Using rubrics can offer a clear way with which to evaluate student work. The rubrics could be very detailed with many different categories or simple in design with a scaled rating of 1-4. A detailed rubric could include categories such as content, creativity, layout, use of multimedia, quality of writing, and citations. A rating rubric would provide a more generalized score of the blog based on coherency, focus, insight, depth, and engagement of topic presented through the writing. Students are able to know and understand the expectations within their blog posts and the commentary they must complete.
There are numerous resources and tools available for educators who plan to incorporate blogging in their classrooms. EdTechTeacher.org and Blogs-in-K12 have links to a variety of rubrics as well as links to sites where you can create your own rubric. Edublogs.com is also a great free resource that includes guidelines and safety information for students and parents. It is also advertisement free and provides a list of student requirements for blogging and commentary.
Between the help of these sites, I have created a basic blogging rubric. The rubric addresses three main focuses for bloggers: blog content, writing quality, and commentary. The rubric addresses students’ level as being unacceptable, acceptable, and on target. For a student to be graded at each level, the student must meet the required criteria within that level.
http://edtechteacher.org/assessment/
http://edublogs.org/
http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/a-rubric-for-evaluating-student-blogs/27196