State of New Jersey Department of Education
Test Specifications
Contents
Science

Holistic Scoring Guide (Generic Rubric) for Science
Open-Ended Items and Performance Assessment Tasks (p. 30)

The zero-to-three-point generic scoring rubric below was created to help readers score open-ended
responses consistently. In scoring, the reader should accept the use of appropriate diagrams,
charts, formulas, and/or symbols which are part of a correct answer even when the question does
not specifically request their use.
 
3-point response: Student response is reasonably complete, clear, and satisfactory.
2-point response: Student response has minor omissions and/or some incorrect or non-relevant information.
1-point response: Student response includes some correct information, but most information included in the response is either incorrect or not relevant.
0-point response: Student attempts the task but the response is incorrect, irrelevant, or inappropriate.