A practical self-review guide
Use a rubric as a checklist for the evidence your assignment needs to contain. Read the criteria, find supporting passages in your draft, compare them with the performance descriptions, and revise the largest gaps before submission.
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Criteria describe what is assessed, such as analysis or use of evidence. Performance levels describe how well you must demonstrate it, and weights indicate its share of the grade. Copy each criterion into a checklist and keep its highest-level descriptor beside it so you can review them together.
For each criterion, record a paragraph, section, or figure that demonstrates it. Avoid marking a row complete just because you mentioned the topic. If the rubric says evaluate two approaches, look for an actual comparison and judgment about those approaches, not two separate descriptions.
Compare the passage with the full descriptor at each level. Record both what meets the standard and what is missing. When your draft sits between two levels, write down the uncertainty instead of automatically choosing the higher score; that gap can become a useful revision task.
Start with missing requirements and substantial weaknesses in heavily weighted criteria. Convert each gap into a specific edit, such as explaining a limitation or connecting evidence to a claim. After revision, repeat the checklist and confirm that the final file satisfies the assignment instructions.
In this invented 100-point rubric, analysis and evidence carry most of the marks. The notes turn a broad self-rating into edits you can make.
| Criterion and weight | Self-check evidence | Revision decision |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis — 40% | Describes two approaches but does not compare them. | Add a comparison using the same measures for both approaches. |
| Evidence — 35% | Sources support the first approach only. | Find relevant support for the second approach and explain it. |
| Organization — 25% | Sections follow a clear order; one transition is abrupt. | Add a transition after addressing analysis and evidence. |
Illustrative weights, not a universal marking scheme. You can use this process manually or use RubriCheck to assist the review.
Create one row for each criterion. Include its weight, the performance descriptor you are working toward, a place to record evidence from your draft, and a specific revision task. Check each row again after editing.
If a rubric gives weights rather than points, divide each criterion score by its maximum, multiply by that criterion's percentage weight, and add the results. For example, 3 out of 4 on a criterion weighted at 40% contributes 30 percentage points. Follow any different calculation specified by your instructor.
After preparing the rubric and draft, use RubriCheck for an estimated score range and revision priorities. Compare the suggestions with your own checklist and verify the relevant passages before accepting or rejecting a suggestion.
Find guidance for your assignment type or learn how to apply the feedback.