Oakland Community College
Communicate Effectively – Public Speaking Evaluation Rubric
Norming
Assessment of student learning within General Education is made more meaningful when locally defined rubrics are used to evaluate authentic student work. However, in order for rubrics to be applied effectively by a discipline or multiple disciplines across the college it’s important to first reach a high degree of group consensus through the “norming” process.
The following score sheet and samples of student work are used in the norming process for this outcome. These samples reflect low, middle and high student performance on the rubric.
Scoring Sheet
Effective Communication: Graduates can demonstrate and apply skills for effective written and oral (including non-verbal) communication.
| A. Introduction complete using Attention Getter, Relation of Topic to Audience, and Preview of Main Points | ||||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | ||||
| Introduction is rudimentary or rambling; many elements missing. | Speaker uses most or all elements; some elements are not effective, clear, or complete. | Speaker offers full introduction, gaining audience attention, effectively relating topic, and clearly stating main points. | ||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA |
| B. Body Organization: Using clearly stated Main Pts.; sub-points support and develop main points; easily understood; uses transitions between points | ||||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | ||||
| Main
points are unclear or unstated; sub-points are missing or
lack coherence; unfocused or rambling. |
Main points and some sub-points are present; sub-points do not always develop and support main points; organization sometimes difficult to understand. | Main Points are clearly stated using parallel language and/or transitions; organization is logical, sub-points develop and support the main points; information is well-organized and easily understood. | ||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA |
| C. Body Content Effective, evidenced with clear, fully developed thesis, relationship between thesis, assertions, and evidence clearly shown, support material is relevant, timely, authoritative and orally cited | ||||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | ||||
| Thesis is unclear, not developed, or explained; support is lacking or ineffective. | Thesis is clear though not fully developed or supported; not all content is relevant or fully analyzed; support may be present though does not meet standards of timeliness, authority, or relevance. | Thesis is clear and fully developed in each point; clear evidence of the relationships between thesis, assertions, and evidence; support meets all requirements. | ||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA |
| D. Conclusion Effective and Complete | ||||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | ||||
| Speaker does not offer a conclusion or it is rudimentary or rambling. | Speaker attempts a conclusion but does not fully review main points, ends abruptly; not all requirements met. | Conclusion effectively and clearly reviews main points, offers a memorable statement that offers satisfactory ending. | ||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA |
| E. Language Use: Demonstrates effective use of language; use of standard English, language used is accurate, grammatically correct, uses parallelism, and language is appropriate to the audience, the topic, and the occasion | ||||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | ||||
| Language use is difficult to understand, is used incorrectly, has not been adapted to the audience, the topic or the occasion. | Language use meets most, but not all requirements, language is understandable, although not always grammatically correct, not completely adapted. | Language use is appropriate to topic, audience, and occasion, use of standard English, grammatically correct, uses parallelism. | ||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA |
| F. Delivery: eye contact, body language, vocal qualities, delivery style, visuals | ||||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | ||||
| Delivery is halting, reads directly off script, body language is ineffective or disruptive to speech, voice too quiet or loud, visuals missing or not effective. | Speaker makes some eye contact with audience, does not read directly off manuscript; body language is mostly comfortable; voice at appropriate levels, visuals available and often effective. | Speaker makes eye contact nearly 95% of the time; body language is confident and appropriate to presentation, vocal qualities are effective for room and occasion, visuals are effective and positive addition to presentation. | ||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | NA |
| G. Assignment Particulars: Meets Assignments Requirements; is effectively focused and adapted to audience; within time limits | |||||
| Behavior Emerging | Behavior Developing | Behavior Present | |||
| Presentation does not meet all requirements; topic is not sufficiently adapted to specific audience; does not meet time limit requirements. | Presentation meets most assignment requirements; topic is somewhat adapted to specific audience; is close to within time limits. | Presentation meets all requirements fully and effectively; topic is well adapted to the specific audience and the time limits are met. | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Note: This is a college-wide rubric that reflects fundamental dimensions of this General Education Outcome. However, faculty expectations may differ within specific courses. (Reaffirmed May 2009)
