Investigating the Effects of Rubrics on Assessment of Writing Tasks

Abstract

This specific research aims to find out the rubric effects on raters’ reliability with connection to language testing with reference to language testing in Pakistani context. It was also aimed to explore if any significant difference in marking of the student essays, with and without rubric is present. The population for this specific study was 100 students from Public Sector University who were assigned a topic to write an essay which was in the later stage given to a single teacher initially without rubric and later with rubric (see Appendix A). The outcomes of this study unfolded that there is marked difference in the assessment of the same essay, when evaluated with and without rubric. Additionally it was also examined that the assessment with rubric not only provide ease to the assessors but it also provides method, discipline, and direction to the assessors. This study has its practical implications.