Determine the categories that students will be graded on. In some subjects, it may only be one if a student has to demonstrate knowledge of a concept, such as adding single-digit numbers. In other subjects, it may be more than one category if it is a subject such as writing, where students are graded on capitalization, spacing, punctuation and other components of writing. Write the category down the left side of the paper.
Decide the criteria for each category. Use descriptors, such as 'does not meet' expectations, 'meets' expectations and 'exceeds' expectations. Other descriptors, such as 'not evident,' 'emerging,' 'proficient' and 'exemplary,' could also be used. Write the descriptors across the top of the rubric horizontally.
Begin with the 'does not meet' descriptor and write an explanation for each category in the rubric. A math rubric may state that the student cannot add single-digit numbers. For a writing rubric, its categories may state that the student did not begin sentences with capital letters, left no space between words and did not end sentences with a period.
Move on to the 'meets' expectations descriptor and write an explanation for each category in the rubric. A math rubric may state that the student can add single-digit numbers. For the categories in a writing rubric it may state that the student begins sentences with a capital letter, leaves a space between words with prompting from the teacher and ends sentences with a period.
Continue with 'exceeds' expectations and write an explanation for the categories in the rubric. A math rubric may state the student can add single-digit and two-digit numbers. For the writing categories, a rubric may state that the student begins sentences with capital letters and capitalizes proper nouns on his own, leaves space between words without prompting from the teacher and correctly uses periods, question marks and exclamation points to end sentences.