Create a clear grading rubric with criteria and performance-level descriptors that make scoring fair, fast, and consistent. Use when asked to build a rubric, create grading criteria, design an assessment scoring guide, or make grading more objective. Produces an analytic rubric table (criteria × performance levels) with concrete, observable descriptors and a points scheme — plus a short version students can self-check against.
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Use rubric-builder to create an analytic grading rubric for [assignment] at [grade level], with observable performance descriptors, weighted points, and a short student self-checklist; clearly label any assumptions.
Required inputs
[assignment]
[grade level]
User-approved starter prompt based on a pinned source version; check current skill requirements before running. Task evidence ↗
SKILL.md
name: rubric-builderdescription: "Create a clear grading rubric with criteria and performance-level descriptors that make scoring fair, fast, and consistent. Use when asked to build a rubric, create grading criteria, design an assessment scoring guide, or make grading more objective. Produces an analytic rubric table (criteria × performance levels) with concrete, observable descriptors and a points scheme — plus a short version students can self-check against."
Rubric Builder Skill
A good rubric turns "this feels like a B" into a defensible, repeatable judgment — and tells students exactly how to do better. This skill builds one with observable descriptors at each level.
Working from a brief
Given the assignment and level, build the full rubric anyway, inferring sensible criteria and weighting. Mark anything assumed. Never leave "[describe level]"; write concrete descriptors.
Required Inputs
Ask for (if not already provided):
The assignment / task being graded and grade or level
What matters most (the criteria, or let the skill propose them)
Scale (e.g. 4-level: Exemplary/Proficient/Developing/Beginning) and total points
Type — analytic (per-criterion) or holistic (single overall judgment)
Output Format
Rubric overview
Assignment · Level · Total points
Criteria & weighting: list each criterion and its share of the grade.
Analytic rubric
Criterion (weight)
Exemplary (4)
Proficient (3)
Developing (2)
Beginning (1)
[Criterion 1]
observable descriptor
[Criterion 2]
[Criterion 3]
Each cell describes what the work actually looks like at that level — observable evidence, not "excellent/good/poor."
Scoring
How levels convert to points/grade, including weighting.
Student-facing checklist
A short "before you submit, check you've…" version students can self-assess against.
Feedback stems (optional)
2–3 sentence starters per criterion to speed up consistent written feedback.
Quality Checks
Descriptors are observable and specific (what the work shows), not vague labels
Levels are clearly distinguishable — the jump from one to the next is a real difference
Criteria are weighted and sum correctly to the total
Includes a student-facing version so the rubric guides, not just grades
Anti-Patterns
Descriptors that just add adjectives ("good" → "very good" → "excellent")
Overlapping levels a grader can't tell apart
Criteria that measure effort/length instead of the learning goal