Guidelines for written work and discussion boards
Students have many opportunities to practice written communication skills throughout their time at Daemen, but are the guidelines clear and is evaluation leading to improvement?
Set your students up for success by providing them with rubrics for all written communication, including discussion boards.
In this article, we provide sample rubrics, a sample prompt to use AI for help generating a rubric, and the steps to add a rubric to your assessments in Blackboard Ultra.
Writing Rubric
The Writing Rubric contains six categories,
- Clarity & Coherence
- Content & Development
- Analysis & Critical Thinking
- Grammar & Mechanics
- Style & Tone
- Adherence to Guidelines
You can add or take away details based on your assignment. For example, the Content & Development category includes information about a prompt. If no prompt is given, you can revise that category to describe the specific details for your assignment. You can also add information to the Adherence to Guidelines category further describing the type of writing, such as, report, executive summary, essay, etc.
Discussion Rubric
The Discussion Rubric contains five categories,
- Post Quality
- Critical Thinking & Reflection
- Adherence to Guidelines
- Engagement with Peers
- Respect & Professionalism
You can remove the fourth and fifth categories if you do not grade peer responses.
Both rubrics have three graded columns, professional, intermediate, and novice. You can add point values as appropriate for each assignment.
The rubrics will allow you to consistently evaluate written assignments and provide meaningful feedback to help students improve their written communication skills.
If you are looking for a more customized approach try using AI to jump-start your rubric.
Using AI to Create a Rubric
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Claude can help you draft or refine a rubric quickly.
Start by entering your assignment prompt and learning outcomes into one of these tools, along with clear parameters (e.g., number of criteria, performance levels, and point values).
For example, you might prompt: “Create a 3-level analytic rubric (Proficient, Developing, Beginning) for a writing assignment aligned to these learning outcomes. Include categories for content, organization, and mechanics/grammar, with clear performance descriptors for each.”
Review the generated rubric carefully to ensure it reflects your expectations, discipline-specific language, and assessment standards. AI can save time on structure and phrasing, but final wording and scoring should always be customized by the instructor.
Adding a Rubric in Blackboard Ultra
To add a rubric in Blackboard Ultra:
- Open your course and select the assessment you want to grade with a rubric.
- Click the settings gear in the upper right corner, then scroll to Grading & Submissions and select Add Rubric.
- You can choose Create New Rubric to build one from scratch, or Reuse Rubric to select an existing rubric from another course.
- Enter your criteria and performance levels, adjust point values as needed, and click Save.
Once attached, the rubric will appear to students before submission and can be used for consistent, transparent grading.
Summary
Providing students with clear rubrics for all written assignments, including discussion boards, sets transparent expectations and promotes measurable improvement in writing quality. Whether you adapt the sample rubrics provided, create your own in Blackboard Ultra, or use AI to generate a customized version, the goal remains the same: to guide students toward more thoughtful, professional, and polished communication. Consistent use of rubrics not only streamlines grading but also helps students understand exactly how to grow as writers throughout their academic journey at Daemen.
Contact the Instructional Design team with questions or schedule a consultation.
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