Grading papers efficiently

[joshua....@gmail.com]

So, as a graduate student in the middle of a grading marathon, how do
you grade papers efficiently? Right now I'm average (gulp) around 50
minutes a paper, grading ten-page literature essays. I'm stumped as to
how I can possibly go faster and still write substantive and valuable
comments.

Will I just get faster with time? Or are there specific strategies you
use when grading to gain efficiency?

[Adam Pearce]

Joshua,
I feel your pain. I'm not sure if this is much comfort to
you but my colleagues and I discuss this every year and find that 50
minutes for a 10 pager is about average. I find better papers go
faster. But 50 papers will take me 50 hours give or take. This is my
fourth time around and I find that while I'm marginally faster. The
real difference is whether or not you like marking a bit at a time or
doing a full court press and marking all at once. Having tried both, i
find things feel like they go faster if I try to mark everything at
once.

If someone has found a more efficient way around this I too would be
interested in a new approach.

[Claudia Scholz]

If you find you're making the same sorts of comments all the time, try printing out comment lists and checking off those that apply.  This may seem a bit impersonal, but it can actually be useful to note patterns in student mistakes.  I have used abbreviation sheets in the past, marking papers with only abbreviations, but I find the students rarely look up what these comments mean.

I often use rubrics to mark papers.  When I have more than 25 or so, I find a rubric helps me to be consistent.  The rubric I use borrows liberally from Karen Coats at Illinois State, though I add criteria specific to social science papers.
http://lilt.ilstu.edu/kscoat2/grading.htm

Also consider implementing some sort of peer-review in the future.  Rubrics also help with this as they demystify the grading process for the students.

Finally, if these are final papers, many of which will never be picked up by the students, don't feel you have to mark everything.  Detailed comments are most useful early in the semester when students can use them to improve future assignments.

claudia

[Adam Pearce]

Claudia,
that's an interesting idea. I already use a marking matrix,
but I think I might add a list of standard comments to the bottom of my
marking criteria to clarify the grading.

Nice one.

Adam

[Brian S.]

I affirm Claudia's tips. (1) I strongly support the use of a rubric.
There are so many versions out there, but all incorporate the same
basic ideas as the website Claudia linked to. Ask your colleagues if
they have ones to share with you, then experiment until you find the
right version that expresses your standards and is appropriate to your
field. My rubric form divides into Content, Argument, and Writing, with
sub-characteristics in each area and an description of what counts are
exceeding, meeting, or failing to meet
expectations(http://faculty.sacredheart.edu/stiltnerb/students/rubrics.htm).
Checks all down the left column means an A, all down the middle is C, a
mixture is the B range, and checks in the right column can pull down to
D and F.

(2) It's hard for me and many teachers, but avoid close editing of
their papers. The writing teachers tell me that it doesn't teach them
how to write better to have red editing marks all over the page. They
learn that better if they are given some kind of revision or
peer-review opportunity before the paper is handed in.

(3) Try using a stopwatch to pace yourself. It's easy to let your mind
wander. Say that you will get 4 papers done this hour and then reward
yourself with a little break.

C'mon, 50 hours to grade a batch of papers is unsustainable: you'll
kill yourself before long. 15-20 minutes is enough for 10 pages when
you are on a roll, especially for the clearly good and clearly bad.
It's the middling papers on which you need to take more care in your
assessment and comments.

[Claudia Scholz]

I've also used a timer or stopwatch on occasion, particularly when I find myself zoning out while grading.  Trying to keep myself down to a few minutes per paper keeps me focused on the task.  It also forces me to think about what a reasonable time to spend on each paper is... not every paper is a thesis after all!


Claudia

[rickla]

>The rubric I use borrows liberally from
>Karen Coats at Illinois State, though I add criteria specific to social
>science papers.
>http://lilt.ilstu.edu/kscoat2/grading.htm

Is this URL correct? I've tried several times over the last couple of
days, but Safari keeps telling me it can't find the server. Thanks.

[Brian S.]

It works for me, on a PC. Wierd.