Comments on Grading

I found the practical suggestions in the readings on grading very useful. In particular, I thought the idea of reading through all of the essays before pacing a grade on any one of them to be helpful as it allows the instructor to get a better overall idea of quality essays and may help him/her to be more objective in the grading. In addition to this practical suggestion, I liked very much the Cornell University English professor Harry Shaw’s explanation of how he assigns letter grades. I thought that to be one of the clearest and simplest explanations I have ever seen.

Throughout the readings on grading there is an emphasis placed on expecting excellence from our students. I thought that to be a wonderfully sound theme. Students should be encouraged to strive for that and grading can play a significant role in encouraging that.

I have used criteria sheets in the past with students when I taught composition at another university. At that university, we shared the criteria (analytic and holistic) with the students regularly. It was our practice to allow the students themselves to have an opportunity to evaluate an essay and drafts of essays, sometimes their own or their peers’. I found this to be a useful exercise in helping to familiarizing students with the criteria and internalize it.