The grading thread

[Langue_doc]

What happened to using paragraphs? I have a pile of admittedly short essays (500 words), but about 1/3rd of them are only one paragraph despite making several distinct points.

Put good paragraph use on the grading rubric!

I give students examples of essays, explanations of thesis statements and topic sentences, videos of introductory and body paragraphs, and checklists for each assignment. I also give directions on how to indent paragraphs. It still takes some students several assignments to understand the structure of an essay. Rubrics are your friend.

[marshwiggle]

What happened to using paragraphs? I have a pile of admittedly short essays (500 words), but about 1/3rd of them are only one paragraph despite making several distinct points.

Put good paragraph use on the grading rubric!

I give students examples of essays, explanations of thesis statements and topic sentences, videos of introductory and body paragraphs, and checklists for each assignment. I also give directions on how to indent paragraphs. It still takes some students several assignments to understand the structure of an essay. Rubrics are your friend.

Along that line, I had a student complain about a lower than expected grade due to "not having been told" about certain requirements. I pointed Stu to the checklist, (which had been pointed out long ago), and the project explanation document, both of which outlined all of the requirements, so the lost points were due to certain requirements being completely absent. After that, Stu never responded.

[Sun_Worshiper]

What happened to using paragraphs? I have a pile of admittedly short essays (500 words), but about 1/3rd of them are only one paragraph despite making several distinct points.

Put good paragraph use on the grading rubric!

I give students examples of essays, explanations of thesis statements and topic sentences, videos of introductory and body paragraphs, and checklists for each assignment. I also give directions on how to indent paragraphs. It still takes some students several assignments to understand the structure of an essay. Rubrics are your friend.

It is good that you do that. That said, it isn't the job of (for example) an economics professor to teach students how to write a comprehensible paper. It is wild to me that students at 18-22 years old haven't learned how paragraphs work and are upset that they have been penalized for writing something that is unreadable.

[Parasaurolophus]

Gonna have to step up and do some marking this week. I should do one quiz and a few essays today. Ugh.

[lightning]

I'm in the downslide of the semester, so grading is no longer drudgery. Every grade that I submit to the LMS is symbolically one step closer to the end of the semester!

[dr_codex]

In spite of the compressed schedule, and squeezed grading period, I'm done for the Spring.

Two grade complaints already. So, they can write persuasive arguments quickly. Just not during the semester.

*sigh*

Fortitude to all you other graders!

dc

[the_geneticist]

Well, I learned the hard way that some question types automatically get partial credit on Canvas, but not others.  Now I have to go through just over 500 exams to adjust the score on a "categorize" question.  I think it's a good question, and most students got most of it correct.  But the dratted default is 0 points for any error. 
Sigh.
It's going to be that sort of week.

[Parasaurolophus]

Gonna have to step up and do some marking this week. I should do one quiz and a few essays today. Ugh.

Did two sets of quizzes (~70 total) and now I give up.

Well, I learned the hard way that some question types automatically get partial credit on Canvas, but not others.  Now I have to go through just over 500 exams to adjust the score on a "categorize" question.  I think it's a good question, and most students got most of it correct.  But the dratted default is 0 points for any error. 
Sigh.
It's going to be that sort of week.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[Anon1787]

What happened to using paragraphs? I have a pile of admittedly short essays (500 words), but about 1/3rd of them are only one paragraph despite making several distinct points.

Put good paragraph use on the grading rubric!

I give students examples of essays, explanations of thesis statements and topic sentences, videos of introductory and body paragraphs, and checklists for each assignment. I also give directions on how to indent paragraphs. It still takes some students several assignments to understand the structure of an essay. Rubrics are your friend.

It is good that you do that. That said, it isn't the job of (for example) an economics professor to teach students how to write a comprehensible paper. It is wild to me that students at 18-22 years old haven't learned how paragraphs work and are upset that they have been penalized for writing something that is unreadable.

Since I am not a big fan of rubrics I have only used them sporadically, but am considering using them more often (back when I was an undergrad, I had to chisel my essays on stone tablets and didn't receive any rubrics!). However, I resist the idea of including a detailed rubric on the basics of English composition (especially when I don't teach composition).

[ergative]

Friggin' late submissions. I had finished grading weeks ago and now two more essays pop up like zits.

Time to go pop some zits, I guess.

[lightning]

Friggin' late submissions. I had finished grading weeks ago and now two more essays pop up like zits.

Time to go pop some zits, I guess.

The mentality is left over from their high school days. High school teachers generally allow late submissions.

It used to be that college professors were the ones that taught these students about deadlines, the hard way.

[Parasaurolophus]

Friggin' late submissions. I had finished grading weeks ago and now two more essays pop up like zits.

Time to go pop some zits, I guess.

Haha, I hear you! My pile of late work always ends up being fairly significant, and it's really demoralizing. I suppose I should be harsher. Maybe I will, once I'm permanent.

[ergative]

Friggin' late submissions. I had finished grading weeks ago and now two more essays pop up like zits.

Time to go pop some zits, I guess.

The mentality is left over from their high school days. High school teachers generally allow late submissions.

It used to be that college professors were the ones that taught these students about deadlines, the hard way.

To be fair to the students, we have a pretty standard extension policy, with paperwork and everything that must be submitted to request one. These were legitimate extensions, requested and granted in advance. But, y'know, even if you can feel a zit developing under your skin, it's still not fun when it erupts on schedule.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Yesterday I graded a pile of exams; tomorrow a pile of research papers. Next week will bring more papers and more exams, but at least the end of the semester is near.

[mythbuster]

It's finals week. So far this week I have graded 25 lab reports, 6 grad research papers, and 15 undergrad research papers. 20 more undergrad papers to go and then the exams arrive, 36 in one class and 55 in another. All due by Tuesday at 10 am.

Oh and I guess the 3 emails of woe so far count as the equivalent of a partridge in a pear tree!