Aphrodite Jones, MBASusan Slajus, MBA, RHIADiana Stout, MFA, PhD/ABD

WRITING & GRADING ASSIGNMENTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: HOLDING STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE

Introduction

Writing assignments are probably the most challenging assignments to grade, especially for non-English teachers.

Communication skills—both verbal and written—are the #1 complaint employers state about their employees.

As a result, we teachers a responsibility to provide more writing opportunities for our students to practice those skills . . . across the curriculum.

How many of you have senior- or grad-level students who can’t write?

Guess what?

The responsibility

is ours.

Think About ItWriting assignments, whether individual or

group, need to be individually graded.

While group projects are the norm in business and group projects should take place in our classes, grades should reflect each student’s individual work.

We create ineffective writers by giving one group grade and by not holding individuals accountable.

Here’s how to help all students become better writers . . .

What we want to do

• Provide writing practice

• Allow mistakes to occur naturally without penalty in the beginning

• Demonstrate what writing in your discipline looks like

• Hold individual writers accountable

ConsiderWhen you look at writing assignments, are you able to determine fairly quickly if the student did the work or not?

If so, then why do we spend so much time assigning points to various elements, then more time adding those points?

Should the elements of writing be ignored in any assignment?

Keep these questions in mind as we talk about assignments and grading them.

QuestionSo, how do we provide more writing opportunities for our students without taxing our sensibilities and grading energies in the process?

AnswerFirst, we begin with small writing assignments that engage critical thinking skills of analyzing, interpretation, or reflection that allows us to evaluate and grade in just a few minutes.

These small writing assignments lead us into the larger writings that occur toward the end of the semester.

Writing ActivityTwo Places I Have Lived

I have lived in a few States, and two of them IL. and WI. Have more similarities than differences of seasons, economy, and people. The climates are warm and inviting for the most part. I shall explain in the following what I think are the similarities of the two States.

While living in Decatur, Illinois, I experienced some of the most beautiful seasons of my life. Starting with the summer months, around 7:00 am, were you could feel the sun radiating warmth upon your skin. Unlike Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s summer morning’s, were the sun would be bright, and warm upon your body, there would also be that cool damp feeling that drifts in off Lake Michigan. I can’t say too much either way when it comes to spring and fall in either city, both Decatur, and Milwaukee had some of the most inviting weather you’d expect during those times of the year above any cities throughout the United States. Now, on the other hand, their winters or total opposites!

Writing Assignment Assessment

How many of you gave this a letter grade?

How many of you deducted for specific English language errors?

How many of you simply gave feedback?

Small Minor AssignmentsWe create a small writing assignment that asks students to do one thing, rather than a multitude of goals, and we grade accordingly.

Initially, students need to analyze the writing elements of that discipline, the content of your course.

Nurses have to be taught how to write like a nurse, technicians like a technician. A historian writes differently than a book reviewer and a manager.

Consequently, students need:

to observe,

to analyze,

to mimic their discipline’s style of writing.

Low-stakes, small assignments enable this practice to occur.

Across the Disciplines

Demonstrate/show the template, provide examples.

Model how you want students to write assignments.

Don’t tell, show.

And be sure that the rubric accompanies the assignment.

Grading Small Minor AssignmentsFocus on one rhetorical goal for a first minor assignment. Grading becomes simplistic rather than complicated. Grade the one rhetorical goal.

Consider the all, half, or nothing rubric.

Regarding grammar & punctuation: Don’t deduct for each error.

Instead, circle some sample errors and state in class upon returning those first papers that the grammar errors need to be edited. In the future, sloppy writing (grammar errors) will result in lower grades.

Example of Diana’s all-half-or-nothing rubric

SETUPIn my English 110 class, students must write several different one-page, double-spaced response papers worth 10 points each, one response per essay reading.

DESIRED OUTCOMEExamine and discuss the writing elements. Do not discuss reading content. Talk about the thesis, sentence structure, use of verbs, language, punctuation, paragraph structure, voice, point of view, etc.

Write about two-three elements minimum. Can discuss more, but the more number discussed, less critical thinking will be involved.

Example of desired response writing

Do not say, “the author has a cool or interesting title.” Elaborate. Why is it interesting?

Do say, “The title is interesting because it clearly states what the essay is about. The reason I want to read the essay is because of the title, to discover where this author stands on the subject.”

Result: Now the student is thinking like a writer. Thinking about his own title and wondering if it’s effective or not.

The grading for class reading responsesFirst response• Full credit: Required length met. Started talking about the elements but then segued

into discussing the reading topic. Too many errors but appears as if the student proofed. • Half credit: Provides half a page. • No credit: Didn’t do the work.

Second responseStudent is holding second response to turn in as I return the first graded response, where I’m explaining the problems that occurred. I allow them to fix those errors now by hand. (cross out, add, etc). Someone asks “can I rewrite it and e-mail it to you?” Yes but with a quick turnaround deadline, like noon the next day.

Subsequent responses• Full credit: discusses elements, may have occasional or even repetitive

grammar/punctuation errors, but appears proofed for errors.• Half credit: discusses elements, but only half a page and/or doesn’t appear to have been

proofed. Basically, appears as if written just minutes before class. • No credit: Didn’t turn it in.

Common grammar errors get addressed in a quick mini-lesson on the board. If I talk about these errors in class, then the expectation is the students no longer commit those errors.

All-or-Nothing minor beginning assignments

Do you see the advantages for this type of assignment?

Do you see problems with this type of assignment?

Does anyone have an example of an opportunity for a minor writing assignments in your class, in your discipline?

Remember: you’re grading for “did they do the assignment?” not for how well they did it. Basically, did the student make the effort to learn?

If they did, they get full credit, with mistakes pointed out.

Not sure you like the all-half-or nothing rubric?

Consider a simple holistic rubric, then.

Sample of simple holistic grading• A grade: meets all requirements in length and content, shows excellent understanding of the material AND the

mechanics of the assignment are at college level. Excels in all areas of assignment requirements. A perfect or near perfect performance.

• B grade: meets all requirements in length and content, shows a good understanding of the material and the mechanics of the assignment are at college level. Has a few errors in one or two requirement areas. Better than average performance.

• C grade: meets all requirements in length and content, shows some understanding of the material and the mechanics of the assignment are at college level. Completes all work, however, has a number of errors in a few requirement areas that shows not enough proofing performed or done at the last minute. Average/minimum performance.

• D grade: meets minimum requirements in length and content, lacks some key understanding of the material AND/OR mechanics are below college level. Does not complete all work. Errors in nearly all requirement areas. Less than average performance.

• F grade: does not meet minimum requirements in length or content, work done, OR shows little understanding of material, OR mechanics are well below college level. Errors reign.

Students believe they start at an A level and then get deductions. Actually, grading starts at the C (average/minimum) level and then is rewarded.

Small, minor assignments do not

need big, complicated rubrics.

Mid-range and large individual assignments

• Require drafts• Are multiple-page assignments• Have 100 or more points or 10% of a grade• Have multiple outcomes• Could involve some team participation

These assignments are not the final assessments, or big projects with bigger stakes.

Rubrics

There are two types of rubrics: analytic & holistic.1

• Analytical rubrics evaluate various components of the assignment as separate entities.

• Holistic rubrics evaluates a few categories and how they fit into the whole.

Which are you currently using?

1 Teacher Vision (2000-2012) Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teaching-methods-and-management/rubrics/4524.html

Sample Analytical Rubric for a Brochure, Resume, Memo  POINTS EARNED COMMENTS

ORIGINAL CREATION (doesn’t look like a template)

10 POINTS   

EFFECTIVE (PROPER) USE OF LANGUAGE (correct usage; original, specific language, active verbs, meaning

is clear; uses parallel language)20 POINTS

   

GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS, SPELLING and PUNCTUATION

20 points 

Our experience is that this type of rubric creates grade inflation.

Why?

PROPERLY PROOFED(has appearance of a polished assignment; doesn’t appear to be a

draft)10 points

 

Because each element is graded on an A, B, C, D, F level and they still

get some points. 

EFFECTIVE USE OF WHITE SPACE10 POINTS

   

ORGANIZED EFFECTIVELY; UNIFIED10 POINTS

   

USES PROPER FORMAT10 points

   

ALL DIRECTIONS FOLLOWED10 points

 

Another sample Holistic Rubric(columns do not carry the same weight)

Modified from DU’s “WritingRubric” found on Instructor Resources page Grade

 OVERALL

 CRITICAL THINKING

 THESIS/PURPOSE

 STYLE/TONE

PUNCTUATIONUSAGE/GRAMMAR

 USE OF SOURCES

A Writing that excels in most areas. The writing makes up for minor weaknesses with creativity and passion.

Analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of material are obvious and substantial. Material is genuinely thought-provoking.

Identifiable purpose or thesis supported with assertion (controlling idea). Substantial detail and evidence.

Excellent control of language, clear consideration of audience. Sentence and paragraph variety appropriate for audience.

Grammar and punctuation issues are addressed correctly. Editing and proofreading are clearly evident.

Complete; correct documentation, integration of citations and paraphrases. No evidence of plagiarism. 

A- Or B+

Very good writing which lacks the fluency and complexity of the A paper. The writing may be competent but dry.

Few errors in logic though some minor weaknesses can be spotted. May be a thinner version of an A paper.

Support may be weak at some points but still no major errors in unity or comprehension.

Good consideration of audience. Paragraphing structure is strong.  Most of the writing is cohesively strong.

Few grammatical errors. Editing and proofreading are evident.

A little over reliance on source material. Original thought there, but meaning is muddy or not explained fully.

B Good writing that maintains competencies in most areas.  Wrote maximum number of pages required.

 Critical thinking is evident, but has gaps in evidence and/or insufficient links to topic, critical thinking, and/or source material.

Thesis has weak spots but continues to be evident throughout the paper. Minor points may be insufficiently developed.

Some weakness in audience identification. Paragraphs and or sentences may be poorly constructed, and word choice may be inappropriate at times.

A variety of different grammar errors, but not consistently repeated.  May or may not be distracting to the reader.

Acceptable work but somewhat clumsy inclusion of sources. Too many direct quotes. Evidence of original thought, but chiefly ignored.

C Fair writing that meets average standards. Minimum pages turned in.

Little evidence of good analytical or evaluative thinking. Little creative or original thinking present, even though writing is average.

Thesis is generally vague or too broad.  Support is weak, unconvincing, and not linked.

Definite weakness in reader identification.  Sentence structure and word choice are simplistic.

A variety of grammar mistakes. A pattern of errors that distracts the reader.

No real original thought. Heavy reliance on source material. Reference page uses incorrect format.

D Below average writing.  Did not follow all assignment directions; meet minimum required length, or follow correct formatting.

 Critical thinking is not evident.

Thesis is weak or missing.  No relationship between thesis and support has been established.

Inaccurate word choice, fragmented and monotonous sentences and little or no concern for the reader.

Problems include repeated grammar and usage errors distracting to the reader.

Some sources incorrectly cited. Reference page may not correlate to the texts, thus creating the appearance of plagiarism.

F      

Unacceptable: writing does not meet standards of the assignment.  Fails to meet the assignment instructions. Paper appears to be a first draft

 Thinking presented is chaotic, or it is missing completely.

Purpose or thesis is missing. Writing lacks focus and organization.  Paper shows a complete lack of understanding or mishandling of the assignment.

The writing lacks organization and cohesion at all levels.  Impossible for the reader to follow.

Generally has a grammar and/or usage problem in almost every sentence.

Sources are not used or are used totally incorrectly.  Reference page is missing.  Entire paper may be plagiarized.Some use of un-cited paraphrasing. 

Apple’s Analytical Rubric for CISP 211

Category Criteria Score Possible

Score Achieved

Student Total/Comments

APA Elements Section Total: 7 points      

Title Page Centered, with title, name of writer, date of assignment, class name, professor’s name, double spaced, shortened title and page number, running head not necessary.

2 2

 

Citations All references are cited according to proper APA format. 2 2

 

References References match the citations in the body of the paper. References are in proper APA format. 3 3

 Mechanics Section Total: 5 points      

Spelling You must use spell-check. My thought is "if spell-check would have caught your error than you should have as well." I will subtract up to 4 points off your final product for spelling errors.    

 

Grammar Make sure you use good grammar and proper punctuation. 2 2

 

Organization & Headings Use the appropriate double-spacing. Document headings are properly placed. Headings make reading and understanding easier. 3 3

 

Case Study Analysis, Research and Critical Thinking Elements Section Total: 28 points    

 

Introduction and Problem Definition

Introduction concisely presents subject of paper, relevant background, and purpose 8  

 

Research Research is evident when necessary to meet the guidelines of the assignment (some assignments do not require research). Presentation of ideas from difference sources is evident. 10  

 

Recommendations Appropriate recommendations exist to solve the problem presented. 10  

 

Total 40   

Comparison of Analytic & Holistic Rubrics

Analytic Holistic

Quick visualNot with all those categories and all those points. Yes, easily.

Realistic grade?My experience is the grade is over-inflated.

Provides a more accurate grade.

Details

Categories I’ve seen on other rubrics: Running head, sources, thesis, word usage, punctuation, paragraph structure, expresses original idea, etc.

The A, B, C is already categorized with details stating what an A is, B, C, etc.

Student

My experience is that students question numbers. Why did I get 95 instead of 100, if it’s an A?

My experience is that students don’t question the grade. Usually, they already “know” what it should be.

Time required to gradeRequires more time to enter numbers, then add them.

Easy to determine in a glance. We know what an A paper looks like, B and so forth. Easy to circle or highlight on a rubric.

Team Projects – Individual Accountability

• Do you give the entire group one grade?

• Do you hold the individuals accountable?

• Do you ensure that each group has a “project manager”?

• Do the A students end up doing the majority of the work?

Team Projects with Individual Accountability Require:

• Multiple deadlines• Rough drafts (prevents procrastination & plagiarism in peer review draft)

• Create a rubric-like checklist that can be used for grading

• Names in headers/on sections

• Firing group members – teams are allowed to fire members who are not performing, but these members must document and provide evidence (journals, deadlines not met, e-mails, etc.) that they addressed the lack of work with the team member.

• Any dismissal is done with instructor involvement.

Sample of Individual Grading for Team Projects10% Team paper & presentation

5% paper (is the paper seamless or not?)

5% team presentation (is the presentation cohesive or not?)

30% Individual work on paper

30% Individual presentation

15% Peer Evaluations (based on individual participation as a TEAM MEMBER)

15% Journals, Minutes (Group Blogs)

10% of the total grade is a team based grade, everything else = individual

Individual work on the paper means:

• Did the student contribute the minimum required pages and the minimum resources to the project?

• At what grade level was the student’s contribution in the final paper?

• Meaning, did the student correct their own errors, eliminate all plagiarism, provide correctly formatted sources on the Reference Page?

• Or did the student rely on teammates to do fix his errors, riding their coattails?

Rarely do all students on a team get the same grade for a team paper & presentation now. students like knowing their individual participation carries more weight.

THIS STYLE OF ASSESSMENT HOLDS ALL TEAM MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE

RubiStarhttp://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=NewRubric

Holding Students Accountable• Set a standard and stick to it. Students will rise to meet it.

• Start with the first assignment.

• Allow a mulligan (a one-time do-over) with a first minor assignment if needed.

• Break big assignments into smaller bites.

• Alleviates procrastination (and plagiarism).

• Allows you to glance at the student’s progress, to provide feedback, keeping student on a correct path.

• Allows students to make corrections before the final due date.

• Allows you to grade better student work.

If sloppy work is accepted even once, the message says that sloppy is okay. Sloppy is not okay.

Writing Confidence

Direct students to writing aids, teaching them how to find answers.To their handbooks

Grammar girl: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/APA.org: http://www.apa.org/ (click Quick Link “APA

Style”)Purdue OWL:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/To DU’s APA Brief Overview:

http://www.davenport.edu/Library/research-services/apa-help

As a student’s confidence grows in learning how to fix grammar and punctuation, so does their confidence in their ability to write.

To create better writers . . .

• We need to teach them how to write in their discipline.

• We need to hold them accountable individually for their writing.

• We need to demonstrate our standard of expectation from the first assignment.

• And, we need to provide them with lots of writing practice.

Treat yourself better! Reconsider your rhetorical goal and create rubrics that make better use of your time.

In Conclusion

The act of grading papers can be done easily.

It may take several semesters of tweaking to find that right rubric, but when you do, it’s golden.

The dread of grading papers will disappear . . .

well . . .

almost.

QUESTIONS?