Grade and Go

One of my friends describes grading as being nibbled to death by ducks. The final ritual of a long semester may well feel that way. Pressed to wrap up other jobs, uncertain about teaching successes, and having to find energy for one more big job, grading papers and exams can become a thankless chore. Yet, your responses to students' work is the last contact you will have with many of them. Effective teachers use grading as one final teaching moment. Here are some suggestions for easing the drudgery while enhancing the learning aspects of grading.

Making It Easier

It is easier to grade well if the task is made more doable. A few tips:

Small Stacks. You will work faster if you stay fresh. Divide the stack of papers or exams into piles that can be handled in 20-30 minutes. When a stack is complete, take a break or change activities. When reading short answers, try to score all responses to a question in one sitting to maintain consistency. Return to another stack when you feel reinvigorated.

Standardize. Develop a standardized scoring sheet for reading essays that lists the main points you are looking for. Create a page with a checklist for common compliments and error comments so that you don't have to re-write comments (or develop a list of initials -- NFD = Needs Further Development -- and place these alongside paragraphs or responses).

Fun? Keeping a scholarly eye doesn't mean you must be deadly serious. Grading can be laborious, find ways to relax while working. Note samples of humorous remarks. Grade with a colleague (and share the funniest responses). Try background music. Avoid other activities that make the job more stressful (office hours, phone calls, or meetings).

Making it Better

Better grading practices give students the opportunity to learn by analyzing the results of their efforts. Responses that contain little more than scores do not offer much help.

Overviews. Skim through answers or essays until you have a general feel for the overall performance. Look for responses or essays that characterize a grade and separate them as reference points. This process can be especially helpful when multiple graders, or multiple sections, are being coordinated.

Comments. Students want to learn what it was they did right or wrong. Your comments are the only source of information about what the grade means. On essays, each major section should receive some comment that indicates what they did well (or what went wrong). Check marks or pluses and minuses don't communicate learning levels very well. Grades without any comments keep the response from becoming a learning experience. Provide comments that coach learners for their future efforts.

Summarize. Describe for the student your judgment about where they stand as a knower of this material. In addition to a grade, a student appreciates an honest description of how his or her level of understanding will serve him or her in the real world. Let students know if they are beginners, novices, or experts (and let them know what that means). Use standardized forms in large classes.

Next Steps. At the end of an exam or essay, take a brief moment to write a suggestion that recommends the next step for the student. Offer an idea about a book to read, an activity to try, or a place to visit.

Time to Go

When the stack of papers is complete and the grade sheets are turned in, hopefully you find a brief moment of rest. But, don't wait until the next busy semester is upon you before thinking about teaching. This quiet time is one of the best occasions for preparing ways to resolve the teaching issues that concern you during the year.

Reflect. Before forgetting this semester entirely, spend 20 minutes writing down your teaching highlights and your toughest problems. While events are fresh, note what you would like to improve now. You can return to this reflection later when you are ready to begin working on your teaching.

Read. Drop by the CIRT and review our collection of essays and books. There is a rich set of scholarship that may give you ideas for refining your style.

Professional Development Programs. The CIRT has a range of professional development programs that give opportunities to think about your teaching and connect to the best practices around the country. Sign up and spend a few afternoons working with colleagues. You should find the results rewarding.

This Teaching Tip was first published by Indiana State University’s, Center for Teaching and Learning on May 5, 1997.