BEAM Rubric

Rubrics for Evaluating Student Work
This page is intended for instructors only and should not be published.

Evaluating Sources

This rubric can be used for instructors to evaluate their students work on finding reliable and valid sources. In addition, this rubric can be provided to students to help them in their search for sources. 

BEAM

When evaluating a source, consider its rhetorical purpose and function. The BEAM model of rhetorical source use describes four main ways sources are often used.

Background -- general information or factual evidence used to provide context
(Example: an encyclopedia article, dictionary definition)

Exhibit -- Materials a writer analyzes/interprets
(Example: literary or artistic works,field observations, scientific specimens, contemporary reviews, historical documents

Argument -- Materials whose claim a writer engages
(Example: scholarly articles, opinion pieces)

Method -- Materials from which a writer adopts a concept or manner of working/thinking
(Examples: references to theories/methods used by the author, such as feminism, New Historicism, direct observation, mixed methods)

Download Beam Model.pdf

Note:  the two middle columns are blank by design, to give you some flexibility in determining the extent to which a student meets the Capstone or Benchmark.

Capstone - 3

2

1

Benchmark - 0
Identifying Source Student identifies the type of source they are reading.                                Student does not identify the type of source.
Identifying Perspective of Source Student describes the author's perspective in the source by using evidence from the text.  Student does not describe the perspective of the source.
Identifying Intended Audience Student determines the intended audience of the source through examples of language within the text. Student does not identify the intended audience of the source. 
Describing Understanding of Source Topic Student establishes how the source adds to their understanding of the topic by providing details from the text.  Student does not identify how the source adds to their understanding of the topic. 
Describing Use of Source Student identifies why they would use their source in their work.  Student does not identify why they would use this source in their work. 
Identifying Source with Work Student describes how they would use this source in their work. (background/context, evidence, argument, methodology) Student does not identify how they would use this source in their work. 

 

Rubric adapted by Jane Bomkamp, Graduate Information Literacy Toolkit Coordinator at Indiana University Bloomington.  Adapted from the CSU Chico (CRAAP) and Bizup’s “BEAM: A rhetorical vocabulary for teaching research-based writing.” Rhetoric Review 27.1 (2008): 72-86.

Click the "Next" button to continue through the "Rubrics for Evaluating Student Work" Module.