Preparing and evaluating
writing assignments
Juldyz Smagulova, May 2005
Problems
Instructors often complain that students don’t know what the
teacher wants. Instructors of writing-intensive courses often
list the work involved with commenting on student drafts-inprogress among their chief concerns. First, they point out,
they are not trained as teachers of writing. Some have never
before assigned writing activities of any kind. Second, they tell
that commenting takes endless acres of time and may not do
any good.
Students often complain that they don't know what the teacher
wants. Even though we may be quite explicit in describing the
writing assignment, students will tend to forget details unless
the assignment is in print and unless the assignment sheet
specifies all the requirements.
Characteristics of Effective Writing Assignments
• Assignments are provided and explained in writing
Announce your writing assignments in the course syllabus, and explain the
weighting course writings will have in the calculation of course grades. But
follow up the syllabus announcement by spelling out your particular aims for
writing assignments in separate handouts for each assignment.
• Writing assignments are linked to significant course objectives
Students will take integrated writing assignments more seriously than those
that seem merely supplementary.
• Notices of assignments specify the kind and purpose for writing, the
audience to be addressed, the mode or form of the writing, and its
length
Your rationale for the assignment will help to make the writing more
meaningful for students. Your expectations for their performance can engage
them early in self-assessment of their work. Models of the forms and modes
of writing you expect can help students to work more efficiently. And your
specifications of the length of the writing help students better plan their
writing projects.
Characteristics of Effective Writing Assignments
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Assessment criteria are specified
How would you describe excellent student performance on your course writing assignment?
How would you describe competent performance? Do you have a minimum standard below
which papers would not be unacceptable?
Criteria should specify the length requirements, the source or citation requirements (if
appropriate), the documentation form expected (if appropriate), the formatting requirements
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Due dates are specified
Target dates for completion of drafts or sections, for critiques, and for final draft submission
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Longer writing projects are organized in stages
Shorter writing assignments can be paced across the semester. They may be tailored to follow
topical progression of course content or increase gradually in sophistication as students
develop competence in the subject. Longer assignments can be organized so that elements of
the writing project or multiple drafts are submitted for evaluation and feedback in manageable
increments.
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Outline/structure of the paper is specified
An example of model paper is provided
Editing and style requirement specifications are given
A peer critique guidelines developed
Penalties for failing to meet basic requirements and deadlines
Guiding Questions for Developing Assignments
• How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives of your course?
• What learning or critical thinking do you expect students to do?
• What elements of the "writing situation" should be reflected in the
assignment?
• What form should the writing take?
• How can the writing process be segmented to enable feedback or additional
instruction?
• How will you assess the process and the final product?
• What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate
mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking?
To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures,
practices, and tools of your field of study?
Defining the writing task
• Is the assignment sequenced so that students write a draft, receive
feedback (from you or fellow students), and then revise it?
• Does the assignment include so many sub-questions that students will
be confused about the major issue they should examine? Can you give
more guidance about what the paper's main focus should be? Can you
reduce the number of sub-questions?
• What is the purpose of the assignment (e.g., review knowledge already
learned, find additional information, use certain skills, etc.)?
• What is the required form (e.g., argumentative essay, report, business
report)?
• What mode is required for the assignment (e.g., description, narration,
analysis, persuasion)?
Defining the audience for the paper
• Can you define a hypothetical audience to help students determine
which concepts to define and explain? When students write only to the
instructor, they may assume that little, if anything, requires explanation.
Defining the whole class as the intended audience will clarify this issue
for students.
• What is the probable attitude of the intended readers toward the topic
itself? toward the student writer's thesis? toward the student writer?
• What is the probable educational and economic background of the
intended readers?
Defining your evaluative criteria
If possible, explain the relative weight in grading assigned to the
quality of writing and the assignment's content:
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organization
focus
critical thinking
original thinking
use of research
logic
appropriate mode of structure and analysis (e.g., comparison,
argument)
format
correct use of sources
grammar and mechanics
professional tone
correct use of course-specific concepts and terms
depth of coverage
Sequencing Writing Assignments
There are several benefits of sequencing writing
assignments:
• sequencing provides a sense of coherence for the course
• it helps students see progress and purpose in their work
rather than seeing the writing assignments as separate
exercises
• it encourages complexity through sustained attention,
revision, and consideration of multiple perspectives
• it mirrors professional work in many professions.
Sequencing writing assignments
The concept of sequencing writing assignments allows for a wide range of options in creating
the assignment.
Use the writing process itself. In its simplest form, "sequencing an assignment"
can mean establishing some sort of "official" check of the prewriting and drafting steps in the
writing process. This step guarantees that students will not write the whole paper in one
sitting and also gives students more time to let their ideas develop. This check might be
something as informal as having students work on their prewriting or draft for a few minutes
at the end of class. Or it might be something more formal such as collecting the prewriting
and giving a few suggestions and comments.
Submit drafts. You might ask students to submit a first draft in order to receive your
quick responses to its content, or have them submit written questions about the content and
scope of their projects after they have completed their first draft.
Establish small groups. Set up small writing groups of three-five students from the
class. Allow them to meet for a few minutes in class or have them arrange a meeting outside
of class to comment constructively on each other's drafts.
Require consultations. Have students consult with you about their prewriting and/or
drafts and request that the Center inform you that such a visit was made.
Explore a subject in increasingly complex ways. A series of reading and
writing assignments may be linked by the same subject matter or topic. Students encounter
new perspectives and competing ideas with each new reading, and thus must evaluate and
balance various views and adopt a position that considers the various points of view.
Sequencing writing assignments
Change modes of discourse. In this approach, students' assignments move from less
complex to more complex modes of discourse (e.g., from expressive to analytic to
argumentative; or from lab report to position paper to research article).
Change audiences. In this approach, students create drafts for different audiences,
moving from personal to public (e.g., from self-reflection to an audience of peers to an audience
of specialists). Each change would require different tasks and more extensive knowledge.
Change perspective through time. In this approach, students might write a
statement of their understanding of a subject or issue at the beginning of a course and then
return at the end of the semester to write an analysis of that original stance in the light of the
experiences and knowledge gained in the course.
Use a natural sequence. A different approach to sequencing is to create a series of
assignments culminating in a final writing project. In scientific and technical writing, for example,
students could write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic. The next assignment
might be a progress report (or a series of progress reports), and the final assignment could be
the report or document itself.
Submit sections. A variation of the previous approach is to have students submit various
sections of their final document throughout the semester (e.g., their bibliography, review of the
literature, methods section).
Types of Assignments
• Formal or extended assignments
These are longer papers that might involve doing research or making a well-supported and wellreasoned argument, require a specific format or style of presentation, clear and grammatical
prose. Students need time for revision and editing. Grades for these types of writing projects
are “higher stakes"
• Shorter, less formal assignments
These are usually one- to two-page assignments, often completed as homework. They might be
part of a larger writing project or they might be isolated assignments. Sometimes these
assignments are expected to be polished, correctly formatted, and grammatical. If so, time for
revision should be included in the assignment schedule. At other times, shorter assignments
resemble in-class writing, when the concern is primarily with content, not with "correct"
presentation. Grades for these types of writing projects are "lower stakes," and students may
undertake many such assignments during the term - perhaps one per week.
• In-class writing
These assignments are completed in class and are usually informal. Where the longer types of
assignments often require students to produce finished, polished work, these ask students to
brainstorm, freewrite, and/or respond to course materials. Of course, you may occasionally
require that students complete focused and relatively polished in-class writing (on an essay
exam, for instance). But more often, these assignments are intended to get students reading
and thinking more deeply. Thus, we often refer to them as "write-to-learn" activities. The content
of the work is more important than its grammar, style, and organization. Grades for these types
of assignments reflect their informal nature. Some instructors don't grade informal writing at all they may just respond with written comments, or assign checkmarks for completed work.
Selecting an Effective Writing Assignment
Format
In addition to the standard essay and report formats, several other formats exist
that might give students a different slant on the course material or allow them to
use slightly different writing skills. Here are some suggestions:
Journals. Journals have become a popular format in recent years for courses that
require some writing. In-class journal entries can spark discussions and reveal gaps
in students' understanding of the material. Having students write an in-class entry
summarizing the material covered that day can aid the learning process and also
reveal concepts that require more elaboration. Out-of-class entries involve short
summaries or analyses of texts, or are a testing ground for ideas for student papers
and reports. Although journals may seem to add a huge burden for instructors to
correct, in fact many instructors either spot-check journals (looking at a few
particular key entries) or grade them based on the number of entries completed.
Journals are usually not graded for their prose style.
Letters. Students can define and defend a position on an issue in a letter written to
someone in authority. They can also explain a concept or a process to someone in
need of that particular information. If you wish to add a creative element to the
writing assignment, you might have students adopt the persona of an important
person discussed in your course (e.g., an historical figure) and write a letter
explaining his/her actions, process, or theory to an interested person (e.g., "pretend
that you are John Wilkes Booth and write a letter to the Congress justifying your
assassination of Abraham Lincoln," or "pretend you are Henry VIII writing to
Thomas More explaining your break from the Catholic Church").
Selecting an Effective Writing Assignment
Format
Editorials. Students can define and defend a position on a controversial issue in
the format of an editorial.
Cases. Students might create cases particular to the course's subject matter for
other students to solve.
Position Papers. Students can define and defend a position, perhaps as a
preliminary step in the creation of a formal research paper or essay.
Imitation of a Text. Students can create a new document "in the style of" a
particular writer/organization.
Instruction Manuals. Students write a step-by-step explanation of a process.
Dialogues. Students create a dialogue between two major figures studied in
which they not only reveal their theories or thoughts but also explore areas of
possible disagreement (e.g., "Write a dialogue between Claude Monet and
Jackson Pollock about the nature and uses of art").
Collaborative projects. Students work together to create such works as reports,
questions, and critiques.
Evaluating Writing Assignments
Formal writing assignments (i.e., compositions and essays) are graded on the
following criteria.
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Preparation and Editing. Has the writer used planning and editing guides as
assigned? Has the writer presented information clearly? Has the writer carefully
checked and corrected subject / verb agreements, adjective / noun agreements,
and gender agreements on all drafts turned in? Has the writer carefully checked
and corrected spelling (including accents) on all drafts turned in?
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Vocabulary. Is the vocabulary sufficiently precise, elaborate, and appropriate for
the topic, considering the course level?
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Grammar and Syntax. Is the writer adequately applying the grammatical rules
s/he has studied? Is the syntax sufficiently complex and French? Has the writer
used French sentence structure learned so far, or do sentences seem to be
translated directly from English into French? Do errors obscure meaning?
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Content and Style. Has the writer understood and addressed the topic assigned?
Is the content interesting and rich enough for the student's level? Is the topic
addressed in sufficient depth and detail? Do sentences (paragraphs, ideas) flow
logically? In specific writing genres (letters, essays, reviews, etc.), are specific
organizational elements used appropriately (topic sentences, transitions,
introductions, conclusions, salutations, etc.)? Does the writer show awareness of
the real and/or implied reader's needs? Are tone and register appropriate to the
writing sample and its reader?
Tips to Cut Writing Assignment Grading Time
1) Use Peer Evaluation
Distribute rubrics to students asking each to read and score three of his or her peers'
essays in a specific amount of time. After grading an essay, they should staple the
rubric to the back of it so as not to influence the next evaluator. If necessary, check
off students who have completed the required number of evaluations; however, I
have found that students do this willingly. Collect the essays, check off that they were
completed on time, and return them to be revised.
2) Grade Holistically
Use a single letter or number based on a rubric. To do this, put your pen down and
simply read and sort assignments into piles according to score. When finished with a
class, check each pile to see if they are consistent in quality, then write the score at
the top. This allows you to grade a large number of papers quickly. It is best used
with final drafts after students have used a rubric to grade one another's writing and
made improvements.
3) Use Portfolios
Have students create a portfolio of checked-off writing assignments from which they
select the best to be graded. An alternative approach is to have the student select
one of three consecutive essay assignments to be graded.
Tips to Cut Writing Assignment Grading Time
4) Grade Only a Few from a Class Set - Roll the Die!
Use a roll of a die to match numbers selected by students in order to select from
eight to ten essays that you will be grading in-depth, checking off the others.
5) Grade Only a Few from a Class Set - Keep them Guessing!
Tell students you will make an in-depth evaluation of a few essays from each class
set and check off the others. Students will not know when theirs will be graded indepth.
6) Grade Only Part of the Assignment
Grade only one paragraph of each essay in depth. Don't tell students ahead of time
which paragraph it will be though.
7) Grade Only One or Two Elements
Have students write at the top of their papers, "Evaluation for (element) " followed
by a line for your grade for that element. It is helpful to also write "My estimate
_____" and fill in their estimate their grade for that element.
8) Have Students Write in Journals Which Are Not Graded
Require only that they write either for a specified amount of time, that they fill a
specified amount of space, or that they write a specified number of words.
Tips to Cut Writing Assignment Grading Time
9) Use Two Highlighters
Grade writing assignments using only two colored highlighters with one color for
strengths, and the other for errors. If a paper has many errors, mark only a couple
you think the student should work on first so that you don't cause the student to
give up.
10) In-class writing and revising
Use in-class time modeling the writing and the RE-writing you want and how to
meet your expectations. Do it together. Put a draft of the assignment you wrote up
on an overhead and get their suggestions. Ask permission to use some of their
papers (blind), put them on overheads and re-write as a class, with explicit
references to your expectations and criteria.
11) Limit your comments on individual papers
Rather, keep track of fairly common errors or strengths and then discuss these
verbally with the whole class or distribute them to the class in a handout, or send
them to all students via e-mail. Grading will go faster this way but students still get
needed feedback.
12) Give highly structured assignments
Specify a very detailed and explicit structure to some assignments (e.g., exact
format, length, coverage, parts, order/organization, outline style) and require
students to follow it. Grading of highly structured assignments goes much more
quickly because it is easier to find what you are looking for and to spot errors and
omissions.
Tips to Cut Writing Assignment Grading Time
13) Spread writing activity over numerous assignments
Responding to several three-page papers really is less time-consuming than
responding to a stack of 15-page research papers. Working through a sequence
of shorter assignments (and sets of comments) also provides students with
opportunities to use your feedback to improve their writing
4) Ask students to reflect on their own work
Save commenting time by getting students to articulate revisions that they
already know about. Ask them, for example, to attach answers to the following
questions directly to their drafts: What is your purpose in this paper? What do
you know you need to revise? What would you like me to focus on?
15) Respond to content first
Comments about content affirm the communicative function of writing. In fact,
research has shown that comments are most effectively acted upon when they
refer to the ideas or content that the writer is trying to convey. Asking a question
about what a writer is saying ("Are you suggesting….?" "Do you mean….?" "I'd
need more substantial evidence to be convinced of this..."), in other words, will
be more useful than ten "Awk!" "No!" or "Huh?" comments.
Tips to Cut Writing Assignment Grading Time
17) Remember to praise
Comments like "I like the way you contrast only the principal ideas of these
two schools of thought," or "Excellent choice of quotes here!" will affirm
specific writerly moves and sustain student motivation.
18) Resist time-consuming copy-editing
If mechanical and grammatical errors are substantial, consider marking up
one page or one paragraph only. Point out patterns of error rather than noting
each specific glitch. So long as you make clear to students that you aren't
going to be noting every single error, you need not worry that students will
assume that all unmarked writing is correct.
19) Talk to students
When lengthy comments really are in order, time may be more effectively
spent meeting with students to discuss their drafts in person.
DO remember that students learn to write better by writing. THEY do not
have to have feedback on all writing-the writing itself is what is
important.
Creating Grading Rubrics for Writing Assignments
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Step One: Identifying criteria
Developing assignment-specific objectives that are considered, prioritized, and
reworded to create a rubric's criteria. Care must be taken to keep the list of criteria
from becoming unwieldy; ten ranked items is usually the upper limit. In addition, to be
usefully translated and used by students, criteria should be specific and descriptive.
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Step Two: Weighing criteria
When criteria have been identified, decisions are made about their varying
importance.
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Step Three: Describing levels of success
When the criteria have been set, decisions must be made about an assessment
scale (e.g., weak, satisfactory, strong; A,B,C,D, F, etc.).
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Step Four: Creating and distributing the grid
When the specific criteria and levels of success have been named and ranked, they
can be sorted into a table and distributed with the assignment.
Example
1=not present 2=needs extensive revision 3=satisfactory 4=strong 5=outstanding
Insights and developments of ideas
Address of target audience
Organization and use of prescribed formats
Integration of source materials
Grammar and mechanics
Comments:
Final Grade:
1
2
3
4
5
Example
Unaccept
able
Content
•the depth of content
•quality of argument
•development of ideas
Organization
•overall and paragraph structure
•coherence
Clarity
•readibility of the prose
Correctness
•grammar
•mechanics
•formatting
Weak
Average
Strong
Exceptional
Numbers in parentheses are the possible point values for each associated grading criterion.
(1)__________1. Spelling (remember to reread your paper before turning it in to pick up
misspellings and typos)
(1)__________2. Grammar
(1)__________3. Punctuation
(1)__________4. Citations & References (APA Style) – Did you remember to put quotation marks around direct
quotes? Remember to cite paraphrased passages also.
(4)__________5. Organization (i.e., Are all sections included and in the appropriate order: Body of Paper with Introduction
and Conclusion, Reference Page, Appendix Page, Appendix Contents?)
(8)__________6. Are the major points (i.e., the questions in the paper instructions) addressed?
(4)__________7. Are terms and concepts explained clearly? Could a college student not
familiar with Child Development understand the terms used in your paper?
(6)__________8. Are the data described adequately?
(3)__________9. Is your writing clear and concise? Are the main points easy to identify?
(1)__________10. Does the text flow (e.g., are there good transitions between paragraph)?
Sources:
• http://www.umuc.edu/ugp/ewp/questions.h
tml
• http://712educators.about.com/od/grading
systems/tp/essaygradetips.htm
• http://writing.umn.edu/tww/responding_gra
ding/creating_rubrics.htm