You can use a Rubric or Grading guide to grade assignments (including forums). Either one can be selected as your grading method while you are setting up the assignment (they can also be added after the assignment has been created).

Adding a Rubric or Grading Guide to an Assignment

Step 1: From within your course in Moodle, toggle Edit mode to ON. If you are adding a rubric to an already created assignment, open the assignment settings and skip to Step 3 below. If you are creating a new assignment, click Add an activity or resource link in the topic area where you want the assignment. Select Assignment and click the Add button at the bottom of the menu.

Step 2: Make your normal selections for setting up an Assignment.

Step 3: Under the Grade area of settings, use the dropdown menu for Grading method and select Rubric or Grading guide. When you are finished, click Save and display at the bottom of the page. Because you selected Rubric or Grading guide, you’ll be sent to a page asking you to create or adopt the requisite item:

Step 4: From this next page, select whether you want to Define new grading form from scratch or Create new grading form from a template. To create a new grading guide or rubric, select the first of the two options (for further instructions on creating each, see below):

If you select the second option, you may notice some specific shared templates already in the system, or you can select from your own previously created grading guides or rubrics. For more information on creating and sharing templates, contact the Educational Technologies team.

Setting up the Rubric

Step 1: From within the new grading form from scratch page, enter in a Name and Description (optional) to build your Rubric. To change titles, criteria, descriptions, and point values, simply click on the corresponding items and begin typing. You can add levels by clicking the Add level button. To enter in your grading criteria, click the Add criterion button:

Step 2: Read through and make your selections under the Rubric options by unchecking and checking the available options. By default, all options begin as selected.

NOTE: At any point while creating the Rubric, you can click the Save as draft button at the bottom of the page. This allows you to continue to work on the Rubric without students seeing it.

Step 3: When you are finished, click the Save rubric and make it ready button at the bottom.

Setting up the Grading Guide

Step 1: From within the new grading form from scratch page, enter in a Name and build your Grading guide.

Step 2: To enter in your grading criteria, in the Grading guide area click in the appropriate areas to add, to add more criteria click the Add criterion button.

You can also set up Frequently used comments to be used when grading. To do this, click the Add frequently used comment button. You can continue adding comments by repeating this process:

Step 3: Read through and make your selections under the Grading guide options.

At any point while creating the Grading guide, you can click the Save as draft button at the bottom of the page. This allows you to continue to work on the Grading guide without students seeing it.

Step 4: When you are finished, click the Save Grading guide and make it ready button at the bottom.

Grading a Rubric or Grading Guide:

Step 1: From within your course in Moodle, click the Assignment to open it and then click on the View all submissions link. This opens the Submissions table for the assignment.

Step 2: In the Grade column, click Grade. This will open the Submission status and Grade area for the student you are grading.

Step 3: The Grade area is where you will see your Rubric or Grading Guide. Score the Rubric by clicking the appropriate point box and typing any comments in the text box provided; for the Grading guide type any comments in the text box and enter points in the Score box provided:

Step 4: When finished, scroll to the bottom of the page and either click the Save changes button, or the Save and show next button to continue grading additional students.

For Moodle help, contact the NMC Technology Helpdesk at 231-995-3020