Create a rubric (upload/import or build from a template)

The last article went through the process of selecting an existing rubric from your own library or the EssayGrader platform library. But, if an existing rubric doesn't meet your needs, you can create one instead. There are 4 methods to create a rubric:

• Upload or import
• Build from an existing template
• Build with AI
• Build from scratch

This article covers the first two while the next article will cover the remaining options.

Initiate the process

1. Select the Create New Rubric button

Whether you are in the middle of setting up an assignment or you have navigated to the Rubric Library, in either case you will see a purple button that says Create New Rubric. Select that and continue to the next screen.

2. Choose the creation method

As described above, you have 4 options for creating a rubric, as seen in the screenshot below: Upload or import, Build from an existing template, Build with AI, and Build from scratch.

3. Upload or import

Selecting this creation method presents Student level, Grading intensity, and Language settings that we will also discuss in the next article.

• Student Level – This reflects the acadmic level of the students whose work is being graded and will default to the level assigned to the rubric. You can change it, however, if you so choose.

• Language – You can set both the input and output languages here, but the default assumes that both are the same. The options you have are UK, USA, and Australian English, as well as Spanish and French. If you wish to produce a feedback report that is in a different language than the essay (e.g., a Spanish essay but an English report), then then uncheck the box below the language options that says 'Your output language is the same as input language' and choose a new output language from the selections that appear below.

• Grading Intensity – While the scoring criteria are most importantly set in the rubric itself, you can instruct the AI to apply those criteria in a Light, Moderate, or Strict manner by selecting a grading intensity option.

Select the appropriate options for these three items and hit Continue to move to an upload or import screen where you can:

• select an existing rubric saved on your device
• import a rubric you have stored on Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive
• use your webcam to scan a paper-based rubric.

The software will convert your rubric so that it is compatible with EssayGrader's format and you will be presented with a screen where you may edit the criteria, descriptors, and scoring levels of your rubric. The next article will discuss these in detail.

4. Build from an existing template

When Build from an existing template is selected, you'll see the rubric library appear. The default option is your own rubrics in the My Rubrics tab. The Platform rubrics that are bundled with the EssayGrader software can be selected from the Platform rubrics tab. You can choose any of these as a base for a new rubric that you have customized from the selection. If rubrics have been shared with you, these will show up in the Shared Rubrics tab.

Select the rubric you wish to use, noting the subject matter, student level, and type of essay (where noted in the title), then scroll down to the very bottom of the list and select Continue.

• Change template – If you wish to change your selection, you can click Change template in the Details section of the next screen and this will take you back to the Rubric library to select a new template. Once you've got the rubric you want, you can start to make changes to the criteria, descriptors, and scoring levels.

• Edit the rubric settings – You can also edit rubric settings by selecting the corresponding button in the same Details section at the top of the rubric. Here you can adust the Student Level, Grading Intensity, and Language associated with grading.

• Customizing the template

You will see this screen again in other rubric creation methods as it is ultimately the core of your rubric.

• Give it a name – You might be happy with the name it has, but for your own future sanity, it's probably better to give it a descriptive name that reflects your changes to the template.

• Review and edit the criteria – The titles at the top of each rubric section reflect the criteria against which the rubric is evaluating student work. The criterion example in the screenshot is Purpose, Focus, and Organization. That same rubric includes additional criteria of Development and Elaboration and Conventions of Standard English. Other rubric templates may have different criteria. You can keep these or change them as needed.

You can also delete any of the criteria (select the trash can icon to the right of the criterion title) or add additional ones by selecting Add criteria at the bottom of the rubric.

If helpful, you can duplicate criteria by selecting the icon to the left of the trash can.

• Review and edit the descriptors for each level – Descriptors help the AI to understand how the criteria are to be evaluated and what score to assign based on that evaluation.

• Review and edit the scoring values – Each level is assigned a score. The AI evaluates the essay against the descriptors for each of the criteria and assigns the corresponding score to the student. You will want to ensure that the scoring is consistent with how you would assign a value to student work.

The final grade will reflect the sum of the scores for each of the criteria. So if you want the assignment graded out of 25, for example, you could assign a maximum of 5 points for each of the criteria (which would mean 6 levels for each, including 0 points).

But you can also weight the different sections by having different maximums and you can also use decimal points.

• Preview your rubric – It may be a little easier to picture how the rubric will work if you switch to the preview mode, which can be accessed by selecting the Preview tab just below the rubric title. It lays out the rubric in a tabular format that is a bit easier to read, particularly if some descriptors are longer than the input field and can't be seen without scrolling.

Continue the walkthrough: Create a rubric (build with AI or build from scratch) >>>

Updated on: 09/22/2025