A fair checklist for planning, building, evaluating, and presenting TechClub projects.
Project rubric and portfolio checklist
Use this rubric for small exercises and capstone projects. A polished project is not one that never fails; it is one that explains what happened and what was learned.
Project brief
Every project should state:
- The question or problem.
- The intended user.
- The inputs and outputs.
- The prerequisites and tools.
- The safety and privacy boundaries.
- The success criteria.
Rubric
| Area | Beginning | Developing | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Problem definition | Goal is unclear | Goal and user are stated | Goal, user, constraints, and success test are precise |
| Implementation | Incomplete or copied without explanation | Core behavior works | Code is organized, readable, and tested |
| Evidence | No meaningful test | Some examples are shown | Normal, edge, and failure cases are evaluated |
| Explanation | Describes steps only | Explains some decisions | Explains trade-offs, limitations, and uncertainty |
| Responsible practice | Privacy or safety is missing | Risks are mentioned | Risks are addressed with concrete safeguards |
| Communication | Project is difficult to run | Basic README exists | A new student can run, understand, and extend it |
Portfolio README template
# Project name
## Problem
What question does this project explore?
## How to run
List the setup and commands.
## Results
Show one example and explain it.
## Evaluation
Describe the tests, metrics, and failure cases.
## Limitations and safety
State what the project must not be used for.
## What I learned
Describe one surprise and one next improvement.
Presentation checklist
- Demonstrate a known-good run.
- Show one failure or limitation honestly.
- Explain one design choice.
- Invite one question.
- Credit sources, datasets, and collaborators.