Essay Grading
How do you
write an essay that will get a high grade? The basic rule is: show that you learned something from
lectures and from the text.
Organize your thoughts to show that you can make a compelling case for
whatever issue you are discussing.
When the
GSIs grade the essays, they begin by putting them in piles. If the maximum score is 20, then the
will make, typically, six piles – for grades 10 and below, 12, 14, 16,
18, and 20. Then they go over the
essays a second time, and redistribute the essays; some go up, some go down;
some get intermediate grades.
Here are the
guidelines for the six initial piles that was used by one of our GSIs.
For the specific example, I assume the essay asked the student to
explain lasers and their important applications.
0 to 9: Student did not demonstrate either
that they attended class or read the notes, at least with any frequency. Or they didn't understand the question. For example, an essay on lasers that
contains little more than "lasers are cool and can help people", with
facts easily obtainable from action movies. These essays often include the misinformation that the class
is specifically trying to debunk.
The more misinformation, the lower the grade.
10-11: Students showed they had attended the class and/or read the notes,
but had little understanding. An
essay on lasers that correctly explains the acronym and gives a couple of applications. The essay reads as if the student never
attended a discussion section.
12-13: Students had the basic idea,
but with some misconceptions and/or mistakes. For example, the essay contains an incorrect explanation of
how a laser works, but correctly explains that it has to do with quantum
mechanics. Skimpy examples.
14-15: Students having the main idea
and getting most of the points, but with a fundamental
misunderstand/mistake/omission. A
decent essay but thinking that it's the electrons (rather than photons) that
are emitted.
16-17: A good essay. Nothing (very) wrong, all major points
answered satisfactorily.
18-19: A very good essay with no
mistakes, and a lot of detailed information substantially above the norm. A
very good explanation of the lasing mechanism, clear understanding of how
lasers work in the various examples.
20: An essay that really stands out, due
to conciseness, clarity, and exposition.
This is a rare grade.
Typically each GSI (grading 100 exams) will give only a few scores of
20. Some of these exams will be
posted as examples.