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Discussion Post Rubric (Undergraduate Online Courses)
Use this for a weekly graded discussion in an online or hybrid undergraduate course where students post once and reply to classmates. It is scaled to 25 points so a full semester of threads stays a reasonable share of the course grade. Adjust the reply count in the third criterion to match what your thread actually requires.
- Grades Undergraduate
- Subject Cross-curricular
- 25 points
- 4 criteria
- Free to copy, print and adapt
| Criterion | Exceeds | Meets | Approaching | Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Post: Response to the Prompt10 points | 9-10 ptsAnswers every part of the prompt, states a position in the first two or three sentences, and meets the assigned length without recycling the prompt's wording. | 7-8 ptsAnswers the main question with a position a reader can identify, though one sub-question is handled in a single line or skipped. | 5-6 ptsRestates the prompt or offers a general reaction to it, or answers only one of several questions asked. | 0-4 ptsPosts a sentence or two of agreement, posts on a different topic, or does not post at all. |
| Use of Course Material5 points | 5-5 ptsQuotes or paraphrases a named page, slide, section, or minute mark from assigned material and explains what that passage shows. | 4-4 ptsNames an assigned reading, lecture, or video and ties it to the answer, without pointing to a specific passage. | 3-3 ptsGestures at course material with phrases like 'as we learned this week', or substitutes an outside article for the assigned material. | 0-2 ptsContains no reference to any assigned reading, lecture, or video. |
| Replies to Classmates6 points | 6-6 ptsPosts the required number of replies, each quoting or naming something specific the classmate wrote and adding a new example, question, or point of disagreement. | 5-5 ptsPosts the required number of replies, at least one of which adds an idea the classmate had not raised. | 4-4 ptsPosts fewer replies than required, or every reply is agreement, praise, or a restatement of the classmate's post. | 0-3 ptsPosts no replies, or replies with a single phrase such as 'I agree' or 'nice post'. |
| Timing, Format, and Tone4 points | 4-4 ptsInitial post appears by the midweek deadline and replies by the closing deadline, in complete sentences, addressing classmates by name. | 3-3 ptsAll posts land inside the deadlines and read clearly, with a few typos or missing capitals. | 2-2 ptsInitial post lands after the midweek deadline, leaving classmates little time to respond, or arrives as one unbroken block of text. | 0-1 ptsPosts arrive after the thread closes, or a reply dismisses a classmate rather than engaging the idea. |
Total: 25 points across 4 criteria.
How to use it
- Publish a midweek deadline for the initial post separately from the reply deadline, or the fourth criterion cannot be enforced.
- Grade the thread in chronological view rather than collapsed view so you can see who actually responded to whom.
- For a 20-point version use 8 / 4 / 5 / 3 and redraw each level band proportionally.
- Post your own reply in two or three threads before you grade; reply quality tracks visibly with instructor presence in the thread.
What students most often get wrong
- Posting at 11:50 p.m. on the final day, which makes the reply requirement impossible for anyone to meet meaningfully.
- Writing a long personal anecdote with no link back to the week's reading or lecture.
- Replying with agreement plus a summary of the classmate's post rather than adding anything new.
Grade with this rubric, without retyping it
Scorae applies a rubric to student work in Google Docs, Canvas, Blackboard and Moodle, and drafts criterion-by-criterion feedback. You review and decide every grade — nothing is submitted for you. Student work is never stored.
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