Grading and Evaluation in Undergraduate Composition Essays
INTRODUCTION
Part of the academic development goals that college education sets for its freshman students is a good ability to compose and write good compositions. Compositions are an integral part of the communication skills and language development units in many college curricula. Although these students have undergone extensive tutoring at the elementary and high school levels, college compositions still instill the same skills albeit at a more developed level. The main objective of these skills is not only for literature, creative arts, and language courses, but also for the sake of strong communication and writing skills.
One problem that has plagued colleges for decades has been how to design proper grading and scoring structures. Unlike other freshman courses designed to prepare the student for advanced academics, composition is not about the highest marks scored or the best performance, but about instilling the best communication and composition skills in all the students. Therefore, many institutions of advanced learning have faced problems with effective grading systems for freshman composition exams. This essay investigates this issue by defining what grading is and outlining the types of grading systems applicable in freshman composition scenarios. It then proceeds to outline the rationale behind such grading activities before discussing the criteria used in freshman composition grading systems. Finally, it intends to explore some of the reactions that students project towards composition essay grades in college. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
WHAT IS GRADING IN COLLEGE?
Grading refers to the system of award points that students earn from their academic work in institutions of higher learning. Generally, all students must submit to assignments designed by their instructors to gauge their level of understanding and proficiency in applying concepts learned in class (Peckam 21). These assignments must be read through by the same instructor who then proceeds to assign a certain level of accomplishment that is commensurate with the student’s performance.
Freshmen students studying compositions writing are also expected to undergo such assignment to gauge a variety of aspects in their learning. The instructors are interested in knowing if the students have grasped the concepts of concise and precise writing, good use of the English language, certain skills applicable in creative or professional writing or even their ability to either argue or persuade with an audience (White 52). The instructor must the award marks of performance based on the student’s performance in a process known as grading.
Most colleges and universities still rely on a percentile-based method of grading their freshmen composition. Usually, the students earn marks out of one hundred in a percentage system that awards them grades based on a certain predetermined system (Jerabek and Dieterich 183). Therefore, students who are graded highly earn marks ranging from 85% to 100% meaning they scored superbly. Median students range between 60% and 80%, while underperformers score lower than 50%. This process of awarding scores to the assignments of tests that freshmen undertake such as those in composition writing is referred to as grading.
TYPES OF GRADING SYSTEMS IN EVALUATING FRESHMAN COMPOSITION ESSAYS
Most grading systems that both colleges and universities use depend on the exact subject matter and its qualities. Certain subject matters such as composition writing cannot be graded using the same system as mathematics or other technical subjects. One reason for this difference is that the composition instructors want to see if the student has grasped the concepts as well as their application (Peckam 87). Additionally, there are marks awarded in the grading system applicable for creativity since any writing unit must include creative aspects that complement the communication and learning processes.
Consequently, freshmen composition essays can be graded using three distinct grading systems. The first one is a percentile-based one that uses scores ranging from zero to one hundred percent. Herein, the student creates a composition based on their lecturer’s instructions and presents it for marking and subsequently, grading (Bridwell, et al. 71). After the lecturer has gone through the submitted composition, he or she awards the students marks based on their use of correct grammar, creativity, English language mechanics, and communication abilities.
The second grading system uses a letter based scoring range where the student earns grades ranging from A through F. It should be noted that this grading system is somewhat similar to the percentile-based one because A denotes excellence which means scores of between 85% and 100%. Therefore, students who score A have the same marks as those with anything between 85% and above (Jerabek and Dieterich 183). Those with a B have similar scores to students who earned between 70% and 85%. C students earned marks that are similar to a freshman student with anything between 55% and 69%. Anyone with a D scored poorly as that is commensurate with a student with marks below 50%. An F means ‘failed’, and such a student has little or no understanding of the concepts being taught nor does he or she know their application. In the composition environment, such a student would not even have attempted the assignment or exam.
The final grading system that freshman compositions are marked with is based on phrases that denote a general sentiment about the quality of work. Although this grading system is not common, the composition instructors that use it are known to be strict in terms of quality as only the highest grade earns an ‘excellent’ (Bridwell, et al. 71). Median performance is graded using phrases such as ‘good work’. Low quality work from the freshman student would be graded using phrases such as ‘fair attempt’, or ‘acceptable’.
RATIONALE BEHIND GRADING STUDENT COMPOSITION ESSAYS IN COLLEGE
There are several logical reasons for grading student composition essays in college. The first one is to find out their level of proficiency in using the English language. More than 90% of the world’s academic institutions of higher learning use the English language as their primary language of instruction. Therefore, these colleges must find the level of proficiency that their freshmen students have before immersing them in more technical and specialized disciplines (Peckam 92). One effective way of doing this is to assign them assignments or even tests that require individuals to be creative in composition and grade them after submission and marking. One objective of this grading exercise is to determine the individual student’s level of proficiency in writing English language.
Another reason why colleges and universities grade student composition essays is to establish the level of comprehension of the lecturer’s instructions. Although majority of the composition essay’s roles are about establishing proficiency in language, there is a critical need to see if the students can follow instructions (Peckam 31). Composition instructors design composition essays for establishing language skills as well as others for gauging the students’ ability to follow instructions. Grading these essays ensures both the students and their instructors have a fairly accurate idea about the students’ comprehension skills.
Compositions are also used to develop student creativity in some talent identification and development courses in college. Some composition instructors, especially those involved in mass communication, public relations, professional writing, and journalism courses use composition essays to identify naturally talented freshmen students (Smith 184). These compositions are graded according to the level of skill the student demonstrates in their composition giving the lecturer a good idea of their potential. Grading composition essays done by freshmen enables composition instructors to identify skilled students and raw talent among protégés.
Compositions also enable students and composition instructors to identify mechanical problems in the use of English language when communicating professionally and socially. This issue is slightly removed from that involving proficiency in grammar because even proficient students have slight mechanical mistakes in syntax and linguistic or semantics (Jerabek and Dieterich 183). Composition instructors issue students specially designed composition essays to enable the students communicate accordingly as per the instructions and desired audience. However, grading enables the composition instructors to identify any mechanical problems even among proficient students.
CRITERIA IN GRADING FRESHMAN COMPOSITION COLLEGE ESSAYS
There is a distinct criterion when grading all college essays, including those that are composition-oriented. The first criterion involves having the three main parts of an essay. All essays in college, regardless of whether they are intended to gauge composition or for technical research purposes, must have an introduction, the main body, and a suitable conclusion (Clara 47). Compositions essays are not exempt from this requirement as the freshman student is expected to begin with strong introduction which also includes a thesis statement highlighting their intentions in the rest of the essay. Afterwards, the main body is presented and usually divided into distinct ideas each in its own paragraph. These paragraphs have a subtle introduction, then develop the main idea, and complete it while creating flow into the next idea and paragraph. Eventually, the composition comes to an end at the conclusion where the student mentions their thesis statement, summarizes the essay’s content and finalizes it. The presence of all these parts is one of the most important grading criterions in composition essays for freshmen students.
Another criterion applicable for grading compositions done by freshmen students is their use of the right English language grammar. All students at this level of academic study must have gone through rigorous training and exercise both at the primary and high school levels. Therefore, they must have a good grasp of English grammar requirements to be used when communicating professionally and informally (White 52). All composition essays must be free of spelling and syntax errors, as well as use the right semantics. Additionally, the student must demonstrate knowledge of a fair English language vocabulary without coming across as pretentious or rude. Composition instructors usually want to see compositions that are free of grammar and spelling mistakes, as well as essays that communicate in an interesting and effective manner while marking and grading these essays.
The third criterion applicable while marking and grading freshmen composition essays are its content. Usually, the lecturer will have designed a specific set of instructions for the students in order to measure their language, communication, or even creativity skills. The ability to follow these instructions while observing other technical and language requirements factors heavily in the grading process. Students who write good composition in terms of both the language and content but fail to follow instructions could fail compared to those whose language is not free of mechanical or grammar issues but they followed all instructions (Peckam 26). These considerations demonstrate the close relationship between grading compositions and the students’ tendency to understand and follow instructions in their content. Therefore, another criterion usable in grading freshmen composition essays is whether the essay content adheres to the required instructions.
Sometimes, composition instructors create room for the freshmen student to get creative or use flowery language thus sparking the interest of an essay’s audience. Such moves are meant to gauge the student’s ability to identify and use opportunities to communicate while achieving desired outcomes (Moxley 9). These scenarios are graded in a unique manner using extra credit. Therefore, one more criterion usable when grading freshmen composition essays involves the use of wiggle room that enables the students to earn extra credits while achieving the same desired outcomes.
JUDGMENT CALL WHEN GRADING STUDENT COMPOSITION ESSAYS
Composition instructors are the instructors whose judgment call applies when grading freshmen composition essays using whatever criteria. Several aspects of this set of circumstances make the relationship between the student and his or her lecturer very unique because the two parties are also human and subject to external biases during teaching processes (Smith 189). However, the lecturer makes the judgment call to award certain students an A or 95% while others earn 80% and Bs based on other influences apart from the actual composition. One influencing factor that sways a lecturer’s judgment call is their attitude towards the student based on their oratory skills. Good oratory skills in freshmen students will always complement their composition essays regardless of the extent to which a lecturer ignores this bias.
The lecturer’s judgment call is also influenced by the student’s organization skills in printed work, or their handwriting when marking handwritten compositions. Although the later are becoming rare due to the effects of digital technology in academics, a student’s handwriting bears significant influence over the attitude their lecturer assumes when grading their work. Similarly, how the student organizes their work after typing and printing could influence a lecturer’s judgment call when they are grading a composition essay (Peckam 29). While there are standardizes typing and printing requirements, composition instructors are able to see beyond such stencil characteristics when marking and grading freshmen composition essays.
Some students have inherently weak language skills based on their introduction to the English language later on than their classmates. Students for whom English is not their first language such as those from African, European, and Asian countries fall into this category. Although many such students are able to assimilate fast and grasp a decent proficiency in both spoken and written English, many still lag behind even as they graduate (Clara 48). This handicap influences the lecturer when they are grading freshmen composition essays because one cannot expect a student from Latvia to have the same proficiency as a student from London or Texas. This is not categorized as bias, rather is it evening the playing field in order to enable a fair learning environment for the disadvantaged freshmen students.
STUDENT REACTIONS TO LETTERED ESSAY GRADES IN COLLEGE
After the lecturer has received submitted essays from freshmen students, marked them, and graded them using letters such as A, B, C, D or F, it is standard practice to return these essays to their owners in the shortest time period possible. This process enables the students to react to these grades and apply any input into their learning process with as little disruption as possible. However, students react differently to their composition instructors’ grades (Moxley 10. One group might embrace the letter-based process positively by asking questions such as why it a B and not an A, before identifying areas of weakness and proceeding to correct them. Such students are usually results oriented and should be guided by the lecturer to enable them enjoy the learning process instead of focusing too much on higher grades. However, these students do react positively to good grades and sometimes overreact to lower grades.
Another common reaction to lettered grades among freshmen college students involved in composition is to equate these grades to their high school performances. Many high schools use the letter-based grading system that has a strong bias towards A. Consequently, Bs, C, and Ds are regarded as substandard grades and shunned. Similarly, freshmen students in this category consider lettered grades other than a plain A to be failure even when the lecturer recognizes good work and great potential.
The third group of students does not care about their grades as long as it is not a D or an F. These students are process-oriented and unlike the first group which is results-oriented, these ones care more about learning than their final grades. Such students do not even go through the lecturer’s commentary about their essay as long as the letter grade fulfills their attitude to learning (Clara 50). However, this reaction to grading using the lettered system could be potentially risky to composition learning processes. Most composition instructors will include comments about individual student work after assigning it a lettered grade. Every student should read these comments carefully in order to identify weaknesses and gather motivation.
The final reaction to lettered grading system among freshmen college students involved rejection in favor of percentile-based grades. Many students who are keen about details want an exact figure assigned to their composition essays to reduce the level of ambiguity associated with lettered grades. Unfortunately, lettered grades are relatively generalized in the sense that an A could be anything from 85% to 100% (Moxley 11). However, freshmen students who are detail-oriented desire an exact figure because for them an A should only be 95-100%. Therefore, some freshmen students who are detail-oriented could react by demanding percentile-based grades when their lecturer assigns those lettered ones.
CONCLUSION
Freshmen students are subjected to many essays in the course of developing and preparing them for more rigorous academic exercises in college or university. Part of this process entails using composition essay to gauge and develop their creativity, English language skills, and comprehension ability. In order for these essays to make sense, the composition instructors must grade them in a process that involves marking the work against a set of predetermined and merit-based requirements. These grades could be letter-based such as A, B, C, D or even F whereby A denotes excellence while F is a fail. Others use percentiles such as 100%, 75% or 40%. Some composition instructors use phrases such as ‘excellent’, ‘fair attempt’, ‘credit’ or ‘fail’.
` The rationale and criteria used by composition instructors in grading freshmen composition essays depends mainly on language skills, comprehension, creativity, and even timely delivery. Some composition instructors also create wiggle room for students with talent and protégés to shine this identifying themselves. Most composition instructors’ judgment call during grading of such essays is subject to various influences. These include language skills of the student, their presentation skills, timely delivery, and the presence of raw talent. Students too react by embracing their lettered grades, rejecting them in favor or more detailed grades, or even making inquiries.
Works Cited
Bridwell, Lilly, et al. “Evaluating Writing: Describing, Measuring, Judging.” The English Journal, vol. 67, no. 9, 1978, p. 71.
Clara, Lewis. “Confessions of a Recovering Grade Inflator.” Writing on the Edge, vol. 24, no. 2, 2014, pp. 45-52.
Jerabek, Ross, and Daniel Dieterich. “Composition Evaluation: The State of the Art.” College Composition and Communication, vol. 26, no. 2, 1975, p. 183.
Moxley, Joseph. “RESPONDING TO STUDENT WRITING: GOALS, METHODS, ALTERNATIVES.” Freshman English News, vol. 17, no. 2, 1989, pp. 9-11.
Peckam, Irvin. “Beyond Grades.” Composition Studies, vol. 21, no. 2, 1993, pp. 16-31.
Peckam, Rachel. “The Elephants Evaluate: Some Notes on the Problem of Grades in Graduate Creative Writing Programs.” Composition Studies, vol. 39, no. 2, 2011, pp. 79-99.
Smith, Vernon. “Measuring Teacher Judgment in the Evaluation of Written Composition.” Research in the Teaching of English, vol. 3, no. 2, 1969, pp. 181-195.
White, Edward M. Assigning, Responding, Evaluating: A Writing Teacher’s Guide.. Bedfords/St. Martin, 2007, p. 52.