A Guide to Grading Exams

[jason]

Ex-Lemmingworks. ##.

I’ve marked 40 odd exams (not that they’re odd exams, but that I’ve not got an exact count) out of ~140, and at the same time following the discussion on RFAnet, an email list for Ryerson Faculty. The discussion has been very serious, and is centred on how difficult it is to mark a large number of exams in a short period of time. I have 4 days to do it. There is a feeling that there is too much rush, and that more time should be available. Mostly well intentioned and well thought out, and it is a great way for me as a newer faculty member to know about and share in the struggles that the university community face.

I think we’re all getting a bit exhausted at this point… so some wag (”A person whose words or actions provoke or are intended to provoke amusement or laughter.”) posted the following link as a suggestion. It is nothing new, but rarely so well illustrated. Enjoy. I’m back to the grind.

Concurring Opinions: A Guide to Grading Exams

It’s that time of year again. Students have taken their finals, and now it is time to grade them. It is something professors have been looking forward to all semester. Exactness in grading is a well-honed skill, taking considerable expertise and years of practice to master. The purpose of this post is to serve as a guide to young professors about how to perfect their grading skills and as a way for students to learn the mysterious science of how their grades are determined.

Comments

[ashenseraph.livejournal.com]

If I had to give 140 exams, they'd be Scantron! Yeesh. With a class that size, don't you even get a TA?

[complicittheory.livejournal.com]

my poor TA is overwhelmed by her courses, and she marked the 140 livejournal blogs three times this fall. and I refuse to use scantron/multiple choice. You might like the exam (http://tinyurl.com/sr7yp) which was fun! Got 60 marked so far!

As a fellow instructor, I know.........

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

just how demanding grading is, particularly essays.

good luck to you.

*hugs*
Chris

Re: As a fellow instructor, I know.........

[complicittheory.livejournal.com]

Yo Chris; I'm sure you do! And I bet you have more to deal with than I do, so sympathies and respects back at you. The exam question, given in advance, was "without any restrictions whatsoever, design a school that reflects your personal system of values..." and you can imagine how many reproduced the present system exactly with changes in colour, fun and friendliness! :)

I was hoping that at least someone decides to design a school in non-cartesian space or in the head of a pin, or something!

Thanks and I hope..........

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

that most of the essays are good ones. It's even more painful to read bad ones. As a student, I always tried to make my work read easily for the profs. I found out knowledgable work that was also easy to read and mildly entertaining got better grades:)

Re: Thanks and I hope..........

[complicittheory.livejournal.com]

oh, you were such the wise student. I was a very slow learner so I'd write 20 words a line in pale pink ink :)