The grading thread

[downer]

If you don't know by now I won't be able to explain it to you.

I will admit there is a good deal of abitrariness to the standards for most courses.

[marshwiggle]

If you don't know by now I won't be able to explain it to you.

I will admit there is a good deal of abitrariness to the standards for most courses.

This is why a lot of STEM students avoid humanities like the plague; if I get every problem on a calculus test right it's 100%. PERIOD.

The "requirement" of correctly getting all of the answers isn't the slightest bit subjective.

[Morden]

I think this is why I feel a bit doubtful of it. I understood the idea behind it and even agree that an A student should be the one who does more than the required work. However, it is the subjective part that bugs me. Presumably, a list of assignment requirements is just that: what the assignment requires. To expect students to figure out what above and beyond means seems a little unfair. I read one of his assignments and I wasn't clear on what he wanted. If I am unsure what he wants on an assignment, would his students be able to figure it out?

It's like specification grading without the specifications.

Sometimes, I've had assignments where I lay out what students need to complete successfully to achieve a B. And I describe it in those terms, including the fact that students who don't complete all aspects successfully get C, D, or F depending on quality of work. Then I describe the additional work they need to do successfully to achieve an A and how they will demonstrate that they did that work. It does really cut down on the grade grubbing and makes things faster to mark. I've had one complaint that it was unfair, but it's really no different from a rubric.

[fishbrains]

If you don't know by now I won't be able to explain it to you.

I will admit there is a good deal of abitrariness to the standards for most courses.

This is why a lot of STEM students avoid humanities like the plague; if I get every problem on a calculus test right it's 100%. PERIOD.

The "requirement" of correctly getting all of the answers isn't the slightest bit subjective.

I don't know. Most of my professors in STEM courses gave partial credit, which makes the grading a bit subjective.

[Golazo]

Some of the problems here might be semantics. Lets look at an actual question:

Lets say that I have an assignment that requires using a case to explore a concept or theory: how does one case (Choose from Norway, Venezuela, Botswana, or Qatar) support or fail to support the resource curse literature we have studied in class. What insights do your findings have for the fictional country or company you are advising in our scenario?

A D answer is probably missing one part of the question, and does the others at a rather mediocre level. a  C answer may have some of the basics of each part questions but does not engage with some key authors or has only part of the concept or is missing something in the case or application. A B level is solid in that is has all of the key parts of all sections, particularly the upper part of the band. An A answer has more depth, provides insights beyond the fundamentals, makes creative links between different parts of the question etc. When I talk about going above and beyond this is what I mean--but going beyond the fundamentals is certainly something discussed in class.

At the graduate level, I would grade this harder.

[downer]

No matter what the subject, the issue of what counts as competency is a matter of values: Whether it is 100% correct answers or 60% correct answers. And the professor has to decide how hard to make the questions.

Science-types who think their subjects are totally objective are fooling themselves, and will benefit from some insight by taking courses that help them probe what objectivity means.

[marshwiggle]

No matter what the subject, the issue of what counts as competency is a matter of values: Whether it is 100% correct answers or 60% correct answers. And the professor has to decide how hard to make the questions.

Science-types who think their subjects are totally objective are fooling themselves, and will benefit from some insight by taking courses that help them probe what objectivity means.

I agree that there is almost always some subjectivity, (outside of many purely mathematical assignments), but the range of grades based on undefined criteria seems to be much smaller.

I provide examples of essays and research papers that earn As , Bs, and Cs, along with explanations.

This makes lots of sense. Good students will be able to figure out what is expected from the examples, and perhaps more importantly, will make it possible for them to eliminate all kinds of possibilities for what might be meant by "above and beyond".

[adel9216]

Hello, any tips on how to build an evaluation grid in the social sciences ? Students have to produce a reflection (so there's technically no right or wrong answer) as long as they cite the course material and link it to their own experiences/practice in my field.

I have five criteria (for a total of a 100 points), but I am unsure how to create a scale for each criteria. My first time teaching btw.

Any tips?

[Charlotte]

Hello, any tips on how to build an evaluation grid in the social sciences ? Students have to produce a reflection (so there's technically no right or wrong answer) as long as they cite the course material and link it to their own experiences/practice in my field.

I have five criteria (for a total of a 100 points), but I am unsure how to create a scale for each criteria. My first time teaching btw.

Any tips?

I have a couple grading rubrics for reflection papers I can send you in a private message if you'd like to look at them for ideas.

[ciao_yall]

Hello, any tips on how to build an evaluation grid in the social sciences ? Students have to produce a reflection (so there's technically no right or wrong answer) as long as they cite the course material and link it to their own experiences/practice in my field.

I have five criteria (for a total of a 100 points), but I am unsure how to create a scale for each criteria. My first time teaching btw.

Any tips?

These are how I set up my student's reflection paper - based on Kohl's experiential learning.

1.   Describe a real-life example
2.   What term/concept from the text does it relate?
3.   Is this a good or bad example - does it prove or disprove, agree or disagree?
4.   Could the lesson learned apply to other examples? Why or why not?

[OneMoreYear]

On this holiday Monday, the grading gods gave to me:

42 homework assignments
24 poster presentations
14 role-play projects

---and a total lack of motivation to grade any of it.*

*I've been sick, I'm behind, and I have to get this done.  If anyone has any extra grading mojo that you are not using this holiday, please send.

[mamselle]

I'd be interested in the role-playing projects, and might start there just to see what they came up with.

M.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

On this holiday Monday, the grading gods gave to me:

42 homework assignments
24 poster presentations
14 role-play projects

---and a total lack of motivation to grade any of it.*

*I've been sick, I'm behind, and I have to get this done.  If anyone has any extra grading mojo that you are not using this holiday, please send.

Sending super terrific positive electromagnetic waves your way.

[teach_write_research]

I'm reviving this thread as I need some grading accountability.

first up, 30ish intro course projects. "grade 'em high and grade 'em fast!"

[mamselle]

I think there's a sprint-grading thread somewhere here....

People check in every--10 min, 1 hr, whatever, so say what they've done; or else after every 10 or 15 papers, or whatever.

I'll poke around, see if I can find it...

ETA: Found it, here:

   http://thefora.org/index.php?topic=183.msg7568#msg7568

M.