Assigning Papers

I. Your Paper will be marked with three major criteria in mind:

A. The extent to which it articulates and substantiates a clearly defined thesis. [Make sure that your paper is motivated by an argument and that this argument is clearly identifiable in the first or second paragraph of your paper.]

B. An appropriate balance between description and analysis

C. The inclusion of data, supportive facts, the inclusion of data that might challenge your thesis and how you would deal with them

II. Suggestions for students:

A. Address the assignment: what exactly are the issues?

B. Jot down some ideas on paper, notecards, etc.

C. Re-read text as necessary to get greater clarity

D. Take notes

E. Make an outline

F. Start writing

G. Write paragraph by paragraph: get the main point of each paragraph clear; indicate it with a topic sentence; support the point with evidence, facts, details, quotations, and so on.

H. After the paper is written work on a good opening and closing paragraph. The opening paragraph should be engaging, creative, but also clear. The closing paragraph should pull the whole paper together and drive it home.

I. Set the paper aside for a long while (best for a day or two) and get a fresh look

J. Refine you paper by cutting irrelevant or overlapping material

K. Polish your prose

L. Find a proof-reader

III. Suggestions for writing assignments:

1. Announcing the assignment
1. Prepare a handout for each assignment and give it to them when they should begin working on the paper
2. In handout describe topic, type of paper expected, due date, and format
3. Specify the audience
4. Inform students as to how the paper will be graded: what will be rewarded and punished
2. Improving the assignment
1. Give the finished assignment to another colleague to check for clarity in your instructions
2. Keep notes on the success and pitfalls of each assignment you develop and use
3. Give shorter assignments early in the quarter to allow you to identify students with serious problems
3. Presenting the assignment in class: take 10-15 minutes to discuss the assignment and answer questions when you distribute the handout

Checklist for Evaluating Assignments

1. What is the purpose of the assignment?
2. Is the task clearly and succinctly described?
3. What verbal or conceptual abilities does the assignment ask the student to use or develop?
4. Does the assignment involve the whole communicating person (listening, speaking, reading, writing)? Could it be revised to bring all these into play?
5. Will the students have a clear idea of how their performance will be evaluated?
6. In what way does the assignment relate to preceding and ensuing course assignments in developing students’ skills sequentially?
7. Can the assignment be revised to reflect more fully the course’s aims in promoting the mastery of particular knowledge or the development of specific skills?

Possible way to grade writing assignment

1. Clarity of Writing 25%: This includes clear statement of purpose of thesis, good outline, clear thought flow, and evidence of understanding of material.
2. Comprehensiveness 25%: This includes covering the whole theme, covering the substantive issues, illustrative material, and evidence of reading depth.
3. Creativity 25%: This includes creative treatment or presentation, thoughtful or provocative questions, or possibly story, case material, poetry, quotations, and so on.
4. Logic and argumentation 10%: This includes evidence provided for argument made, documentation provided where needed, valid critique of one's own position if necessary.
5. Form meets agreed upon standards 10%: This includes clear presentation, grammar etc. is good, language is appropriate, and style (margins, notes, etc) is correct.
6. Care and Promptmess 5%

POSSIBLE GRADING RULES

A: The assignment is will crafted, reveals considerable insight, and moves beyond the range of the student's knowledge to begin to construct new perspectives and meanings for the subject

A-: The assignment is well crafted and probes the issues with considerable insight.

B+: The assignment is well crafted

B-: The assignment lacks some clarity or focus. It tends to explore issues superficially.

C: The assignment does not move beyond the reporting of information from readings and class discussions to engaging them with the issues being discussed.

C-: Despite some moments of focused discussion and insight, major gaps exist in the development of the argument or discussion.

D: Describes a failure to meet the basic requirements of the assignment

F: The assignment has not been fulfilled due to misrepresenting the material, or lack of coherence in the assignment itself.

OR

A: Good integration of your own thought, class discussion, assigned readings and outside sources

B: Good integration of class discussion and outside readings

C: Knowledge of assigned readigns and class discussion

D: Knowledge of class discussions

F: Your own unsubstantiated thought

Giving Feedback or Commentary on Written Work

1. Facilitate rather than judge
2. Emphasize performance rather than finished product
3. Must be focused, respectful of the writer, and can be acted upon by the writer
4. Make sure your evaluation and criteria are appropriate to the task
5. Make comments descriptive
6. Point to what is well done
7. Don't shotgun the student, pick your battles
8. Expand and describe why something is good or bad, be specific
9. Don't point out only criticisms in marginal comments, but be balanced
10. Regarding end of paper comments:

1. Focus on general qualities, presenting your impression of paper as a whole
2. The tone should be serious and interested. No Humor at the expense of the student unless you're giving an A.
3. Comments should include praise for well-done elements of the paper as well as mention of the elements that need work
4. It should point out improvements and encourage more
5. It should not concern itself for formal errors unless a pattern has emerged.
6. It should not be a compendium of marginal comments or re-discuss marginal comments