A Rubric For Grading Blog Entries

by Mark Sample, English

My class blog is a space for students to be reflective, and to explore tentative thoughts about the significance and interpretative possibilities of specific texts. Posts, I tell them, should “strive to be thoughtful and nuanced, offering questions and insights rather than descriptions or summaries.” To help students get a feel for what counts as an excellent blog post, I give them the following rubric. Feel free to adapt this for your class.

Rating & Characteristics

4 - Exceptional.

The journal entry is focused and coherently integrates examples with explanations or analysis. The entry demonstrates awareness of its own limitations or implications, and it considers multiple perspectives when appropriate. The entry reflects in-depth engagement with the topic.

3 - Satisfactory.

The journal entry is reasonably focused, and explanations or analysis are mostly based on examples or other evidence. Fewer connections are made between ideas, and though new insights are offered, they are not fully developed. The entry reflects moderate engagement with the topic.

2 - Underdeveloped.

The journal entry is mostly description or summary, without consideration of alternative perspectives, and few connections are made between ideas. The entry reflects passing engagement with the topic.

1 - Limited.

The journal entry is unfocused, or simply rehashes previous comments, and displays no evidence of student engagement with the topic.

0 - No Credit.

The journal entry is missing or consists of one or two disconnected sentences.

Want to know more about varieties of blogs? We recommend the “Informal Taxonomy of Blogs,” generated by Doug Eyman (English).