Assessing Student Writing

Grading in the humanities, according to some students, can be an arbitrary process. In order to account for this misconception, I find it very important to stick to the rubric as closely as possible. Good grading starts with a clear, concise, and direct rubric that outlines exactly how students can achieve the "A" paper that most students aim for. On the rubric, I give the most points to students' "argument" or "persuasion" section. In a writing class, it is important that students utilize ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos, in order to persuade their audience of their argument. Next, I valued the "research" section of a paper the most. In a college writing class, it is important that students know how to find research related to their argument and draw from expert sources. Followed closely, the next section that I value most is "organization," which includes excellent topic sentences, good transitions, and general paragraph organization. Lastly, I emphasize "style," which focuses on more mechanics, punctuation, and adherence to MLA. 

When I am assessing student writing, I pull up the student rubric, to follow closely along while I am reading. I read through the assignment once, looking for holistic comprehension. I will write down a "gut" impression score. Then, I look at the rubric to get an estimate of where the student scored, circling down specific areas where the paper succeeded and did not succeed. I total up the points and give it a "rubric" score. Next, I will then read over the paper again, keeping in mind both scores and making sure I did not miss anything. I will then average the "gut" score and the "rubric" score.