Grading is an art, not a science. That is especially true for classes that contain lots of writing. As a student you only see the outcome, a grade, of what is actually a long process.

I believe writing is the seminal skill for all media professionals. Whether you're writing a story, asking for a payraise or addressing a group you have to be able to communicate your thoughts. Writing presents an opportunity to fine tune your analytical thinking and say precisely what you mean even if it requires, as it should, several rewrites.

When I grade essays, I follow these steps:

Step 1: I read all the papers at least twice, never in the same order. This is important because, no matter how hard we try, graders always have different expectations about first and last papers.

Step 2: I ask some basic questions as I read. Are the facts in this paper true? Who are the sources? Are there too many? Too few? Is it written in the active voice? Does it use the third person? Does it avoid the first person? Is the writing arranged from most important at top to least important at bottom? Are ideas grouped in such a way as to facilitate understanding?

Step 3: I look for mistakes. I always mark right on the papers. Expect to see many underlinings, margin notes and suggestions for improvements.

These marks could include (any others, ask me):

L= begin new paragraph

^= insert punctuation or letter here

3 underlinings= capitalize letter

slash through letter= lower case

circle with tail at top= eliminate

Stet= Oops, I made a mistake

awk= awkward construction

wordy= excess number of words

Don’t editorialize= quote others, not yourself

 

Step 4: I look for errors in grammar and syntax. High schools haven't always required enough training. You may have to study on your own to bring your writing up to the proper level.

These errors could include (any others, ask me):

subject-verb agreement

antecedent agreement

incomplete sentences

spelling

improper possessive nouns

non sequiturs

correct words, "to" not "too," "its" not "it's"

proper usage, e.g. like/as, between/among

See my “Writing Tips” on the course’s website for other errors. You should also consult books like Lauren Kessler and Duncan McDonald, When Words Collide for further information.

Step 5: I look for style in the papers. If it is a journalism class I will strictly apply Associated Press Style guidelines.

If it is a mixed-sequence class, I will not use strict AP rules, but I will insist on consistency and functionality. That means similar usages should be the same throughout the paper and extraordinary usages such as writing out very long numbers or upper casing long stretches of the text must be avoided. Whenever possible, I encourage you to try covering the topic in your sequence's media, e.g. broadcasters might want to make a videotape, etc. This will be discussed in class or see me personally.

Step 6: When I am reading the paper for the second time I try to gauge the overall impact of the writing. Is it clear, efficient, expository writing? Are the sentences simple, but not simplistic? Has it covered the topic? Do the paragraphs represent reasonable groupings of thoughts? Is it entertaining? Does it keep the reader interested?

I put the papers into groups that represent rough grades.

For the "A" grade level I look for papers that have excelled in writing, composition, used varied sources and have demonstrated a grasp of the subject matter. Lower level papers have less of these atrributes. Top level papers can not have an abundance of errors in any one category. Bottom level papers usually have errors in all categories.

I use all grade levels, from "A"-"F."

 Step 7: I go through the groups and award grades. Occasionally, I’ll change a few: lower by a minus or increase by a plus. I will continue to assess the grades up to the time I enter them in my grade book. If you are unhappy with a grade come discuss it with me.