iRubric: The Rambler rubric

Coverage reflects a strong diversity of content choices and displays a strong focus on significant issues with local or campus ties. Stories are well sourced, and various groups of people, including minorities, are represented.

Coverage is basic but solid: important news events on campus are written about in a timely manner using multiple sources. There is at least an attempt to write about significant issues and trends related to the campus and students, but this sort of more wide-ranging, in-depth coverage could be better and more frequent. Different methods and approaches to writing different types of articles -- basic news, profiles, trend pieces -- are used frequently.

Some articles contain substantive news value. Articles attempt cover a variety of topics with different methods. Few articles deal with significant campus/local issues. Articles cover two or more of the following interests: student, faculty, staff or community.

Articles lack substantive news value, as well as coverage and storytelling methods. Articles do not address significant issues with campus or local ties. Articles do not represent the interests of faculty, staff, students and community.

A variety of types of art are used effectively to support the storytelling. Photos contain strong news value, feature people prominently and use creative techniques. Images are virtually free of technical and editing errors. Information graphics are clear, compelling and accurate. All cutlines are well written, clear, and give enough information to help the reader clearly understand what they are seeing, including names.

Photos and/or graphics with news stories help significantly in telling the story. Photos contain people and a variety of techniques are present much of the time. Cutlines are accurate and correctly written. Graphics and art ably support the stories they are with and are appropriate for the stories they go with.

Some photos are used effectively and show limited variety of formats and approaches. Most images feature people or have a central focus/interest. Images have inconsistent news value. Technical quality of photos is inconsistent. The majority of photos have names in the cutlines.

Lack of variety in photos (action, posed, mugs, illustration). Over-reliance on handouts/stock/file photos or images with no news value. Photos/art suffer from technical problems (editing/cropping/sharpness). No or only a few photos have well written, informative cutlines.

Editorials regularly address significant topics and demonstrate a deep understanding of campus and community concerns. Reader feedback and opposing viewpoints are consistently published. Reporting fulfills the public service role of a newspaper and elevates the discussion of important issues.

Editorials are timely and thoughtful and address important topics, both on campus and in society. There is often reader feedback and differing points of view. The reporting adds to readers' understanding of what is happening on campus and in the wider community.

Editorials rarely comment on significant campus topics. Some attempts at incorporating reader feedback and viewpoints are displayed. Attention to public service journalism is inconsistent.

Lack of editorials on significant campus topics. Lack of appreciation of students, faculty, and staff in editorials. Lack of reader feedback and opposing viewpoints. Failure to fulfill the public service role through in-depth journalism.