Teaching Writing

Grading

• Grade fairly
• Avoid ideological bias
• Use evaluation criteria (rubric)
• Stack (by key sentences) and then grade

Grade

• Grade Fast
• Stack by key sentences
• Put your pencil in your pocket
• Do not comment at the sentence level

Let’s try it.

• 1. Tear out p. 7 and use it to grade the papers on p. 8-15.
• 2. Write at least +, , or - for each major criteria (T-O-E and Critics) and at least one reason under each. [Note: don’t try to do all the reasons!]
• Grade the papers (A, B, C)
• If time allows, write one overall (positive) comment to the author.

Grading/Critiquing

• Theses
• #1 Liberals argue that the way you reduce crime is by treating the criminal and "correcting" their behavior (Walker 1994).”
• #2 “The fact of the matter is that "rehabilitative" efforts don't work; besides, rehabilitation programs leave society feeling cheated out of just punishment.”
• #3 “We must invest more in rehabilitation programs because they work for some offenders and they have never been tried on a large scale.”

How to grade/critique?

• Paper #1
• - No arguments in thesis
• - Organization jumbled
• - No evidence
• - Disrespected critics
• Paper #2
• Thesis OK
•  Organization OK
•  Some evidence
• + Responded to critics

• Paper #3
• + Thesis excellent
• + Organization excellent
• + Evidence excellent
• + Responded to critics
• What rankings to give?
• Paper #1 C-
• Paper #2 B
• Paper #3 A

How to comment?

• Paper #1: Please bring a typed draft of your next paper to me before the papers are due… I can help you organize your paper around the arguments in your thesis—and find evidence to support your point of view. Let me help you. 70
• Paper #2: Good response to your critics… Try to find concrete evidence for both your arguments in your next paper. Good paper overall. 85
• Paper #3: Excellent organization and evidence. Outstanding work! 95

Teaching Writing

• Workers spend 75% of their time communicating orally or in writing, but fewer than 10% of college teachers teach writing-intensive courses (Boice 1990). When faculty were asked why:
• Grading writing assignments requires too much time
• My classroom time is already full
• My students will dislike the extra work
• I am not an expert at teaching writing

Evaluations (p. 3–left)

• Quickly and Well

• Teaching Writing

• And We Can Show Them How

• Our Students Can Too Write—