diff --git a/nextjs/src/models/local/assignment/utils/assignmentPointsUtils.ts b/nextjs/src/models/local/assignment/utils/assignmentPointsUtils.ts
index 0e62446..17dd74c 100644
--- a/nextjs/src/models/local/assignment/utils/assignmentPointsUtils.ts
+++ b/nextjs/src/models/local/assignment/utils/assignmentPointsUtils.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ export const assignmentPoints = (assignment: LocalAssignment) => {
     .map((r) =>
       r.label.toLowerCase().includes("(extra credit)") ? 0 : r.points
     )
-    .reduce((acc, current) => acc + current, 0);
+    .reduce((acc, current) => (current > 0 ? acc + current : acc), 0);
   return basePoints;
 };
diff --git a/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasAssignmentService.ts b/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasAssignmentService.ts
index cce9f5d..5c6c4f2 100644
--- a/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasAssignmentService.ts
+++ b/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasAssignmentService.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { assignmentPoints } from "@/models/local/assignment/utils/assignmentPoin
 import { getDateFromString } from "@/models/local/timeUtils";
 import { canvasModuleService } from "./canvasModuleService";
 import { CanvasModule } from "@/models/canvas/modules/canvasModule";
-
+import { getRubricCriterion } from "./canvasRubricUtils";
 
 export const canvasAssignmentService = {
   async getAll(courseId: number): Promise<CanvasAssignment[]> {
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export const canvasAssignmentService = {
   async create(
     canvasCourseId: number,
     localAssignment: LocalAssignment,
-    canvasAssignmentGroupId?: number,
+    canvasAssignmentGroupId?: number
   ) {
     console.log(`Creating assignment: ${localAssignment.name}`);
     const url = `${canvasApi}/courses/${canvasCourseId}/assignments`;
@@ -108,22 +108,8 @@ const createRubric = async (
   assignmentCanvasId: number,
   localAssignment: LocalAssignment
 ) => {
-  const criterion = localAssignment.rubric
-    .map((rubricItem) => ({
-      description: rubricItem.label,
-      points: rubricItem.points,
-      ratings: {
-        0: { description: "Full Marks", points: rubricItem.points },
-        1: { description: "No Marks", points: 0 },
-      },
-    }))
-    .reduce((acc, item, index) => {
-      return {
-        ...acc,
-        [index]: item,
-      };
-    }, {} as { [key: number]: { description: string; points: number; ratings: { [key: number]: { description: string; points: number } } } });
-
+  const criterion = getRubricCriterion(localAssignment.rubric);
+  
   const rubricBody = {
     rubric_association_id: assignmentCanvasId,
     rubric: {
diff --git a/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasRubricUtils.ts b/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasRubricUtils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4a4cc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nextjs/src/services/canvas/canvasRubricUtils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { RubricItem } from "@/models/local/assignment/rubricItem";
+
+export const getRubricCriterion = (rubric: RubricItem[]) => {
+  const criterion = rubric
+  .map((rubricItem) => ({
+    description: rubricItem.label,
+    points: rubricItem.points,
+    ratings: {
+      0: { description: "Full Marks", points: rubricItem.points },
+      1: { description: "No Marks", points: 0 },
+    },
+  }))
+  .reduce((acc, item, index) => {
+    return {
+      ...acc,
+      [index]: item,
+    };
+  }, {} as { [key: number]: { description: string; points: number; ratings: { [key: number]: { description: string; points: number } } } });
+
+  return criterion
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nextjs/src/services/canvas/rubric.test.ts b/nextjs/src/services/canvas/rubric.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb80e31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nextjs/src/services/canvas/rubric.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { RubricItem } from "@/models/local/assignment/rubricItem";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { getRubricCriterion } from "./canvasRubricUtils";
+
+describe("can prepare rubric for canvas", () =>{
+  it("can parse normal rubric into criterion", () =>{
+    const rubric: RubricItem[] = [
+      {
+        label: "first",
+        points: 1
+      },
+      {
+        label: "second",
+        points: 2
+      },
+    ]
+    const criterion = getRubricCriterion(rubric)
+
+    expect(criterion).toStrictEqual({
+      0: {
+        description: "first",
+        points: 1,
+        ratings: {
+          0: { description: "Full Marks", points: 1 },
+          1: { description: "No Marks", points: 0 },
+        }
+      },
+      1: {
+        description: "second",
+        points: 2,
+        ratings: {
+          0: { description: "Full Marks", points: 2 },
+          1: { description: "No Marks", points: 0 },
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  })
+
+
+  it("can parse negative rubric into criterion", () =>{
+    const rubric: RubricItem[] = [
+      {
+        label: "first",
+        points: 1
+      },
+      {
+        label: "second",
+        points: -2
+      },
+    ]
+    const criterion = getRubricCriterion(rubric)
+
+    expect(criterion).toStrictEqual({
+      0: {
+        description: "first",
+        points: 1,
+        ratings: {
+          0: { description: "Full Marks", points: 1 },
+          1: { description: "No Marks", points: 0 },
+        }
+      },
+      1: {
+        description: "second",
+        points: -2,
+        ratings: {
+          0: { description: "Full Marks", points: -2 },
+          1: { description: "No Marks", points: 0 },
+        }
+      }
+    })
+  })
+})
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requests/assignment.http b/requests/assignment.http
index 5e92ddf..0d27ba0 100644
--- a/requests/assignment.http
+++ b/requests/assignment.http
@@ -157,5 +157,15 @@ Content-Type: application/json
     "name": "test module"
   }
 }
+###
+POST https://snow.instructure.com/api/v1/courses/courses/960410/rubrics/1961869
+Authorization: Bearer {{$dotenv CANVAS_TOKEN}}
+Content-Type: application/json
+
+{
+  "module": {
+    "name": "test module"
+  }
+}