How to use your marking rubric to get a better grade

The rubric is the closest thing you have to the marker's checklist. Most students read it once, if at all. Using it properly is one of the most reliable ways to improve a grade.

Find where the marks are

Look at the criteria and their weightings. If critical analysis is worth far more than presentation, your time should go there — and so should your word count.

Read the difference between the bands

For each criterion, compare the wording of the band you are aiming for with the one below it. The difference is usually a single idea — "describes" versus "evaluates", "some sources" versus "a range of academic sources". That difference is exactly what your draft needs to show.

Turn each criterion into a question

"Critical evaluation of the evidence (30%)" becomes: where in my draft do I weigh evidence, not just report it? Mark the paragraphs that answer each question. A criterion with no paragraphs is marks left on the table.

Check against the brief too

The brief sets requirements the rubric may not repeat — word count, sources, format, referencing style. Missing one can cap a grade however good the writing is.

Checklist before you submit

I know which criteria carry the most weight
I know what separates my target band from the one below
Every criterion is visibly addressed somewhere in my draft
My effort and words are spread in line with the weightings
Every requirement of the brief is met (length, sources, format)

Common mistakes

Reading the rubric only after the work is written.
Spending most of the word count on a low-weighted criterion.
Assuming "critical" just means "negative".
Missing a brief requirement that caps the grade.

Check your own draft against your rubric

The assignment helper does this for you: paste your rubric and your draft, and each criterion is rated with its weighting, what your draft does now, and what would move it up a band.

Try the Assignment Helper free Command words explained

One free check a month. It never writes your work for you.

Frequently asked questions

What if my assignment has no rubric?

Ask your lecturer if there are marking criteria. If there are none, the assessment guidance in your handbook and the command words in the brief tell you what is being rewarded.

Can I ask my lecturer about the rubric?

Usually, yes — asking what distinguishes the top band is a reasonable question, and the answer is valuable.