An Empirical Study of the Impact of Rubrics on Writing Performance of Kurdish EFL Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25098/8.1.40Keywords:
Rubric, Essay Writing, Writing Performance, Student PerceptionAbstract
The current study investigates the impact of rubrics on developing the writing performance of thirty-three Kurdish EFL university students (English Language Department - University of Halabja). In addition, it examines how rubrics are perceived by those students. This study adopted a quantitative research method, with a pre-test/post-test design and a survey after the post-test. In the pre-test each student wrote an essay without guidance, then a rubric was introduced which outlined essay writing criteria. In the post-test, using the provided rubric the students wrote another essay. In the analysis of the pre-test and post-test scores a significant improvement in writing performance was revealed after using the rubric. A post-writing survey explored students’ perceptions. Results indicated a positive view of rubrics, with students appreciating the clarity, fairness, and guidance they provided. However, some students expressed concerns about potential limitations on creativity and suitability for self-assessment. The study highlights the potential of rubrics to enhance writing performance and student perceptions of the evaluation process.
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