Grading Student Work
From UCSB English Department Knowledge Base
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This compilation of grading tips was adapted from existing department materials by Zia Isola in Summer 2003.
Contents |
Overview
Grading is in some ways the least attractive aspect of teaching. It is sometimes tedious, often difficult, and rarely adequate in determining a student's mastery of the material. And it is very time-consuming. But it has to be done.
It is often helpful to remind yourself that while grading written assignments is the major part of evaluating a student's performance in a class, it is also a teaching and learning opportunity. Learning to grade efficiently means maximizing the fairness with which you evaluate student work, but it also means maximizing the usefulness of your comments to students. Although some students' writing does not improve at all over the course of a single class, leading you to believe that they are not even reading your comments, other students will rise to the challenges you present to them in your comments. In fact, while teaching a discussion section that goes really well can give you a teaching high that lasts a whole week, watching the writing of even a single student improve over a 10-week period can make you feel like a successful teacher.
Individual professors will have their own methods of examining students. Some will require midterms, others won’t. Some will want one long paper, some two shorter papers. (Some professors will want to see samples of essays you have graded in order to gauge both your response to the students and their progress in the class.)
It is the TA's responsibility to grade her/his students' papers, midterms, and finals, generally within 10 days of receiving them.
Assigning Grades
The TA assigns the grades on papers and exams and determines her/his students' overall course grades, but the professor has ultimate responsibility for those grades and approves them on eGrades at the end of the quarter. Early in the quarter the professor will discuss with you the standards by which a student's grades are determined. Although grade changes seldom happen, the professor may change a grade if she or he sees fit. A student with a problem or a question on a grade given by a TA should first bring the matter up with the TA, but if resolution is not reached here, the TA should invite the student to go to the professor for a second opinion.
Establishing Grading Policies
Establishing Expectations and Standards
To minimize the possibility of confusion and to protect yourself in the event of disputes, it's wise to establish your expectations and grading policies for each assignment, present these to the students in written form, and follow them as much as possible when grading. This is more true of papers than of exams, although it doesn't hurt to spend a couple of minutes during the section prior to an exam outlining the kinds of things that characterize a successful exam.
Grading Rubric
You might consider creating a grading rubric to pass out to your students. This makes what is often a subjective activity appear more objective to your students. It will also help you clarify in your own mind the distinguishing features of successful papers.
Most rubrics take one of two forms: (1) The Top-Down Model and (2) the Average-Up Model. The former begins with an A, describing the ideal paper, and works its way down, defining lower-level papers by what they lack. The latter begins with a C or Average paper, which meets the minimum criteria of the assignment (or alternatively a B- or okay paper) and defines higher and lower-level papers in relation to this norm, either as they surpass or fail to meet these criteria. As an approach to grading, both of these models have their good and bad features. If you begin by seeing all papers as A's, you give the student the benefit of the doubt, but you may also then tend to see only what is wrong with the paper. On the other hand, if you begin from the position that all papers are C's, you may begin to see everything as average and only very grudgingly give A's.
Sample Rubrics
Grading Rubric (Jon Hegglund, 1998)
See Category:Rubrics
Returning Student Work
Please note that the Executive Committee of the College of Letters and Science has reminded all instructors that a student's legal right to privacy is jeopardized if graded exams and papers are left for pickup outside office doors. The Committee recommends that all graded papers and exams be returned to students during class or office hours, or that students furnish self-addressed stamped envelopes for the purpose of returning them. Unclaimed papers and exams should be kept on hand for one year.
Occasionally, students will come back after the quarter break asking you to change their course grade. Most professors leave this decision to the TA, but be aware that such changes must be submitted by the professor. Whereas a 3D TM fulfills a requirement, a "C" registers as a "No Pass" for students taking the course Pass/No Pass. You are not permitted to ask a student if they are taking the course Pass/No Pass.
Grade Disputes
The most frequent student confrontations experienced by TAs concern grades. Be prepared and patient when students contest assignment or course grades.
You hold the responsibility for assigning grades. Faculty instructors will ordinarily consult with the TA before altering any grade and will usually support your decision.
The following hints may help you to deal effectively with grade disputes:
- Ask students to define their grievances and express their justifications in writing before they come to your office. You may want to make your grievance policy explicit before any disputes arise by stating it explicitly either in your first-day handout or in the paper assignment.
- Require students to wait 24 hours before contacting you regarding their grades, allowing them to cool down.
- It is perfectly reasonable to ask the professor or another TA for the class to read the assignment and give it a grade. Agree beforehand that both you and the student will abide by the third person's decision. (Advise the student that her/his grade may go down rather than up in this situation.)
- You may want to give them the option of rewriting. Be sure that your policy on rewrites is in accordance with the professor's and the other TAs.
- Remember, and remind students, that your concern is with the particular assignment and grade at hand, not with their overall GPA, scholarship or program eligibility, etc.
- Remember, and remind students, that you do not "give" grades; they earn them.
- Remember you have the prerogative to take a matter under consideration; you are not obligated to respond immediately in defense of your judgment. In fact, some TAs have a policy of refusing to commit to a grade change until they have had a chance to look at the assignment at home; this time allows you to consider the matter without an anxious (or, in some cases, belligerent) student in your presence.
- Finally, remember that some cases may indeed warrant an alteration of a previously assigned grade. New TAs may wish to discuss such cases with fellow TAs or faculty instructors before doing so.
If students are not satisfied with your assessment of their work or resolution of other conflicts, they should go to the professor. The undergraduate academic program advisor, the chair of the undergraduate committee, and the department chair also may be asked to assist in resolving difficult conflicts. Authority for arbitration lies first with the faculty instructor and next with the Dean of the College of Letters and Science.
For more information, see the English Department's Guide to Grievance Procedures.
