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Types
of rubrics: Primary Trait and Multiple Trait
Primary
trait scoring, as
developed by Lloyd-Jones and Carl Klaus (Lloyd-Jones,
1977) was designed to evaluate the primary language function
or rhetorical trait elicited by a given writing task or prompt.
"Primary trait assessment in its initial formulations focused
on the specific approach that a writer might take to be successful
on a specific writing task; every task required its own unique scoring
guide" (Applebee,
2000, p. 4). In its original form, primary trait scoring would
be strictly classified as task-specific, and performance would be
evaluated on only one trait, such as the "Persuading an audience"
example from Tedick
(2002, p. 36) for a task requiring learners to write a persuasive
letter to the editor of the school newspaper:
| Fig.
Fx. Primary Trait: Persuading an audience |
| 0 |
Fails to persuade the audience. |
| 1 |
Attempts to persuade but
does not provide sufficient support. |
| |
Presents a somewhat persuasive argument but without consistent
development and support
|
| |
Develops a persuasive argument that is well developed and
supported.
|
Today, you may find that primary trait rubrics vary markedly from
their original design and intended use. Applebee
notes: "Over the years as primary trait approaches were used
more widely, they evolved into a more generic approach which recognized
the similarities in approach within broad uses or purposes. The
basic question addressed in scoring, however, remained, 'Did the
writer successfully accomplish the purpose of this task?' To insure
that raters maintained this focus, scoring guidelines usually instructed
raters to ignore errors in conventions of written language, and
to focus on overall rhetorical effectiveness" (p. 4). Primary
trait scoring can be used with speaking tasks as well as with assessments
of the interpersonal and presentational modes.
If you search the Web for primary trait rubrics, you will occasionally
find examples that include several traits rather than the one main
criterion for successful communication within a specified rhetorical
or functional domain (e.g., SUNY
Oswego, Which type of rubric is best? Fig. 3). In the Virtual
Assessment Center, we adopt the distinctions outlined by Tedick
(2002) and refer to task-specific scoring grids with more than one
dimension as multiple trait, or multitrait, rubrics.
When would you use primary trait rubrics in the classroom? They
provide minimal feedback to learners, and it probably would not
be fair to base important decisions like grades on whether or not
learners perform well on just one criterion. One scenario might
be to use primary trait rubrics in formative assessments designed
to determine how well learners perform a particular language function
they have been working on in class. For example, if several lessons
have been devoted to working on descriptive language, a culminating
writing task might be scored solely on its effectiveness as a description.
Multiple
trait rubrics. Hamp-Lyons
(1991) coined the term multiple trait scoring for rubrics
that she designed, based on the concepts of primary trait scoring,
to provide diagnostic feedback to learners and other stakeholders
about performance on "context-appropriate and task-appropriate
criteria" for a specified topic/text type. She designed her
multiple trait rubrics to be applicable across a range of similar
tasks. Currently, multiple trait (or multitrait) rubrics are commonly
considered to be task-specific, although one or more of their dimensions
might also be found in generic, analytic rubrics. Many examples
of rubrics of this type that you may find on the Web
or in other resources often accompany a given task, and may not
be readily applicable to other tasks without adaptation. Figure
Fy illustrates a task and multitrait scoring rubric from a resource
for language teachers (Petersen,
1999).
Multiple trait rubrics look like analytic rubrics in that performance
is evaluated in several categories, and, in practice, you may find
the terms used interchangeably. However, analytic rubrics usually
evaluate the more traditional and generic dimensions of language
production, while the criteria in multiple trait rubrics focus on
specific features of performance necessary for successful fulfillment
of a given task or tasks.
Advantages
- The rubrics are aligned with the task and curriculum.
- Aligned and well-written primary and multiple trait rubrics
can ensure construct and content validity of criterion-referenced
assessments.
- Feedback is focused on one or more dimensions that are important
in the current learning context.
- With a multiple trait rubric, learners receive information about
their strengths and weaknesses.
- Primary and multiple trait rubrics are generally written in
language that students understand.
- Teachers are able to rate performances quickly.
- Many rubrics of this type have been developed by teachers who
are willing to share them online, at conferences, and in materials
available for purchase.
Disadvantages
- Information provided by primary trait rubrics is limited and
may not easily translate into grades.
- Task-specific rubrics cannot be applied to other tasks without
adaptation of at least one or more dimensions.
(Hamp-Lyons,
1991; McNamara,
1996; Tedick,
2002.)
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