in each of my comp classes today (one class had 8, one 10). they are hybrid classes -- that is, we usually meet twice a week face-to-face and once a week online. there are still approximately 22 students enrolled in each section.
we're starting a reseach paper. you'd think this would be the critical time to show up.
I guess what I'm thinking about is the pile of papers I'm currently grading from these classes. I still have to grade the papers that people put together without opening the book. I know, it's not usually hard to grade, but still, it's a lot of work to read papers when folks have not even considered what MLA format should look like (and maybe even why). I'd like to consider a way to measure a series of practical skills that would let me off the hook. if a student can't pass a quiz on MLA and/or write a works cited page, maybe he/she just wouldn't have access to my grading time? am I getting really selfish here? really tired? or maybe thinking about a way to make this work for me? I think I could write that into the assignment: show me that you can use the library, have read the handbook, can put together a works cited page, and then I'll accept the paper? (in a way, having the annotated bibliography due at a conference 2 weeks before the paper is due, and worth 10% of the grade, sort of does this for me).
just thinking.
Maybe a quiz cover sheet for the paper? Fail the quiz, get the paper back for revision...
Posted by: philosopherP | March 28, 2009 at 02:35 PM
I've seen systems where students need to fulfill X requirements in order to be eligible to turn something in--you could probably set something up where you only grade a complete project, and the criteria for complete include a works cited page and whatever other key points you want students to emphasize.
Posted by: Susan | March 29, 2009 at 03:58 PM
Brilliant idea: education is a relationship, I think, and both parties have a responsibility in the relationship.
Posted by: Julie | March 29, 2009 at 08:36 PM