Books About Grading and Rubrics

Certainly, there exists a great deal of information on grading and rubrics for interested educators on the Internet. For those who really want to get in depth on these subjects with some long reads, though, there are a number of books in print that delve deeply into the theory and practice of assessment. *Note: SwiftGrades.com may earn commissions on books purchased through the links on this website.

Elements of Grading by Douglas Reeves- Part of a three book series on the topic, Elements of Grading begins with a thorough discussion grading in the modern era of standards-based teaching and the Common Core. After the first four chapters of the book, the book turns from the philosophical to the practical. Chapters Five through Nine of the book offer practical suggestions for improving the timeliness, fairness, and accuracy of your grades, as well as saving yourself time when grading. 157 pages

Grading Smarter Not Harder: Assessment Strategies That Motivate Kids and Help Them Learn by Myron Dueck- Grading Smarter Not Harder has more of a narrative tone to it than most other books on the subject of assessment. In the book, Dueck reflects on his own experience of changing his approach to grading. Not merely anecdotal, though, Dueck backs up his story with supporting research and numerous examples. Grading Smarter offers practical advice for making sure that grades measure what is being taught, making sure that assessment criteria is clear to students, and using grades to improve student performance on tests. 185 pages

How to Use Grading to Improve Learning by Susan M. Brookhart- Like Grading Smarter, Brookhart’s How to Use Grading weaves together research on grading with the author’s personal experiences and reflections. This book looks at multiple facets of grading- Motivating students with assessments, designing assessments and report card policies that reflect student achievement, and communicating with students and parents about grading. 167 pages

How to Create and Use Rubrics for Formative Assessment and Grading by Susan M. Brookhart- Another title by the author of How to Use Grading to Improve Learning, in this book Brookhart guides the reader through the rubric design and creation process, and shows the reader how rubrics can be used for both grading and learning. This book is written for both those educators who are new to using rubrics and those with experience, and gives examples of rubrics from a variety of grade levels and subjects. 159 pages  

Using Rubrics for Performance-Based Assessment by Todd Stanley- For educators who are new to using rubrics in their assessments, Stanley’s Using Rubrics for Performance-Based Assessment is a must read. The author begins the book by discussing what, exactly, a rubric is and how and why educators should use rubrics. Once that is established, the book addresses various types of rubrics and how to ensure that those rubrics achieve reliability and validity. The book then takes the reader step-by-step through the rubric creation process and gives examples of good and not-so-good rubrics. The book concludes by informing the reader of how to grade using rubrics and communicating results to students. 153 pages

Grading for Equity: What it is, Why it Matters, and How it Can Transform Schools and Classrooms by Joe Feldman- The longest of the books discussed on this page, Feldman’s Grading for Equity addresses the ways that grading policies and practices can influence and exacerbate achievement gaps that exist between students. Far from being merely critical, though, the author gives practical advice and suggestions based on research to achieve grading that is bias-free and which motivates students to achieve to their best potential. 268 pages