Create a Rubric in Canvas

The purpose of using a rubric is to focus students' attention on critical components of an assignment and to help the instructor maintain consistency when grading. Using a rubric is especially important if there are teaching assistants involved in the grading process or if students are completing peer reviews.

You can create one or more rubrics in Canvas. You can create a rubric on the Assignment page or on the Manage Rubrics page. The Manage Rubrics page lists all of the rubrics in the course, while an assignment page displays only the rubric for that assignment. This topic explains it from the Manage Rubrics, but the process is the same on either page.

1

On the Course Navigation menu, click Rubrics

Arrow pointing at Rubrics link in the left side navigation.

 
2

Click + Add Rubric

Arrow pointing at + Add Rubric button.

 
3

In the Title box, rename the new rubric

 
4

Click the + Criterion link to add another criterion to the rubric

Arrow pointing at + Criterion button.

 
5

Set the Ratings scale and total points for each criterion in the rubric

Hold your mouse between ratings and click the arrow icon that will appear to create more rating boxes. You can use the pencil icon to adjust the rating points.

Note: Make sure that the total points equals the total points for the assignment or discussion that you would like to attach it to.

 
6

(Optional) Click Find Outcome to attach a learning outcome to the rubric

Arrow pointing at Find Outcome button below rubric.

 
7

Click Save Rubric when finished

Arrow pointing at Save Rubric button below rubric.

Note: For more detailed instructions see How do I add a rubric to an assignment? in the Canvas Guides or see our section on attaching rubrics to discussions.

Rubric Settings

There are some optional settings for a rubric that can be selected when the rubric is created or by editing the rubric afterward by clicking on the pencil icon to open the rubric for editing.

I'll write free-form comments when assessing students
This option lets you write comments for each criterion instead of using the ratings scale. Those comments can be saved and re-used for multiple submissions. If you selected this option, you cannot give partial credit. You can still use the rubric for grading if you select both this option and the "Use this rubric for assignment grading" option.
Use this rubric for assignment grading (Recommended)
This option tallies the total points on the rubric and automatically inserts the final score for the assignment in the SpeedGrader. (Without this checked you will need to manually enter the final assignment score.)
Hide score total for assessment results
This option hides the total score of the rubric from students when they view the rubric from the Grades page. You should only select this option for formative feedback.