THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF A SINGLE-POINT RUBRIC TO ASSESS STUDENT WRITING PERFORMANCE

Abstract

<p>Rubrics have become a widely accepted instructional and evaluation tool in contemporary classrooms. As a mechanism for formative assessment, rubrics have been found to clarify task criteria, increase motivation and self-efficacy, and provide greater efficiency and objectivity to the grading process. In this study, a convenience sample was employed to correlate student performance using a single-point rubric with student performance using a scaled analytic rubric with pre-established validity and reliability. Gender, course enrollment, grade-point average (GPA), self-reported use and student perceptions of the efficacy of single-point rubrics were also utilized as independent variables. Grade-point average and the participants’ scaled analytic rubric scores were significant predictors of participants’ single-point rubric scores, establishing validity for the single-point rubric. Student scores from single-point rubrics were also be utilized to determine inter-rater reliability and item analysis was conducted to determine inter-rater agreement. A strong, positive significant correlation between rater one and rater two essay scores suggests inter-rater reliability, abetted by a high percentage of inter-rater agreement in rater one and rater two scoring of individual items on the single-point rubric.</p>