ROBUST ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT FOR STUDENT PROBLEM SOLVING Problem solving is a complex process that is important for all citizens in our modern world and crucial for learning

Problem solving is a complex process that is important for all citizens in our modern world and crucial for learning physics. Although there is a great deal of effort to improve student problem solving throughout the educational system, there is no standard way to evaluate written problem solving that is valid, reliable, and easy to use. Typically complex processes such as problem solving are assessed by using a rubric, which divides a skill into multiple reasonably independent categories and defines criteria to attain a score in each. This paper describes the development and validation of a problem solving rubric for the purpose of assessing written solutions to physics problems.