How to grade English Composition papers
November 29, 2014
Yvonne’s Tech Tips for Teachers
Title: The best way for grading papers
Date: November 28, 2014
The
best way to grade papers is not to correct every single grammar
mistake. Instead, the best way to grade composition papers is to focus
on one skill set at a time. When I grade my first set of English
composition papers, I want my students to first learn the 5 paragraph
essay structure. For my first set of essays, I grade only for essay
structure. I make sure students post a thesis statement as the last
sentence of the first paragraph. Then I make sure students have a thesis
with matching body paragraphs.
Example thesis: Smoking is harmful because smoking causes lung cancer, stomach cancer and throat cancer.
Para 2: Smoking causes lung cancer.
Para 3: Smoking causes stomach cancer.
Para 4: Smoking causes throat cancer.
Para 5: Conclusion
As
I grade this first set of papers, I make sure each student has his/her
essay written using this structure. By focusing on one skill set at a
time, students become less overwhelmed and can more successfully learn
that skill set rather than overwhelming students with a paper riddled
with both essay structure feedback and grammar mistakes feedback.
By
the second set of essays, most students have mastered the 5 paragraph
essay structure, so then for the second set of essays, I focus on
student grammar skills and correct for grammar and punctuation. I
correct the 3 most common grammar/punctuation mistakes students make so
students can then work on their 3 weakest grammar areas.
In
conclusion, by grading one skill set at a time, this saves faculty time
especially if faculty have a mountain of papers to grade and very
little time to grade it in.
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