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Evaluating Final Drafts
When the final versions of assignments come in, it’s time
to shift from the role of coach or consultant to that of evaluator.
Many first-time teachers feel anxiety about actually meting out
grades—they may wonder what authority they have to assign
a grade or have doubts about their assessment. When you’ve
put your energies into developing a strong assignment and responding
to drafts, you needn’t have any misgivings about assigning
a grade. Additionally, concerns that a given student will object
to a grade should be minimized by the PWR Evaluation Criteria
that you have summarized in your syllabus and discussed in class.
For the task of assigning grades, begin the process with your
assignment and evaluation criteria sheets close at hand, and
then read swiftly through the entire set of revised essays. When
evaluating each essay, key your responses to the language of
your assignment and evaluation criteria. Here are some suggestions
for successful evaluation:
- Plan your work load so that you can respond to final drafts
within one week after receiving them;
- Remember that if the student has given the revision a strong
effort, you will not need to comment as extensively on the
revision as on the draft;
- Indicate where the revision is most strengthened and say
why the revision has been successful; also note where the essay
still has weaknesses and note the cause of those weaknesses;
- Note errors in mechanics, punctuation, and format in accordance
with your stated policies. Most PWR instructors note in their
evaluation criteria sheet that such mistakes will take a high
toll on grades;
- Write a succinct final response: since the students cannot
revise further, extensive recommendations for improvement can
simply frustrate them. Instead, summarize the two or three
specific things the essay does best and note at least one element
that the student should concentrate on in the next assignment.
(Do not, however, come up with a whole new list of weaknesses
or problems you didn’t mention in the draft!);
- Again, give praise where it is due. You may also want to
comment on the hard work a student has done in revision;
- Review your evaluation criteria once more and then assign
a grade, making sure that the grade matches the expectations
articulated in your criteria;
- Review the grades for the entire set of revisions. Grade
inflation is widespread at Stanford, and each term students
complain if they receive anything other than an A or A-. Such
expectations, however, are simply unreasonable in terms of
college writing: earning a high grade on a PWR essay calls
on students to have gathered, analyzed, and evaluated a wide
variety of sources; to have made and supported a complex claim
about a topic of significance; to have sustained the argument
for longer than most students have ever done in high school;
and to have done so in not just correct but excellent and compelling
language, structure, and style.
- Return all written assignments directly to students.
Do not leave graded papers in a folder, basket, or box outside
your office or near the PWR mailboxes. Doing so disregards
student privacy and violates PWR/University policy.
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