locate the rubric via the Rubrics menu, then under Actions<\/strong> (\u2026) choose Edit<\/strong> and then Preview Rubric<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Use this rubric for assignment grading:<\/strong> To have your rubric automatically calculate and apply the final grade for an assignment, you must enable the Use this rubric for assignment grading<\/strong> setting. If this setting is not enabled<\/strong>, the rubric score will not transfer to the grade field in SpeedGrader and a marker will need to manually enter the grade.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \n
      \n
      \n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \n

      IMPORTANT: <\/strong>Enable Use this rubric for assignment grading<\/strong> in rubric settings before<\/strong> markers complete a rubric, to avoid staff needing to manually enter an overall grade in SpeedGrader.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      STEP 2: Add rubric criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      By default, for both Scale<\/strong> and Written Feedback<\/strong> rubrics, a new criterion will be marked out of 4 points, with standardised rating names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      To customise criteria you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Enter Criteria Name<\/strong> and Description<\/strong>. E.g., Knowledge and Understanding<\/em>; adding criteria description is optional<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Change the Rating Names<\/strong> to fit your rubric. E.g., Excellent<\/em>, Very Good<\/em>, Good<\/em>, Pass<\/em>, Fail<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Enter a Rating Description<\/strong>. These are the descriptions which will appear in each cell within your rubric.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Hover your mouse to reveal a + <\/strong>icon to add new ratings<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Drag and drop<\/strong> ratings to a new position within your criterion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      6. Click the trash can icon to delete<\/strong> any ratings you don\u2019t need.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      7. Change the Points<\/strong> value.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      8. Enable Range Scoring<\/strong> in a Scale<\/em> rubric in order to give flexible point ranges<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
        \n
        \n
        \n
        \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \n

        In a Scale rubric, if you wish to apply a points range<\/em> to each rating, we recommend entering the maximum points<\/em> next to each rating before ticking the Enable Range box<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

        STEP 3: Preview and save rubric<\/h3>\n\n\n\n