Grading Students' Classroom Writing: Issues and Strategies [Paperback]

Bruce W. Speck (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1878380915 | ISBN-13: 978-1878380913 | Publication Date: June 12, 2000 | Edition: 1

"For professors concerned with how best to grade students' writing, this monograph will be a must. It is particularly helpful in its coverage of how to provide effective feedback on students' writing. It also should stimulate most readers to new insights about the relationship between grading student writing and the students' writing process."
--Barbara TownsAnd, professor of education, University of Missouri-Columbia

This report explores the connection between the process of writing and the process of grading. It also explains how to construct effective writing assignments, resolve issues of fairness and professional judgment, include students in the process of assessment, and provide effective feedback to students as they revise their writing. Speck synthesizes the best practices in teaching and learning to help faculty and part-time instructors envision grading as a process, not a product.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For professors concerned with how best to grade students' writing, this monograph will be a must. It is particularly helpful in its coverage of how to provide effective feedback on students' writing. It also should stimulate most readers to new insights about the relationship between grading student writing and the students' writing process." (Barbara Townsend, professor of education, University of Missouri-Columbia)

"This manuscript brings together the resources about grading writing into a form that not only supplies the bibliography of writing professionals, but also gives a connected overview for faculty members who are not English specialists. As someone who comes, fresh from eight years as director of a general education program, to this manuscript, I find its availability exciting." (David Sigsbee, interim director, University Honors Program, The University of Memphis)

"The report offers a sophisticated and informed discussion of the major issues in grading and responding, including grammar and mechanics as well as plagiarism." (Sam Dragga, professor of English, Texas Technical University)

"This monograph focuses on an increasingly important topic, the grading of student writing. Speck's manuscript points out that while the grading of student writing was once considered a rather simple process, and done almost reflexively, it is in fact an immensely complex problem, which teachers are only now beginning to confront." (Frances Zak, professor of Writing Programs/English, State University of New York at Stony Brook)

From the Back Cover

Learn how to construct effective writing assignments, resolve issues of fairness and professional judgment, include students in the assessment process, and provide effective feedback to students as they revise their writing. Speck synthesizes the best practices in teaching and learning to help faculty and part-time instructors envision grading as a process, not a product.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 117 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (June 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1878380915
• ISBN-13: 978-1878380913
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,811,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Providing feedback that supports learning, May 26, 2009

By 

Rochelle Santopoalo "Dr. Rochelle" (Aurora, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grading Students' Classroom Writing: Issues and Strategies (Paperback)

This small yet powerful book is a must-have resource for creating writing assignments as well as providing feedback critical to the development of skills needed for effective communication. Speck takes the faculty-reader beyond the basic role of simply judging a students' writing style to one of providing feedback that will spur students to reach, and attain, higher-level skills. Especially helpful are the variety of scoring guides that convey assignment criteria to students in a concrete manner. Even more helpful is the example of "effective written comments" provided. The tone assumed by the faculty in the example is somewhere between critique, editor, and coach--a combination that evaluates (for the requisite grading aspect) while at the same time providing quality commentary. College faculty who use the strategies in this book will raise the value they provide to their students.