And what I do is another variation. I type all my comments and have for many years. Never do write on the papers. I write comments as I read, similar to what I'd handwrite (this point is like what you said earlier...) but it is faster to type them. And more legible.
For the all-purpose comments (you are having a problem with affect and effect.....) I write standard paragraphs and record them as autotext in Word. Then insert them as needed in the comments about a particular paper. Advantages of this system, apart from the obvious reduction in new writing, are that you can give a whole instructional paragraph (explaining the differences between affect and effect,) which we'd never write by hand. Also, we can write extended positive comments (you have an outstanding set of sources for this paper. This is a crucial skill because....). Don't know about you, but often we are so relieved to have a good paper that we don't give it the attention it deserves.
For the overall grading on the paper, I use a rubric, and include a column "your score" when I paste it into their comment sheet.
But now since I get all the papers online, this process is streamlined even more. I use the "comment" feature for the quick specific remarks in the text. And use the autotext paragraphs either with the "comment" button or at the end of the paper.
I have a two-semester research methods course in which students pursue an individual project over the course of two semesters, and the only paper they print is their final report, bound copies for themselves and for the department archives.
I'll send slides from a workshop on this process to anyone who is interested and am happy to correspond about it.
And thanks to everyone else for their criteria! Best, Susanne Roberts, Keith wrote:
-----Original Message----- Teach-Soc'ers: I remember from other discussions on this list that many of you use standardized comment sheets for grading papers so that you don't have to keep writing common comments like "watch sentence structure" on paper after paper. Instead, you just jot down on the student's paper the number that corresponds to this comment on a standardized comment sheet. I'm thinking of adopting this approach because of the sheer number of papers I'm grading and the redundant comments I'm finding myself writing on them. I'm wondering if anyone has an example of such a grading sheet they could share with me. What I do is to create a grading rubric for each paper--based on the published grading criteria for that assignment (as set forth in the syllabus). But on the back side of the sheet, I have a checklist, and just check the box for that category of problem. Our college has all adopted the same grammar/composition book, so in all classes we can reference the page numbers of the issue, so you will see that on these sheets as well. This may or may not be what you have in mind, but it does greatly reduce the number of times I have to write something. I just put a checkmark in the margins when there is an error. Keith
-- Susanne Morgan, Ph.D. Department of Sociology Center for Faculty Excellence Ithaca College Ithaca NY 14850 http://www.ithaca.edu/cfe (607) 274-3521 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
