Quick orientation
Three strands. Three separate scores per assessment, reported as a triplet (e.g. K/U 7 · T/T 6 · C 7). Each on the 1–8 band scale. Scores are not summed: the triplet is the grade.
The three strands at a glance
| Strand | In one sentence | The move that gets you to 7–8 |
|---|---|---|
| K/U: Knowledge & Understanding | You know the framework (OPVL, the AI Documentation Template, discipline vocabulary) and you apply it accurately. | Use discipline-specific vocabulary precisely throughout. Get every OPVL letter for every source. Fill the AI Documentation Template completely. |
| T/T: Thinking & Transfer | You apply the framework critically, to unfamiliar sources, to AI, to engineering trade-offs, and notice things others miss. | Identify specific limitations (not generic ones). Name a specific thing the AI got wrong, with evidence. Surface non-obvious agreements and disagreements across sources. |
| C: Communication | You make your reasoning clear to a peer audience in the format the assignment expects. | Logical structure, ideas fully developed and concise, vocabulary precise. Citations integrated (not just listed). Defense well-paced; Q&A substantive. |
The AI Documentation requirement
Missing or trivially-completed AI Documentation means the work is returned as incomplete and is not scored until the documentation arrives. No strand is capped.
The "one thing the AI got wrong" field is part of a complete template. It is the metacognitive move T/T is built to detect, so a specific answer there is what earns the higher bands.
Bands at a glance
| Band | What it looks like (across all three strands) |
|---|---|
| 7–8 Exemplary | Thorough, specific, precise. Vocabulary used naturally. Limitations are real and specific. AI documentation complete. Communication clear and well-paced. |
| 5–6 Proficient | Substantially right with minor gaps. Vocabulary mostly precise. Limitations real but a bit generic in places. Documentation substantially complete. Communication clear with minor unevenness. |
| 3–4 Developing | Some understanding, with patterns of weakness. Vocabulary inconsistent. Limitations skew generic ("this source might be biased"). Documentation partial. Communication structure attempted but uneven. |
| 1–2 Limited | Multiple major elements missing. Vocabulary absent or misused. AI treated as just another reliable source. Documentation missing or trivial. Communication lacks structure. |
Need more detail?
The full Rubric page in Foundations has the band descriptors broken out per strand: the specific things examiners look for at each band on K/U vs. T/T vs. C separately. Use this Quick Reference while you work; use the full Rubric when you're calibrating or appealing a score.