Using and Citing VALUE Resources

This page provides guidance for citing and using AAC&U’s VALUE resources, including the VALUE rubrics and VALUE Assignment Design and Diagnostic (ADD) tools.

These resources are shared to support teaching, learning, and assessment across higher education. They are licensed under a Creative Commons license that allows educators to use and adapt them for noncommercial purposes while ensuring appropriate attribution to AAC&U.

The guidelines below explain how to

  • refer to VALUE resources in publications and presentations;
  • cite individual VALUE rubrics and ADD tools;
  • cite the VALUE initiative as a whole;
  • acknowledge modified or reproduced VALUE materials; and
  • request permission for commercial uses.

Referring to VALUE Resources

When referring to VALUE resources in publications, presentations, or course materials:

  • Use lowercase when referring to the collections of resources (e.g., the VALUE rubrics, the VALUE ADD tools).
  • Capitalize when naming a specific resource (e.g., Inquiry and Analysis VALUE Rubric, Critical Thinking VALUE ADD Tool).

Creative Commons License

The VALUE rubrics and VALUE ADD tools are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

Under this license, users may share and adapt these materials provided that the following conditions are met:

  • Attribution: Give appropriate credit to AAC&U, provide a link to the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license, and indicate if changes were made. Attribution should not imply endorsement by AAC&U.
  • NonCommercial: The materials may not be used for commercial purposes that generate monetary or commercial advantage without prior permission.
  • ShareAlike: If you adapt the materials, you must distribute your modified version under the same CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

For more information, see the Creative Commons license legal code.

Citing an Individual VALUE Rubric

When citing a specific VALUE rubric, use a citation similar to the examples below. Adjust the citation for the rubric being used.

  • APA format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2009). Inquiry and analysis VALUE rubric. https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/value-rubrics/value-rubrics-inquiry-and-analysis
  • Chicago format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. 2009. “Inquiry and Analysis VALUE Rubric.” https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/value-rubrics/value-rubrics-inquiry-and-analysis

Note: The publication year for most VALUE rubrics is 2009, with the exception of the Global Learning VALUE Rubric, which was released in 2014. The name of the association was change to "American Association of Coleges and Universities" in January 2022.

Citing an Individual VALUE ADD Tool

When citing a specific VALUE ADD tool, use a citation similar to the examples below. Adjust the citation for the tool being used.

  • APA format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2021). Critical thinking VALUE ADD tool. https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/assignment-design-and-diagnostic-tool
  • Chicago format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. 2021. “Critical Thinking VALUE ADD Tool.” https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/assignment-design-and-diagnostic-tool

Note: The publication year for all VALUE ADD tools is 2021. The name of the association was change to "American Association of Coleges and Universities" in January 2022.

Citing the VALUE System

To cite the broader VALUE system or the full collection of VALUE rubrics, use a citation similar to the following.

  • APA format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2009). Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE). https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value
  • Chicago format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. 2009. Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE). Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value.

Citing the VALUE ADD Tools Collection

If you wish to cite the collection of VALUE ADD tools as a whole, use a citation similar to the examples below.

  • APA format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2021). VALUE ADD tools. https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/assignment-design-and-diagnostic-tool
  • Chicago format: Association of American Colleges and Universities. 2021. VALUE ADD Tools. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities. https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/assignment-design-and-diagnostic-tool.

Using or Publishing Modified VALUE Resources

If you adapt a VALUE rubric or VALUE ADD tool, please include a statement acknowledging the original source. Examples include:

  • Modified VALUE rubric: Adapted from “Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric” by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2009, https://www.aacu.org/value-rubrics. This derivative work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  • Modified VALUE ADD tool: Adapted from “Critical Thinking VALUE ADD Tool” by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2021, https://www.aacu.org/value-add-tools. This derivative work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Reprinting for Educational Purposes

Individuals are welcome to reproduce the VALUE rubrics and VALUE ADD tools for use in the classroom, on educational websites, and in institutional publications.

When reproducing these materials, please include a permission statement such as:

  • From “Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE)” by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2009. https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

When reproducing an individual rubric or ADD tool, adjust the citation accordingly.

Commercial Use in Course Packets, Publications, and Other Formats

Requests to reproduce VALUE resources for commercial purposes must be submitted in writing to AAC&U.

Commercial uses may include reproducing VALUE materials in

  • course packets sold to students;
  • books or publications;
  • commercial databases; and
  • assessment software or digital products

For approved commercial uses:

  • VALUE resources must be reproduced in their entirety and without modification.
  • the required permission statement must be included.

Questions About Using VALUE Resources?

If you have questions about citing, adapting, or reproducing VALUE resources — or if you would like to request permission for commercial use — please contact the VALUE team.

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