Rubric

Rubric is a term that originates from the Latin word rubrica, referring to red ochre or red chalk, and by extension, instructions written in red in a manuscript. In modern usage, a rubric is a set of criteria used for assessment or instruction in a variety of fields, including education, law, and publishing.

Etymology

The term rubric comes from the Latin rubrica, which means "red ochre" or "red chalk". This term was used in the Middle Ages to refer to the red instructions written in manuscripts. Over time, the term evolved to mean any set of instructions or guidelines.

Usage in Education

In education, a rubric is a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work or "what counts". For example, a rubric for an essay might include criteria such as "clarity of argument", "quality of evidence", and "organization of ideas". Each criterion is typically accompanied by a scale of values, which can be used to assign a numerical score to the student's work.

Usage in Law

In law, a rubric refers to a heading in a statute or other legal document. It provides a brief summary of the content of the section it precedes, helping readers to navigate the document.

Usage in Publishing

In publishing, a rubric is a class or category of a work, often used in the classification of books or articles. For example, in a newspaper, the rubric might refer to the section of the paper in which an article is published (e.g., "Local News", "Sports", "Opinion").

See Also

• Assessment
• Education
• Law
• Publishing