Rubric design and self-assessment of EFL writing: A case of Russian undergraduate linguistics students

This study explores the role of rubric design in enhancing self-assessment practices in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing, with a focus on fostering metacognitive awareness and self-regulated learning. Self-assessment has been widely recognised for its potential to improve writing quality, learner autonomy, and critical self-reflection, however, its effectiveness largely depends on how rubrics are designed and implemented as pedagogical tools. Despite this, relatively little research has examined the impact of rubric design on self-assessment processes and writing outcomes in EFL contexts. This exploratory study compares the learning outcomes associated with two types of rubrics used in teaching EFL writing: a genre-oriented rubric, which emphasises structural and content conventions specific to text types, and a pragmatics-oriented rubric, which focuses on clarity of communication and audience engagement. The study involved 15 senior linguistics undergraduate students (aged 21–22) at Higher School of Economics in Moscow. They engaged in iterative cycles of drafting, self-assessment, revision, and publication of blog posts, with rubric criteria introduced progressively. Data were collected through self-, peer-, and teacher assessments. The findings suggest that the pragmatics-oriented rubric promoted greater audience engagement, while the genre-oriented rubric helped students better organize their texts and maintain coherence. Variations in self-assessment outcomes underscored the need for targeted training in rubric use to strengthen metacognitive skills. The study points to the importance of aligning rubric design with broader pedagogical goals to develop transferable writing strategies and self-regulated learning skills.