On a sheet of paper or in a word processing program, draw a grid with six columns and about nine rows. Add or subtract rows and columns as you design your rubric, if needed. Categories will go down the left and scores will go across the top.
In the first box in the upper left corner, write the word "Categories." In the next box to the right, write the score number "4" and description like "above average." The next box to the right should say "3" and have a description such as "meets expectations." Put "2" and "needs improvement" in the next box and "1" and "below standards" in the next box. The last box should say "Score."
Fill in the boxes down the first column. List your categories for grading, each box in the first column for one category. For example, list categories for a writing assignment such as "introduction," "thesis statement," "evidence and examples," "transitions," "conclusion," "sources," "grammar and spelling" and "sentence structure." Organize the categories in a logical manner, such as the structure of the paper, with the "introduction" category listed before the "conclusion" category.
Put your finger on the box with score number "4" and move your finger down until you reach the first empty box, which will correspond with the first category row. Write in this box a brief description of how your student's paper can achieve this score. For the introduction category, for example, you may want to list "excellent attention-getter, ends with clear and concise thesis statement." In the next box to the right, list what kind of introduction will give the student a score of "3." Continue until all the boxes in the row are completed. Repeat these steps for each row until the rubric is completed. The last box of each row will be blank; you will use this box to write the student's score.