Ideas for Improving the Grading Process

What is Grading?

Grading is the “process by which a teacher assesses student learning through classroom tests and assignments, the context in which good teachers establish that process, and the dialogue surrounding grades and defining their meaning to various audiences” (1).

Effective Grading: A Tool for Learning and Assessment in College by Walvoord and Anderson (1998) explains that grading serves four roles:

  1. Evaluates the quality of a student’s work
  2. Communicates with the student, as well as employers, graduate schools, and others
  3. Motivates the way that students study, what they focus on, and their involvement in the course
  4. Organizes to mark transitions, bring closure and focus effort for both students and teachers (p. 2).

When grading, you are assessing students learning. Grading is a time-consuming task and, if not careful, can leave you feeling tired and frustrated. According to Walvoord and Anderson (1998), the key to successful grading is to accept that it takes time. Developing a plan to communicate with students about their grades from the start promises to improve the quality of the conversations you will have with students throughout the semester. The authors provide a list of practical suggestions to guide communication and shape a healthy level of trust and motivation in the classroom.


Suggestions

These are suggestions to save time and enhance better communication with your students about their grades.

Respect your students

Assume your students want to learn and offer an attitude of listening, dialogue and respect. Invite their input when they come to you about their grades, listen carefully to their appeal, and respect them as people who want to do well and learn.

Articulate connections among goals, assignments, and grades

Use the syllabus to articulate what students will be able to do by the end of the course. Show how the assignments and exams help students demonstrate their learning. Make explicit connections among goals, assignments, and grades.

Explain what each grade represents

Present the criteria and standards for grading student work on each assignment. Use checklists to convey criteria and standards used in grading or rubrics to represent the traits of the student’s work evaluated from high to low.

Explain how course grades are calculated

Include an explanation describing how course grades are calculated and explain the rationale for the chosen method.

Address academic honesty and plagiarism

The syllabus should contain the plagiarism policy on academic honesty and plagiarism with a link to the college website to help guide students and prevent problems.

Discuss the role of grades

Explain that grades are an evaluation, communication, and a basis for motivation. It is your way of organizing the course and a basis for reflection and self-analysis.

Discuss fairness

Talk with students to find out their understanding of fairness, including how to achieve fairness for everyone in the classroom, including you.

Save your comments for a teachable moment

When responding to work in progress, nurture students’ growth. Praise progress. Indicate what needs to be done and advise students how to do those things.

Speak to the learner, not the error

Use the grade to communicate with the person who can use it for learning and moving forward. Grading should reflect where the student did well and where it needs improvement.

Communicate priorities

Don’t confuse the student with superficial issues when reviewing or grading an assignment. Instead, prioritize by clearly communicating the more significant problems.

Consider face-to-face response

In addition to written feedback, consider individual or small group face-to-face conferences. You may accomplish effective communication in the same amount of time it would take to write comments.

Cross, K.P. (1990). Classroom research: Helping professors learn more about teaching and learning. In P. Seldin (Ed.). How administrators can improve teaching: Moving from talk to action in higher education. Jossey-Bass.

Chickering, A.W., & Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin. 39(7), 3-7. https://citt.ufl.edu/resources/the-learning-process/designing-the-learning-experience/chickering-and-gamson/

Walvoord, B.E., & Johnson Anderson, V. (1998). Effective grading: A tool for learning and assessment. Jossey-Bass.

 

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