Type a list of items to look for in students' presentations. Eye contact, volume and poise are standard elements, but other required skills will depend on the type of presentation, as well as the age level of your students. In a how-to speech, for example, clear, concise phrasing is needed, while in a persuasive presentation, detailed elaboration is often necessary to establish credibility and make a point.
Write a brief description of what each element entails, specifically explaining what is required to receive the most points possible. For instance, to receive the most points for eye contact, you may write that students will make visual contact with the audience throughout the entire presentation, rather than reading from notes or looking at a slide show screen. You want to be sure that you judge each student's presentation equally, so be specific.
Choose how many points you want each element to be worth. Normally, a rubric judges all criteria on a four-point scale. One point is poor, two is fair, three is satisfactory and four is excellent. Choose different terms if your students are familiar with another scale.
Type each number, one through four, beside each element to be graded. Leave a couple of spaces between the numbers so that there is room to circle a student's score.
Distribute the grading list to students before they begin planning their presentations. This offers students the opportunity to learn what will be expected of them and to clarify any questions they may have about the elements you will be assessing. Students may also find an error or think of a missing element that should be included. In this case, you will be able to adjust the list before students present.
Pay careful attention during each student's presentation, analyzing how well each speaker demonstrates the elements on the grading list. Look for eye contact, listen for good speaking volume, and make notes of any distracting pauses or stalling words like "um" and "uh."
Total all of the numbers you circled on the list to determine a student's final grade. Write that number on the paper and return the list to the student. Discuss results individually to make sure each student understands his or her score.