When using a multi-criteria assessment, how should feedback be structured?

• A. Provide a single overall score with no criteria.
• B. Use rubrics that define criteria and levels of quality to guide feedback across multiple dimensions.
• C. Provide only verbal feedback without written criteria.
• D. Use a single criterion for all feedback.

Answer: (B)

When evaluating work that involves several aspects, structure feedback with a rubric that lays out each criterion and describes levels of quality for each one. This approach makes feedback clear and actionable because students can see exactly what is expected in different dimensions—such as composition, technique, concept, craftsmanship, and use of media—and understand how their work measures up at each level. The rubric provides a shared standard and helps students identify both strengths and specific areas to improve across multiple facets, guiding focused growth over time.

If you relied on a single overall score with no criteria, you’d lose the diagnostic detail that shows which parts of the work need attention. Verbal feedback alone without written criteria also leaves students unclear about how to improve, since there’s no written standard they can reference. And using only one criterion misses the breadth of skills involved in art, giving an incomplete picture of performance.