Judge Against a Standard
Zimmerman: self-judgement needs a reference, not a hunch. Give students the mark scheme or an exemplar to compare their work against, so evaluation is anchored to a real standard.
The strategy, as published
Exactly as it appears on the card
Part of Self-Reflection & Evaluation in 06 Metacognition & Self-Regulation, where it sits alongside its neighbouring strategies, the infographic and the thinking for the whole area.
Why you might use it
The problem it may help with
Asked to check their work, most pupils check how it feels, and "it feels done" wins. Zimmerman's point is that self-judgement needs a reference, not a hunch: evaluation without a standard is just mood.
Giving pupils the mark scheme or an exemplar to compare against turns "is it good?" into "does it do what this does?", which is a question they can actually answer.
What it might look like
One version of it, in a classroom
Pupils lay their own paragraph beside an exemplar, with the mark scheme between them, and identify one criterion their work meets and one it misses. The judgement is a comparison with something real, and the missed criterion becomes the obvious next move.
Try it
A way to begin
In your next self-assessment moment, replace "check your work" with "compare your work to this", and put the this in front of them.
What to notice
Reading what happens
- Whether pupils' judgements of their own work drift closer to yours over time. Calibration against a standard is learnable.
- Pupils who can recite the criteria but cannot find them in their own writing. Reading an exemplar is itself a skill to teach.
Things to think about
Before and while you use it
- Choose the exemplar to show the standard, not perfection. Work just above the pupil's current level gives the comparison something to grip.
- This pairs naturally with goals set before the task; the standard used at the end means more when it was in view at the start.
The wider thinking
Where the evidence sits
Zimmerman's self-reflection phase turns on comparing performance against a standard; this strategy simply makes sure the standard is real and present rather than imagined. The card’s attribution stands as published: Zimmerman.
The fuller picture, sources included, is in further reading and evidence for Metacognition & Self-Regulation.
Keep exploring
Where next?
Back to this strategy in 06 Metacognition & Self-Regulation, across to what you're trying to improve, or into all 144 at once.
Want to take this further?
Support is available
Pedagogy First gives you a starting point. If you want support exploring how approaches like this can work across your school, trust or professional learning programme, that work is available.