In the 2020 article “It’s Time to Get Serious about Teaching Critical Thinking” posted on Inside Higher Education, Jonathan Haber observes:
. . . critical thinking involves thinking in a structured way. The term commonly used to describe this form of productive, structured thinking is “logic” . . .
To read more about Jonathan Haber’s work in critical thinking, visit his website: LogicCheck
Using a Rubric as a Teaching Tool for Thinking Critically about Assignments
A rubric is a systematic way to break down the various components of a writing assignment and to provide criteria for evaluating each component. It provides students not just with a clear explanation of how they are being graded, but also a blue print for thinking critically about the parameters of an assignment.
Below is the standard rubric provided by our Composition Program along with questions that can be asked in the early stages of the writing process. You will notice that the reflection questions would work best with an argument essay, so adapt the questions to other assignments. The basic concept is to have students engage with the rubric.
**Important note*** Always be sure to refer to the actual rubric provided by the instructor. This is the standard rubric created by the Composition Program, but individual instructor rubrics may differ.
Standard Composition Program Rubric
Area I: Context of and Purpose for Writing
Includes considerations of audience, purpose, and the circumstances surrounding the writing task(s).
______
Questions to ask yourself:
Who is reading this essay? What background information will your readers need to know about the topic in order to understand your ideas and arguments? Why are you writing this essay? What do you want readers to think about the topic? How can you convince readers that your ideas are reasonable?
Exceeds:
Demonstrates a thorough understanding of context, audience, and purpose that is responsive to the assigned tasks and focuses on all elements of the work.
Meets:
Demonstrates an adequate understanding of context, audience, and purpose and a clear focus on the tasks.
Approaches:
Demonstrates little attention to context, audience and to the assigned tasks (e.g. expectation of instructor or self as audience.
Does not Meet:
Demonstrates almost no attention to context, audience and to the assigned tasks (e.g. expectation of instructor or self as audience.
Area II: Content Development
Does the essay contain a well-developed argument that meets the word-count requirements?
______
Questions to ask yourself:
What is your claim? Are there competing claims that you need to consider? How will you demonstrate to your reader that you understand these claims?
The word-length requirement for this essay is _______ words long and long quotes from sources do not count towards this word count. What steps will you take to develop your essay? How can you show your reader that you understand the topic? What specific reasons and examples will you use in your essay to support your thesis? Why are these reasons and examples compelling/interesting? How can you use rhetorical appeals such as ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade your reader that your claim has validity?
Exceeds:
Uses appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to illustrate mastery of the subject, conveying the writer’s understanding, and shaping the whole work.
Meets:
Uses appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to explore ideas within the context of the discipline and shape the whole work.
Approaches:
Uses appropriate and relevant content to develop simple ideas in some parts of the work
Does not Meet:
Does not use appropriate and relevant content to develop simple ideas in many parts of the work.
Area III: Genre and Disciplinary Conventions
Formal and informal rules inherent in the expectations for writing in particular forms and/or academic fields.
_______
Questions to ask yourself:
What type of essay have you been asked to write? What are the conventions—or standards/rules—-of this type of writing? How do writers typically organize these type of texts?
Exceeds:
Demonstrates detailed attention to and successful execution of a wide range of conventions particular to a specific discipline and/or writing task (s) including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices
Meets:
Follows expectations appropriate to a specific discipline and/or writing task(s) for basic organization, content, and presentation.
Approaches:
Attempts to use a consistent system for basic organization and presentation.
Does not Meet:
Does not use a consistent system for basic organization and presentation.
Area IV: Sources and Evidence
MLA formatting standards; avoiding plagiarism; weaving quotes and paraphrases into your own writing.
_____
Questions to ask yourself:
In writing your paper, have you used the required number and type of sources? Have you take steps to avoid overusing direct quotes? Did you adhere to MLA formatting standards?
Exceeds:
Demonstrates skillful use of high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing.
Meets:
Demonstrates an attempt to use credible and/or relevant sources to support ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing.
Approaches:
Demonstrates an attempt to use sources to support ideas in the writing.
Does not Meet:
Demonstrates almost no attempt to use sources to support ideas in the writing.
Area V: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Sentence structure; vocabulary; grammar; punctuation
_____
Questions to ask yourself:
What tactics have you used to edit your paper? Is there someone who might be willing to listen as you read the essay aloud or someone who can take a fresh look at your essay before the final copy is due?
Exceeds:
Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency and is virtually error free.
Meets:
Uses language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity, although writing may include some errors
Approaches:
Uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage
Does not Meet:
Uses language that regularly impedes meaning because of errors in usage.
