Setting the Criteria for Success

The Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework outlines three key components: purpose, task, and criteria; we have created resources for each one. 

The criteria section identifies the essential features of a successful assignment or activity and makes expectations visible and actionable for the students. This clarity empowers students to evaluate real-world examples and reflect on their own progress. When students can compare their work against clear standards, they are better equipped to self-monitor, make adjustments, and take ownership of their learning. Research shows that transparent criteria enhance student confidence and performance (Winkelmes et al., 2016). 

The criteria is the final component of the three-part approach of purpose-task-criteria that provides all of the elements for student metacognition: The "purpose" section encourages students to engage more intentionally by clarifying the relevance and value of the task. The "task" section offers a clear roadmap, allowing students to track their progress as they work. The "criteria" section guides students in evaluating the quality of their work, determining how well it meets expectations, and identifying opportunities for improvement.  

Why is sharing the criteria important?

The TILT framework supports students’ metacognition by providing a structured guide that helps them plan, monitor, and reflect on their learning process before they begin an assignment or engage in an activity (Winkelmes, 2019). The criteria section highlights what is expected in an assignment or activity, helping students calibrate their outcomes while also staying mindful of the process required to achieve them.

Beyond clarifying expectations, the “criteria” section plays a key role in supporting students’ intrinsic motivation—especially when aligned with the purpose and task sections of an assignment. According to self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), motivation increases when students experience autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their learning environment. When students are given choices in how they approach the assignment, their sense of autonomy is strengthened. By offering clear examples and process-based rubrics, instructors help students understand how to succeed, which enhances students’ sense of competence. Additionally, timely and constructive feedback fosters a more relational learning experience, helping students feel connected to their instructors and peers, rather than viewing the assignment as a purely transactional task (Ramani et al., 2019).
 

How can rubrics help me articulate the criteria of my assignment?

While the criteria component of transparent design can include a variety of things, such as examples of successful (and not-so-successful) student work, rubrics are another effective tool for establishing clear criteria in assignment design. They help instructors communicate expectations explicitly and consistently, which supports both teaching and learning. As Stevens and Levi (2013) note, rubrics offer several key benefits: they enable timely, detailed feedback; prepare students to engage with that feedback; encourage critical thinking and self-assessment; and foster clear communication between instructors and students.

For faculty, rubrics provide a structured way to articulate learning goals and align assessment with course outcomes and can also streamline grading. For students, rubrics serve as a guide for self-checking and peer review, helping them better understand what quality work looks like (Walvoord & Anderson, 2010). When integrated into transparent assignment design, rubrics enhance clarity, consistency, and equity—especially for students who may be unfamiliar with academic expectations or disciplinary norms.

Strategies for Communicating Criteria to Set Expectations for the Assignment

Below are several strategies instructors can consider to effectively communicate assessment criteria to students:

Strategies for Writing Your Purpose

  1. Develop and share a rubric that clarifies expectations
  • Break the assignment into key components that will be reflected in the grade and represent the most important elements for students to demonstrate their learning (e.g., evidence, analysis, argument) and describe performance levels using specific, observable criteria.
  • Avoid vague terms for levels like “excellent” or “poor”—instead, use language that shows what each level looks like in practice (Stevens & Levi, 2013).
  • Before major assignments, use rubrics with smaller, low-stakes tasks to help students learn how to interpret and apply the criteria.
  • Consider brief check-ins during assignment launch, peer review sessions, or early drafts to ensure students understand the rubric.
  • Invite questions and encourage (or require) students to use the rubric to self-assess their progress.
  • Frame feedback using rubric language to help students connect comments to specific expectations.
  1. Use an assignment wrapper to help students organize and reflect on their work
  • Assignments wrappers are metacognitive tools to help students reflect on their process to complete the assignment as well as their outcomes. These tools can be used as checklists, worksheets, or discussion prompts.
  • Students can also help develop the checklist.
  • The checklist could be a list of questions or a list of items.
  • The checklist can be a tool for checking in with students’ progress before the due date.
  1. Share examples of successfully or not successfully completed assignments
  • Provide several sample assignments to help students observe different ways to engage with the assignment.
    • Some instructors share prior students’ excellent work (with permission).
    • Examples of less effective work can be created by the instructor or TA or produced via generative AI.
    • Sample assignments can be annotated to highlight how they meet or fall short of the criteria, or discussed in class.
  • Provide real life examples (which could be successful or not) to help students apply their assignment criteria and understand their implications beyond the course context.
  1. Align criteria with purpose and task
  • Ensure that the criteria reflect the intended skills, knowledge, and learning objectives (purpose), as well as the steps students will take to complete the assignment (task).
    • For example, a project that is mainly focused on analyzing evidence and crafting a compelling argument probably will not take the number of “ums” a student says in the oral presentation as a major component of the grade. On the other hand, a formal public presentation assignment focused on polished delivery and confidence may be more likely to emphasize these aspects.
  • Make this alignment explicit to the students (such as by linking criteria to specific learning objectives) and consider time for the students to ask questions.
  1. Invite student input
  • Consider engaging students in co-creating or reviewing rubrics.
  • Use students’ annotated examples (with permission) to provide more student-focused criteria.
  1. Make criteria accessible throughout the course assessments
  • Frame feedback using rubric language to help students connect comments to specific expectations.
  • Include criteria in assignment prompts, discuss them in class, and revisit them during peer review or revision stages.
  • Use the AI Assessment Scale to help clarify expectations around the use of AI tools in completing assignments.