how to grade essays quickly

How to Grade Essays Faster | My Top 10 Grading Tips and Tricks

Are you looking for ways to grade essays faster? I get it. Grading essays can be a daunting task for ELA teachers. Following these essay grading tips and tricks can save you time and energy on grading without giving up quality feedback to your students.

Are you Googling “How to Grade Essays Faster” because that never-ending pile of essays is starting to haunt you? (Yup. I’ve been there.) Teachers of all disciplines understand the work-life struggle of the profession. Throw in 60, 80, 100, or more essays, and you’re likely giving up evenings and weekends until that pile is gone.

Truthfully, while there are many aspects of being an ELA teacher I love , grading essays doesn’t quite make the list. However, it’s a necessary aspect of the ELA classroom to hold students accountable and help them improve. But what if I told you there were some tips and tricks you could use to make grading much easier and faster? Because there are. That means saying goodbye to spending your weekends lost in a sea of student essays. It means no more living at school the weeks following students turning in an essay. Instead, prepare to celebrate getting your time (and sanity) back.

Start By Reframing Your Definition of Grading an Essay

Before you can implement my time-saving grading tips and tricks, you need to be willing to shift your mindset regarding grading. Afterall, where does it say we have to give up hours upon hours of our time to get it done? It’s time to start redefining and reframing what it even means to grade an essay.

The key to reframing your definition (and, therefore, expectations) about grading student essays is thinking about helping your students, not correcting them. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with pointing out grammatical and structural errors. However, it’s essential to focus on leaving constructive feedback that can help students improve their craft. Now, how can that be done without spending hours filling the margins with comments?

I’m glad you asked.

Grade Essays Faster with These Tips and Tricks

Since we can’t avoid grading altogether, I hope these tips and tricks can help you grade essays faster and increase student performance. And while I love rubrics, and they can certainly save time grading, they aren’t your only option. So here are eight other tips and tricks to try.

Tip 1: Get Focused.

This has been one of my biggest grading time-savers. And I’m not just talking about limiting your distractions while you grade (more on that in a minute), but I mean narrow your focus on what it is you’re grading. Often, we spend so much time correcting every single grammatical mistake that we miss opportunities to give feedback on the skills we’re currently teaching. Try to focus your feedback on the specific skills your students just learned, like writing a strong thesis, embedding quotations, providing supporting evidence, or transitioning from paragraph to paragraph.

Taking this approach to grading will lead to less overwhelm for both you and your students. In fact, your students will have a clearer understanding of what they need to continue working on. Just be sure to make the specific skill (or skills) that you’re looking for (and grading) clear at the start of the assignment.

Tip 2: Give Student Choice.

Let’s say you’ve been working on a particular skill for a few weeks and have had your students practice using various writing prompts. Instead of feeling forced to provide feedback on every written response, let your students choose their best work for you to grade. I find that this grading technique works best on shorter assignments.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t apply this to longer essays. If you’ve been working on a certain aspect of essay writing, you can let your students pick the paragraph from their essay they want you to grade. Either way, encourage your students to select the writing they believe best represents their skills and knowledge for the task at hand. Not only will this cut down on your grading time, but it will also encourage a sense of ownership over students’ grades.

Tip 3: Check Mark Revisions.

The checkmark revision approach is a great way to put more ownership and accountability on your students. Instead of grading a student essay by telling them exactly what to fix, turn it into a learning opportunity! As you review the student essay, simply use check marks to note areas that need to be corrected or could be improved. Then, give students time in class to work through their essays, identifying what the check mark indicates and making proper adjustments.

However, make sure your students have a clear list (or rubric) outlining the expectations for the essay. They can use this list to refer to when trying to figure out what revisions they need to make to improve their work. Alternatively, if you’re not ready to jump straight to checkmarks, you can create a comment code that provides a bit more guidance for students without taking up a lot of your time.

Tip 4: Use Conferences.

Have you ever thought about holding student-teacher conferences in lieu of providing written feedback? If not, you totally should! Students are so used to teachers doing the heavy lifting for them. Alternatively, turn the revision process into an active experience for them. Instead of going through the essay on your own, marking errors, and making suggestions, talk it through with each student.

When it comes to student-teacher conferences, make sure to set a reasonable time limit for each conference to ensure you’re not spending days conducting these meetings. Just make sure your time limit is enough to review their written work and provide verbal feedback. I require each student to mark their essay as we review it so they know exactly what to work on. While I’m more than willing to answer questions, I encourage students to make an appointment with me after school if they need extensive help.

Tip 5: Skim and Review

I can’t be the only one who wants to shed a tear of frustration when I watch a student toss a comment-covered essay right into recycling. So, instead of spending hours leaving comments on each and every student’s essay, skim through their rough drafts while noting common errors. That way, instead of waiting until students turn in their final draft to address their mistakes, you can review common errors in class before they submit a final draft.  Trust me. This will make grading those final drafts much easier– especially if you have a clear rubric or grading checklist to follow.

This is a great way to review common grammar mistakes that we don’t always take time to teach at the secondary level. It’s also a great way for you to address aspects of your target skills that students are still struggling with. Lastly, I find this shift in focus from the final product to the revision process helps students better understand (and, perhaps, appreciate) the writing process as more than a grade but a learning experience.

Tip 6: Leave a Comment at the End.

This is a huge time-saver, and it’s pretty simple. Although be warned, it might challenge you to go against all of your grading instincts! We’re so used to marking every single error or making all the suggestions with student essays. But, students are often overwhelmed by the mere look of ink-filled margins. What if, instead, you save your comments for the end and limit yourself to one or two celebrations and one or two areas for improvement? This is a simple yet clear way to provide feedback to your students on a final draft, especially if you’ve already gone through a more in-depth revision process from draft to draft.

Okay fine. If you must, you can fix the grammatical errors using a red pen, but save your energy by avoiding writing the same thing over and over again. If you’ve marked the same error three times, let that be it. If they don’t get it after three examples, they should probably make time to see you after school.

Tip 7: Grade Paragraph-by-Paragraph.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by grading a tall stack of essays, consider breaking your grading– and writing– process down by paragraph. Assessing a single paragraph is far more time-friendly than an entire essay. So, have your students work on their essay paragraph by paragraph, turning each component in as they are completed. That way, you can provide quick and effective feedback they can apply when revising that paragraph and writing any future paragraphs for the final piece. Take it a step further by breaking it down into specific skills and components of an essay. For example, maybe you grade students’ thesis statements and supporting evidence as two separate steps. Grading each of these components takes far less time and, by the time students put it all together for their final essay, their writing should be much more polished and easier to grade. Plus, since you gave immediate feedback throughout the process, you don’t have to worry about spending hours writing comments throughout their entire paper. Instead, give the students a “final” grade using a simple rubric. And since you gave them opportunities to apply your feedback throughout the writing process, you can even have an “improvement” section of the rubric. This is an easy way to acknowledge student effort and progress with their writing.

Tip 8: Mark-up a Model Paragraph.

Take some of the work off your plate by grading a paragraph and letting the students do the rest. (You read that right.) Here’s how it works: instead of grading an entire paper, rewriting the same comments paragraph after paragraph, just mark up a model paragraph. Alternatively, you can grade the intro and conclusion paragraphs, while marking up one body paragraph as a model for the remaining body paragraphs. Give them a score on a smaller scale, such as 1 to 10, as a phase one grade.

Then, set aside time in class to have your students review your model paragraph and use it to mark up the rest of their paper before fixing their errors. I like giving them time in class to do this so they can ask me any clarifying questions in real-time. Once they turn in their revised essay, you can give them a phase two grade without having to worry about diving too deep into feedback. A comment per paragraph or page would suffice.

More Teacher Tricks to Help You Grade Essays Faster

T ip 9: set realistic goals..

Just like we set our students up for success, set yourself up for success too. If you know you can’t get through a class worth of essays during your prep period, don’t set it as your goal. You’ll only feel overwhelmed, disappointed, and discouraged when you only make it through half of your stack. Instead, only tackle your grading when you have the time to do so, and set realistic goals when you do. Grading more essays than you planned on? You feel on top of the world. Grading fewer? You feel like it’s neverending.

Tip 10: Avoid Distractions.

Instagram? Facebook? I know how easy it is to wander over to your phone and take a scroll break. But, we both know a few minutes can turn into an hour real fast. So, do yourself a favor, and when you know it’s time to grade a stack of essays, free your space of any distractions and set a timer. You’d be surprised by how much you can get done in an hour of uninterrupted essay grading.

The bottom line is that grading is an unavoidable aspect of being an ELA teacher. However, I hope one or more of these ideas can help you grade essays faster. The truth is, with these essay grading tips and tricks, you won’t only grade essays more efficiently, but you’ll provide better feedback for students as well. In fact, the longer we take to grade (or procrastinate grading) those essays, the less effective the feedback is for students, period.

So, here’s to more effective grading– faster!

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12 Smart Ideas To Grade Essays Faster

Grading essays can be extremely time-consuming. Here are 12 smart–and simple–ideas to grade essays faster.

12 Ways To Significantly Shorten Essay Grading Time

contributed by Todd Finley

Does grading a stack of papers feel like shoveling smoke for a weekend? Like the payoff does not equal your effort?

Over the years, I’ve learned strategies to reduce my essay grading time and mental hangover without sacrificing student accountability and the benefits of feedback.

Some of the following strategies will save you days every semester. But even if they only save you minutes, that extra time can be used to plan better lessons and remember what your family looks like.

All the recommended tips involve essays submitted on paper. I realize this is the 21st century, but responding to paper is faster than negotiating digital essays in the cloud.

See also  How To Save Time Teaching With Technology

1. Try Russian Roulette Grading

Students need vast composing time to develop writing chops, but that needn’t add extra grading to your schedule. Direct students to compose an answer to the daily journal question for the first 10 minutes of every class. On Friday, provide students time to revise their entries.

Then use a spinner (or another method) at the end of class to publically select which journal of the day, out of those written during the previous week, will be scored. If the wheel selects Wednesday, have students bookmark Wednesday’s page in their journal so you can locate that entry quickly, read it, then provide commentary and a quality score.

Enter completion point for the other entries without reading them. Learners will accept this system as long as you set expectations about the process in advance.

2. Conduct Formative Assessment Early

Kymberly Fergusson collects and responds quickly to sloppy copy drafts “to prevent plagiarism, and catch problems or misunderstandings early…” If a large percentage of students fundamentally misunderstand your assignment, take time to reteach the rhetorical context using a tool like SOAPSTone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone).

3. Attach a Tracking Sheet

When I grade kids’ drafts, I write one or two of the biggest recurring issues on a yellow cardstock tracking sheet that learners staple to every essay. Heavy cardstock has a better chance of surviving the semester and colored paper is hard to misplace.

Students know that if they make the same mistake for two or more drafts, the scores on their papers lower significantly and we schedule a writing conference to discuss the issue. If several students make the same mistake, I teach a mini-lesson on the topic to the entire class.

Writer’s Tracking Sheet Example Writer: Jane Doe

Assignment #1 – argumentative essay (10/22/17).

• Lacking support for claim
• Unconventional comma

Assignment #2 – Multi-Genre Research Paper Rough Draft (11/2/17)

Assignment #3 – multi-genre research paper final draft (11/7/17).

• Dangling modifiers
• Unfocused (2)

The “Writer’s Tracking Sheet” documents progress on heavy yellow cardstock attached to each essay.

4. Annotate with Check Marks

Instead of copy-editing an essay, write check marks in the margins to identify where errors are located. A check mark is faster to write than “comma splice” and doesn’t contribute to learned helplessness. Ask students to diagnose the error and make changes before submitting a final draft.

If a learner doesn’t know how to change her composition, I keep several copies of Barbara Fine Clouse’s A Troubleshooting Guide for Writers: Strategies & Process (3rd Edition/affiliate link) in the classroom. Clouse offers 240 specific writing strategies to address common higher and lower order writing concerns.

For example, she provides a list of 24 ‘warning words’ (after, although, as, as if, as long as, etc.) to identify fragments and several strategies for correcting the error.

5. Don’t Copy-Edit an Entire Paper

Too much commentary is worse than too little.

Most students don’t possess the bandwidth to internalize an intensively edited paper, and become overwhelmed. So I don’t waste time marking up every sentence like I’m editing an early draft of the Magna Carta. Mark up one paragraph as a model, and then have students edit the rest.

6. Direct Students to Scan their Own Essays with the SAS Writing Reviser

Instead of assuming the job of identifying essay problems, teachers can now offload some of that chore to technology.

The SAS Writing Reviser, a free Google Docs add-on, is crazy-useful! It provides feedback on a couple dozen sentence issues: misplaced modifiers, pronoun/antecedents, weak and hidden verbs, etc. Thus, writers can independently locate and edit concrete grammatical and syntactical issues before you see their work.

7. Take Baby Steps

Dana Truby recommends that teachers occasionally chunk essay assignments into smaller parts by asking writers to “1) write a claim, 2) provide supporting evidence, 3) write a conclusion.”

This strategy, says Truby, saves time and results in better essays.

Lightning Round! Short and Mighty Tips for Reducing Grading Time

8. Write One Letter for the Whole Class

List common strengths and weaknesses while scanning papers. Then write the entire class an essay evaluation letter and allow learners to revise accordingly.

9. Grade with a Timer

Think efficiency…Identify a maximum time to spend on each essay, say 3-minutes per page, so you don’t linger too long on any one paper. To increase your focus, breathe deeply and perform 5-10 squats after completing 3 papers.

10. Grade with a Checklist

Point-based holistic rubrics force instructors to make hundreds of numerical decisions about multiple essay traits and prolong the scoring process. Let’s see, is his ‘focus’ worth 8 points or 9? Hmmmm. . . Reduce decision fatigue; replace your number-based rubric with a checklist.

11. Hold Revising Conferences

For papers that are plagued with errors, arrange for a short conference instead of writing a long commentary. If multiple writers struggle with a similar issue, gather them for a group conference.

12. Ask for a Writer’s Memo

Students must draft and submit a writer’s memo or dual-entry rubric with their essays. When students identify their issues and strengths, you don’t have to describe the problem for them.

Finally, when introducing the writing assignment, slow down! Methodically co-construct the essay rubric with your class. Analyze strong and weak essays written by previous students. Identify how to overcome common obstacles.

Show a sizzle reel of outstanding titles and sentences from previous students’ work, accompanied by the soaring “Somos Novios,” then challenge students to pick up a pen and write like heroes pushing mountains into the sea! An hour of guidance and inspiration, when an essay is assigned, can reduce common errors and response time later.

This strategy also forestalls the agony of reading half-hearted essays all weekend.

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• 10 Tips for Grading Essays Quickly and Efficiently

We’ve all been there. No one likes marking. But as a professor, it’s part of the job description. One of the draft titles of this post was even “How to Grade Essays Without Wanting to Commit Murder.” While there are some great guides on teaching the mechanics of grading available, there isn’t much useful advice on how to make grading easier apart from either having fewer assignments or providing less feedback. In the real world, neither one of these is very useful. But there are strategies that every instructor or professor can follow to make grading essays quicker and more efficient. Here are some of mine.

1) Have Faith in Yourself

One of the biggest problems I’ve faced and continue to face as an instructor is Imposter Syndrome, or the belief that I’ve somehow fooled everyone around me into believing that I am a knowledgeable and competent person. Grading is one area where Imposter Syndrome likes to rear its ugly head. You will have finished reading a paper and then start to doubt that you’ve given it an appropriate grade. Or you worry that your students will get mad at you for giving them a bad grade. Or you’ll worry that this paper will result in a grade dispute, and then real professors will review and judge your work and find you wanting. Resist these thoughts. Remember that you have the expertise and good judgement to evaluate essays. Do not second-guess yourself. Assign a grade, make your comments, and move on. Have faith that you have done your best.

2) Don’t Repeat Yourself

It’s very common in research essays to see that same mistake made more than once. This is particularly the case when it comes to footnotes and bibliographies, which are often filled with tiny mistakes. Don’t spend all your time correcting these mistakes. Fix it once, and explain what you did. If you see it again, circle it and write something like “see previous comment on…” If it’s a systematic problem, I’d then make a note to mention this problem in the comments and say that you’ve only corrected a couple of instances to give them an idea of how to do it properly. This is not high school, and it is not your job to find every single mistake on an essay and correct it. Instead, identify the problem, and give your student an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned. The same goes for grammar and spelling. If it’s a serious issue, I always recommend that students go see the Writing Centre. It’s not your job to teach them how to write (unless it’s a composition class, in which case, good luck!)

3) Create a Comment Bank

You’ll notice that after a while, you will repeat the same sentences over and over again. To save yourself from having to either remember what you said last time or type or to write the same sentence over and over again, create a Word document with your most common comments. This is sometimes referred to as a Comment Bank or a Teaching Toolbox. I will do a whole blog post on this in the near future, but it’s easy to get started. If you save your comments on your computer, read through them and copy and paste the most common into a new Word document. For example, one that I use a lot is “While I can see that you are trying to make an argument here, you spend too much time describing or summarizing your sources rather than analysing them. In general, you should avoid description as much as possible.” The time and frustration you will save is immeasurable

4) Create a Bibliographic Bank

Odds are you will receive several papers on a given topic. Once you’ve been marking for a while, you’ll notice that you keep recommending the same books or articles. Again, to save you from having to remember which sources you want to recommend and/or typing out the full references, create a Word document with a list of topics and some of the most important sources listed for each. This way you only do the research once, rather than a million times. This is also helpful if you want to evaluate whether your students have selected appropriate sources or have missed important ones. Your comps list can be a great starting point.

5) Make a Grading Conversion Chart

In general, most assignments require three different “grades”: a letter grade, a percentage, and a numeric grade (like 7 out of 10). They each have their own purposes, but the odds are you will need to convert between them. Even when working at one institution for many years, it can be hard to do this conversion in your head. Spend several years as a sessional at multiple universities with their own ideas about what each letter grade means, and the problem grows exponentially. My solution is is to use an Excel spreadsheet of grades. This is relative easy to create. Mine look like this:

It’s really easy to do. Each “out of” number has three columns. The first is a numeric grade. The second is that grade converted to a percentage (it’s easier to do with a formula, and then just do “fill down.”) The third column is the corresponding letter grade. You can fill these in manually, or you can use a formula.

Here’s mine, but make sure yours corresponds to your institution’s grading scheme! =IF(K19>=95%,”A+”,IF(K19>90%,”A”,IF(K19>=85%,”A “, IF(K19>=80%,”B+”, IF(K19>=75%,”B”,IF(K19>70%,”B-“, IF(K19>65%,”C+”,IF(K19>60%,”C”,IF(K19>55%,”C”, IF(K19>50%,”P”,IF(K19>0%,”NC”,)))))))))))

6) Mark in Batches

I like to run, and when you’re really tired and facing a long run, thinking of the time remaining in intervals makes it much easier. The same is true for marking. A stack of 100 essays seems insurmountable. So what I do is break that stack down into manageable groups, usually 3 or 5 essays, which is about an hour to an hour and a half of grading, depending on the length of the essay. I sit down, grade those essays, type the comments up, put the grades into my grading sheet, and then take a break of at least 45 minutes. This is part of the SMART goal system (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound). It really does help make the grading feel achievable while also ensuring that you are giving your mind a break every one in a while. Once you’ve finished your batch, either set them aside in a different location or put a tick or some kind of mark on them so you can easily tell that they are all finished.

7) When in Doubt, Roll Up

Many essays seem to fall in a valley between one grade and the next, like when you’re not sure if it’s a B- or a B. In these cases, I almost always roll up. This was advice that I got when I was a TA, and it stuck with me. Try to give your students the benefit of the doubt. Remember that university is hard. Many students take multiple classes and/or work while in school. If you are dealing with a paper on the borderline between one grade and the next, or your paper is within 1 to 2% of rolling to the next letter grade, then just bump the grade. It’s always better to err on the side of generosity. And giving someone a 69.5% instead of a 70% is just a bit of a dick move.

8) Don’t Waste Your Time

There will be essays that are so bad that they defy all explanation. Either there are no footnotes or bibliography, the essay is 3 pages when it was supposed to be 8, or the student just completely ignored your instructions. In other words, it’s obvious that the student just doesn’t care. Don’t waste your time commenting on these papers. If your student can’t be bothered to read the instructions, then you have no obligation to spend your precious time marking the paper. I usually place a comment to the effect of: “I would strongly recommend that you review the requirements for this assignment, which can be found on the Research Assignment Instructions sheet.” I find that this is firm, but fair. Save your energy for the students who really put effort into their papers, even when they don’t succeed.

9) If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, Say Something Nice Anyways

Students are humans (though it’s easy to forget this sometimes…), and respond best to positive reinforcement. So try to find something good to say about the essay. Some suggestions, courtesy of my good friend Clare include: “Nice margins!” “Excellent choice of font!” On a more serious note, I usually go with something like “This is a great effort!” or “I can see that you are trying here!” I always use the positive-negative-positive sandwich. Put a positive comment, then a negative comment, and then another positive comment. This tends to motivate students to do better rather than just feel defeated. Remember, your job is to encourage students to learn, so make them feel like you are invested in their success.

Expert Tip: One variation on the positive-negative-positive sandwich comes courtesy of my friend Teva Vidal: “The “shit sandwich” is for kids who deserve detailed feedback but who just missed the mark: start off with the main strengths of what they wrote, then lay it on thick with what they screwed up, then end on a positive note in terms of how they can use what they’ve already got going for them to make it better in the future.

10) Try to find some joy in the work

You know how “Time flies when you’re having fun”? Well, this approach can help with marking. Try to have a sense of humour about the whole thing. There will be times when you become angry or frustrated because it seems like students are ignoring your instructions and therefore losing marks unnecessarily. Laughing this off will help. Some professors like to collect so-called “dumb” sentences and post them online. There are a number of ethical problems with that that I will not get into here. But I can and have shared them with my husband when I’m grading in the room with him. We can laugh together and I blow off steam (Saving your marriage through marking! I can see my husband laughing right now). I also like to mark with a bright pink pen, since it’s hard to get mad when you’re writing in pink ink.

—————————————-

So those are my suggestions for making the grading of essays a little more pleasant. I think the most important takeaway is that it’s worth spending the time to create tools. For many years, I would waste time researching lists of sources, writing out the same comments, and using a calculator. But my time, and yours, is precious, so work smart, not hard (this is becoming something of a motto…). Any other tips for grading essays quickly and efficiently? Let me know in the comments below!

So You Want to be a Sessional

essays expert tip grading Sessional work smart not hard

November 18, 2017 at 7:59 am

Many thanks for this! Found it really useful while I’m grading my mid-terms 🙂 The comment about imposter syndrome resonated with me – I’m always second guessing if I should grade higher or lower, or leave it. Most times, I re-read the essay and see that my grading was actually fair first time around.

November 18, 2017 at 5:00 pm

Same here! I still struggle with this, and I’ve been teaching for nearly ten years! Glad I could help!

October 16, 2019 at 3:32 pm

Im a new tertiary level lecturer and I am finding marking the most insightful way to udnerstand how students think. Some of the papers I have marked recently have been indescribable, incomprehnsible and just mere reflections of what I am defining as ‘laziness’. To justify this definition I thought long and hard and finally realised that if it took me truck loads of hours to get it right on essay writing, and to Masters level thats a lot of assignments.  So when I really feel confused I reflect back on my own learning experiences and use that as a secondary standard with the marking rubric the primary standard…I refuse to compromise my standards of learning just to enable a lazy student to maintain theirs.

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How to Achieve Higher Essay Grades (In Just Ten Minutes)

Achieving higher essay grades may seem like a bit of a mystery.

You need to: -   understand the topic/question -   plan a coherent answer -   conduct great research -   write clear logical arguments -   apply good examples -   write in an academic, professional style -   think critically -   create powerful introductions and conclusions -   demonstrate good editing and proofreading skills -   reference/cite accurately…

It IS possible to learn and master all of these skills, but just not at once, and not all in one blog post or training.

What I can teach you is ONE thing you can do right now, that only takes ten minutes, to start yourself on the road to higher essay grades. If you know you want to achieve better marks, but you’re not sure how, this is your best starting point.

~ FREE RESOURCE ~

Study Session Planner

Create your own simple, productive study plan in just a few minutes , so you can boost your motivation and focus, get more done in less time , and make faster progress towards your dream university grades .

Learn my method and repeat it with every essay and you should see your marks rise with every essay  (to a point obviously!).

You should always be aiming to improve in your studies. Whether that’s indirectly by enhancing your study skills, or by making direct increases in your marks and grades. The way to do this is through continuous improvement.

‘Practice the philosophy of continuous improvement. Get a little better every single  day’ - Brian Tracy

Learning from feedback is the first step and is a vital skill all students need to develop.

I study with the Open University where essays are returned with tutor feedback. This feedback normally includes comments on what I did right, remarks on what I didn’t do so well, and suggestions for how I can improve.

Some critiques I’ve had in the past are: ‘Your referencing is incorrect. Look at the module handbook for the rules’ ‘You seem to lose your focus here and end up adding in some irrelevant points’ ‘You wasted words on details and could have gone deeper’ ‘You didn’t refer back to the module material enough. Try to back up all of your points with theory and evidence.’

Now, some of those make for uncomfortable reading right? It’s never easy to receive negative feedback. Even if you know it’s good for you. It can feel like a slap in the face to read negative comments when you were actually pretty happy with what you submitted.

But here’s the difference between a low grade and high grades student. A low grade student will glance at feedback and put it aside, or read it, feel upset or angry and ignore it. A low grade student will miss easy opportunities to achieve higher essay grades and will end up making the same silly mistakes multiple times.

On the other hand, a high grade student uses their feedback as an opportunity to learn. They see the potential for higher essay grades in those comments and they pay attention to them – even if they don’t want to. With every essay they fix errors and make tweaks here and there; their study skills develop and their marks start to climb.

Receiving negative comments can make you feel like a failure. But remember this. A mistake is not a failure. A mistake is part of being human. But making the same mistake over and over when you have the capacity to change is a failure.

In one of my modules I was told early on that my referencing was incorrect. That was my mistake. But I didn’t want to hear the feedback so I ignored it. For the next three essays I lost marks every single time for my referencing. That was a failure. I finally took responsibility for my grades and spent a little time reading my feedback and learning how to reference properly. My next essay I got it right and my marks increased.

I hope you can now see the value in learning from feedback. But what if the feedback you get isn’t enough?

If your university doesn’t provide much feedback – ask for it.

Email or visit your tutor and tell them that you want to improve your grades with their help. Ask them for specific, tangible examples of where you lost marks and brainstorm with them some ideas for improving in those areas.

The worst thing that can happen is they say no when you ask for help, but I can’t imagine that would happen as it’s their job to support you. They probably don’t have time to help you develop those weaker areas, but they can point you in the right direction so you can do the work yourself.

Ok, so now I‘m going to share with you my method for learning from feedback to achieve higher essay grades.

7 steps to higher essay grades using your tutor feedback

1.  Grab your marked essay and all tutor feedback.

2. Scan your feedback for positive comments from your tutor. Look for things you did RIGHT and note them down as a reminder to continue doing those things.

3. Next, look at your feedback and note down where you lost marks – what you didn’t do so well.

4. Then I want you to reflect on your own performance. First think of the things you did right in your essay e.g. ‘I spent time planning my essay before I started writing’ or, ‘I took really good notes so my essay writing was easier’. Next think of the negative points e.g. ‘I started writing too late so I didn’t have time to review my answer’ or ‘I misread part of the question so went off on a tangent and lost marks’. Note down these elements alongside your positive and negative tutor feedback.

5. For your negative points – think of action you can take improve these areas in preparation for higher essay grades next time.

6. File this sheet with your marked essay and guidance and use it as a checklist when you’re working on your next essay. You want to make sure you’re still doing the good things, and that you’ve taken action to resolve or improve the not-so-good things.

7. Pat yourself on the back and get the wine in in anticipation of higher essay grades in the future.

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We've all been there: gazing blankly at a computer screen, yearning for the right words to wow our teachers and nab that elusive A on our essays. But don't worry, my fellow students; I have a few techniques up my sleeve that can help you obtain that desired A on your next essay.

Writing a high-quality essay can be a difficult undertaking, but with little advice and effort, you can become a master of the written word. In this article, I will outline six strategies to help you get an A on your essay.

1. Know Your Audience

Knowing what to expect from your reader will enable you to write an essay that meets their needs and improves your grade. Look into the topics that interest your professor and, if you can, try to include them in your essay. 

Additionally, think about the kind of reader who will be assigning a grade to your essay. Are they more interested in seeing you show off your subject area knowledge than they are in a more imaginative and captivating writing style? You may more effectively modify your writing style to meet the expectations of your reader if you keep these factors in mind.

2. Conduct Thorough Research and Analysis

Start by choosing a topic that you're passionate about and that you can write about with authority. Conduct thorough research to gather information, making sure to use credible sources such as academic journals and books. 

Once you've gathered all of your information, take the time to analyze it and find the most relevant pieces to include in your essay. Your analysis should be informed by your thesis statement , which should be a concise summary of your argument that you will prove throughout your essay.

3. Craft a Strong Structure

Writing a strong thesis statement is the foundation of a well-organized essay. It should be clear, concise, and accurately reflect the main point of your essay. From there, create an outline that will guide your writing and help ensure that your essay is organized logically and flows smoothly. Make sure to use effective transitions to connect your ideas and maintain coherence throughout your essay.

4. Maintain Clear Language and Consistent Style

Language and style are also crucial elements of a successful essay. Using clear and concise language will help ensure that your reader can easily understand your arguments. Avoid common grammatical errors such as run-on sentences and improper use of pronouns. 

A varied vocabulary can also help keep your reader engaged and interested in your essay. Finally, creating a compelling writing style is the icing on the cake that can elevate your essay from good to great.

5. Edit and Revise

Editing and revision are often overlooked but are essential to writing a high-quality essay. Take the time to revise your essay for clarity and coherence, eliminating any unnecessary words or phrases that may detract from your argument. 

Check for spelling and punctuation errors, and consider seeking feedback from peers or professors to identify any areas for improvement. Editing your essay and revising it is a critical component of the writing process and can make the difference between a mediocre essay and an outstanding one.

6. Manage Time Efficiently

Avoiding procrastination and establishing reasonable deadlines might help you ensure that you have enough time to finish your essay to the best of your ability. You may manage the writing process better and prevent feeling overwhelmed by breaking your article into digestible chunks. Your essay will be polished and prepared to impress your professor if you give yourself enough time for revision and editing.

Writing an essay that earns an A requires commitment and effort, but with the tips in this essay, you can improve your writing. However, keep in mind that these tips are not a one-size-fits-all solution, so you may need to modify them to fit your particular writing style and assignment requirements.

It's also critical to remember that writing an essay is not just about getting an A. While grades are important, the true value of writing an essay is found in the process of gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing information as well as in the ability to clearly and coherently express your thoughts and ideas. You can use the abilities you develop when writing essays , such critical thinking and good communication, in both your academic and professional careers. 

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Grading Faster And Smarter

By  Natascha Chtena

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Natascha Chtena is a PhD student in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @nataschachtena .

As a TA, you’re generally going to be grading a lot of assignments per semester (or quarter). Grading, though a perpetually thorny issue , is important and it is a big part of teaching at the university level. And while it’s oftentimes hard to keep up, it doesn’t have to be the gruesome, draining thing that makes teaching all-consuming .

Whether you’re grading assignments, essays, lab reports, or exams, there are some general strategies that can help you save time AND ensure that you’re being fair towards your students.

A. Preparing for Grading

Remember that grading starts well before you actually sit down with your pen (or laptop). Having an efficient system for assigning and collecting work, and a good grading guide, can make all the difference.

Communicate your expectations clearly

Discuss the grading rubric with students, provide them with writing and referencing guides, or hand out samples of poor, adequate, and excellent responses. Whichever method you choose, make sure your students have a good understanding of what you’re going to be grading for. Don’t rely on students consulting the syllabus or course website, even if the expectations are discussed extensively there. Rather, devote some class time to reviewing that information with them, offering examples, and answering questions.

Don’t underestimate the little things

I collect homework assignments during every class, and so keeping track of everything can be a real challenge. To keep track of all the papers, I alphabetize them right after I collect them, clip them together, put a sticky note with names of students who did not turn their assignments in, and mark the date of collection on the sticky. This helps to keep students (and myself) accountable, and saves time when entering their grades into the gradebook.

Set rules for tardiness and stick to them

I’ve made a habit of not accepting late assignments unless for serious emergencies, which has made a real difference. Going back to problems you’ve covered days or weeks before, and grading piles of papers that cover different topics, is much more time consuming than most people realize.

Prepare an answer key or grading guide in advance

The key/guide is really worth the time and fuss—I had to learn this the hard way. If your  course instructor provides you with a rubric, consider yourself lucky (even if you don’t agree with all the details). If they don’t, make a list of the things you will be specifically looking for in each question. If you’re unclear, don’t hesitate to reach out to your supervisor or fellow TAs for help. For assignments like drills, multiple choice, and true/false questions or short written responses, you might also want to consider providing your students with the key, have them mark each other’s work (or their own, if you’re opposed to students correcting each other ) and submit the assignments back to you.

Review drafts

I know this sounds like twice the work, but trust me. It will help you detect problems early, seriously improve the quality of the assignments students turn in, and save time when grading. A paper that completely misses the point, has no structure, or is strikingly off-topic can be a real challenge to grade and, if you don’t review drafts, chances are you’ll get more than a few of those. Especially if you’re teaching a GE course.

Find a pleasant place for grading

I often find that going somewhere nice and quiet, like a coffee shop, museum café, or library, helps me get a lot more done faster than I would if I were just sitting around my house or in my TA office. There is only one thing I have to work on if I take it somewhere and I don’t get distracted as much as a result. I favor places without wifi for obvious reasons and if I need to look something up, I just use the 3G on my phone.

B. During the Grading Process

If you’ve prepared properly, you’ve already done half the work by the time you get to the marking itself. Below, I offer a few suggestions on how to make the grading process more responsible, smooth, and efficient.

Skim all assignments before you start grading

If all is too many, then use a random but decently sized sample. This will help you determine the general level of performance and tweak your rubric/grading guide if required. Skimming is especially important for essays or more complex work, as it will save you time from having to go back and readjust your grading scale.

Mark one section or aspect at a time

Marking one section at a time does not only help eliminate bias, it is also much, much faster than grading one paper at a time. It keeps you focused on one topic and if you’re “lucky” and grading a drill/quiz type of assignment, then you can even memorize the answers, which will naturally increase speed. Now you’re thinking, how does that work for an essay or research paper? When you can’t grade one section at a time, grade one aspect at a time. In other words, grade all submissions for content first, then return to assess structure, the clarity and consistency of their argument, and writing quality.

Record your grading criteria as you grade

This helps you become more efficient, as you encounter the same mistakes repeatedly and it ensures you stay consistent in your grading; you have a record of how you handled the same issue or mistake previously without having to shuffle through a pile of papers.

Set potentially plagiarized papers aside

Checking for plagiarism can be distracting and time-consuming. If you suspect a paper is plagiarized (they’re fairly easy to spot), put it aside and deal with it after you’ve finished grading everything else. Find phrases that pop out and check them on Google and Google Scholar. Contact your course instructor immediately if you come across cases of plagiarism. Remember not to accuse your student of anything before running it by your supervisor.

Avoid over-marking

Rather, provide just enough feedback. Highlight, underline, or use symbols (which you’ve communicated to your students!) to mark what was done well and what’s problematic. While providing some individual feedback is important for building rapport and improving student performance, correcting every grammar mistake or rewriting the assignment for them is not. Set yourself three goals and keep it short: highlighting what was done well (starting out this way is always a good idea), pointing out key mistakes and weaknesses, and providing suggestions for improvement. For essays and research papers, I like using a separate “feedback sheet” (rather than commenting on the paper directly). It includes the rubric/grading scale and their respective points for each element, as well as a designated space for general remarks at the bottom. I also like encouraging students to visit me during office hours for more extensive feedback, especially when too much red ink is starting to build on the paper.

Provide collective feedback

To avoid repeating the same comments over and over again, some TAs like using a file of common comments when marking documents electronically and copy-pasting feedback as appropriate. I prefer making notes of common problems and mistakes as I grade and providing students with general post-exam or post-assignment feedback. It’s usually a class handout or powerpoint, although sometimes I simply incorporate common mistakes into my next review. In general, I have found that discussing mistakes with students works better than only giving them written feedback—so many don't even read the written comments!

Do you have any tips for grading more efficiently? Share them in the comments below!

[Image by Flickr user Alejandro Lavin, Jr. and used under Creative Commons Licensing.]

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Practical Tips for Grading Faster: Keep the Quality & Maintain Your Sanity

Have you ever cried over a stack of essays late at night, eyes too bleary to see the words clearly? Are you a teacher who practically lives at school? Do you take home hours of grading on the weekends? These things may seem like normal side effects of the job, especially for ELA teachers. Still, should they be? Keep reading for some practical tips on grading essays faster without losing the quality feedback students need.

We have to find ways to do justice to our jobs while also having time to do what refuels our souls, which is why I’ve been spending some serious time reflecting on how I’ve graded writing and essays in the past. We must to prepare our students for college writing expectations, and we have to meet the rigors of the state or national standards as well as our district’s curriculum. Slacking just isn’t an option. At times, it may seem like too much to handle. We need an intervention.

It’s taken me a while, but I’ve found some strategies that successfully help me to grade writing faster so that I can still maintain a healthy work-life balance. I’m not in the “teachers should never take work home” camp. But. I am in the “teachers should have a balanced work and personal life” camp – the teachers deserve to be happy, too camp.

Let’s look at a handful of ideas worth trying.

TIPS FOR GRADING ESSAYS FASTER

Use built-in rubrics. .

What do I mean by that? When students have to complete writing by hand (due to technology or time constraints or just for the sake of keeping it traditional), I like to give them a printed sheet of paper with the prompt, writing lines, and a rubric built in. How does this save time? Well, if the rubric is built into the response page (like on a journal entry or a response to literature , for example), the rubric has to be smaller…and so does the student’s response. I’m not saying attach the rubric to the back of the prompt…I’m saying fit it on the bottom corner of the paper where students respond . Why? Our kids benefit from focusing on writing an excellent paragraph or two instead of rambling, and teachers benefit from having a smaller rubric, which forces us to examine a skill or two (instead of marking every single error imaginable).

Have students choose a response they want you to grade. 

Let’s say you give students an assignment where they practice the same skill several times. For example, I’ve done this before when I’ve asked students to write annotated bibliography paragraphs and even when we’ve written practice essays for standardized tests. Before collecting their responses, have students circle the paragraph (or practice essay) they believe best represents their skills and knowledge for the task at hand. Only grade that paragraph. You might expect students to be upset that their other paragraphs aren’t being graded, but I’ve never had that happen. Usually, they are relieved that they were able to select the one that would be assessed because they know that one best represents their abilities. 

Conference with students and point for revision verbally. 

Set a timer. Conference with each student for that amount of time. Don’t go over. Point out what you would like them to revise, and have them take the notes on what you are telling them. This strategy puts the ball completely in their court, which is good. Some students are used to teachers doing all the thinking for them. We mark every single error, and they mindlessly make corrections as they simultaneously text their friend, post pictures on Snapchat, and eat Doritos.

Skim their rough drafts, and use a revision PowerPoint. 

You can cut back on a lot of time spent grading essays by just skimming through the rough drafts first. Notice common errors. Make a list. Then, turn it into a PowerPoint or some other visual aid you can use to present the list to students. Include examples (from their papers to make it authentic if you think your students wouldn’t be too embarrassed). Make sure the students have their rough drafts in front of them as you review these expectations so they can make notes on their essays as necessary. My students LOVE this. Except when I tell them that I want them to revise their rough drafts. Then they groan. Otherwise, they love it. Really. It works. Here’s my revising and editing points PowPoint for argumentative writing .

Limit the length of the assignment. 

Do you  really  need a five-page paper to assess the skills you are teaching? If so, go for it! If not, cut back the length of the assignment. In the past when I’ve given students word limits, I’ve received sass, like “Is it because you don’t feel like grading more than that?” Okay, fine. Once in a while. But more than that, students can’t always write fifteen pages just because they don’t know how to be concise. That’s a skill, too. We need to teach students how to say more in fewer words. Sometimes I only have my students write one paragraph when we are practicing a new skill. For instance, when I teach argumentative writing, I differentiate for various ability levels by offering an option to write one solid argumentative research paragraph . My advanced students warm up to argumentative writing with the same lesson . Differentiating expectations appropriately for struggling writers lightens the grading load. Scaffolding enriched students to write quality research papers by front-loading with smaller-scale assignments has helped, too.

Use comment codes for constructive feedback. 

If you’re anything like me, you find yourself writing the same comments over and over and over and over and….you get it. Why don’t we just develop a comment-code sheet? Every comment that you make on a regular basis (like “avoid run-ons) can have a number. Instead of writing “Run-On” next to every error, just highlight the correct code, and include the comment paper when you hand back the graded piece of writing. I wouldn’t recommend this option with advanced skills that you may have just introduced, but for skills students should have mastered, this option will definitely save time. No need to be a hamster on a wheel.

Use Goobric and/or Google Docs. 

I don’t always enjoy grading on the computer, but it does beat writing everything out. If you are the type of person who isn’t tempted to check your e-mail, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook every five seconds, grading on the computer can really buy you some time in your day. Typing is faster. It just is. If you are interested in this option but don’t know how to use Google features, there are some amazingly clear and helpful tutorials you can find with a quick web search. This is not the best recommendation for anyone who has social media ADD…more on that in a minute.

Don’t repeatedly mark the same error. 

Kind of like I mentioned in earlier…we don’t need to write “fragment” every time a student forgets a subject or verb. Mark it the first time or two, and after that (if it’s a skill they should know), just write, “Please fix the rest of the fragments throughout the essay” or something simple like that. This way, students know there are more similar issues, but the responsibility to edit their work is theirs…which is how they learn anyway.

Limit distractions.

I’m just as bad about this one as the next person. I’ll start grading an essay, and five minutes later…. I wonder if I have any new e-mails? Did anyone “like” my Facebook post? Has anyone tweeted anything funny lately?   If I don’t check Instagram, I might miss the best giveaway in the history of ever.   You get the picture, I’m sure. I have to put my phone away if I want to get any serious grading accomplished. It might even be necessary to get out of the house completely. Sure enough, as soon as I get into the groove, my daughter comes upstairs and needs me to help her go to the bathroom, get her a snack, or tell me that her brother did something annoying. Grading essays goes faster when we can focus. Plan ahead to reduce distractions in order to maximize productivity.

Instead of grading the entire essay in one sitting, try collecting and grading one paragraph at a time.

This works best with students who are motivated to make the corrections you have suggested. Assessing one paragraph doesn’t take long, and as long as students take your revision comments seriously, all you should have to do with the final draft is compare the rough draft paragraph to the final draft paragraph. Did they make the revisions you suggested? If so, they did the best they could. The final draft may not be perfect, but depending on the skill(s) you are assessing, improvement may be enough to earn an A.

Hopefully one of these ideas will be helpful in terms grading essays faster. These ideas are far from a comprehensive list of all the possibilities available. If you have other tips, by all means, please share them in the comments! We educators need to put our heads together to develop a mastermind plan for taking our lives back without sacrificing the quality or integrity of our work. Keep calm, and grade on ( but faster ).

Responding to Student Writing: Feedback That Values Students’ Internal Dialogue

Teaching email etiquette: the art of an eloquent email, using mentor sentences meaningfully, related resource:.

These are the argumentative writing unit materials I use to help students revise and edit their essays while working with a peer. This resource also includes rubrics for grading.

I have NO CLUE why I never thought of students circling the one paragraph they wanted graded! I’m doing this! And, yes, you are right about the one paragraph at a time in my opinion. Every single writing assignment does not have to be a 5-paragraph essay. More power to those teachers who do that with their students, but sometimes “slow and steady wins the race,” especially with 9th graders. Plus, teaching youmg writers that sometimes saying less IS more is just as important as teaching them how to expand and elaborate on those ideas. 🙂 What a helpful post…thank you SO MUCH! Yay!

Hi, Tara. So glad this idea resonates with you. It has certainly saved my sanity on multiple occasions. I agree with you 100 percent. Quality over quantity!

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Keep Your Calm with These 15 Time-Saving Tips for Grading

Help! I’m up late grading EVERY night, and I’m exhausted.

When you have a mountain of assignments to grade, sometimes even the best Netflix marathon can’t keep you from feeling overwhelmed. If you’re exhausted from staying up late correcting papers every night of the week, put down the red pen and read these teacher-tested tips for making it faster and easier to grade tests, quizzes, essays, and more.

1. Stamp student assignments.

Ellen L.G. Lucy , who’s been teaching for 35 years, says the best teacher tool she ever bought, at the recommendation of a colleague, was a rubber stamp from Vistaprint that says “Seen by Mrs. Lucy.” She stamps papers that she has perused—not corrected completely—so students and parents are aware. If you don’t want to buy a stamp, take Melissa Redden’s advice: Just put a large check mark on the paper in a noticeable color. “I tell parents at the beginning of the year the only grade book grades will be a number grade with a circle around it,” says Redden.

2. Color-code essays.

Students in Jamie Hales ’ class color-code their essays before turning them in. She has them underline their main idea in one color, evidence in another color, and key vocabulary in a third color. “It forces them to make sure they have everything required before turning it in,” says Hales. “I can scan the essays to make sure the colors are all there.”

3. Use a scanner.

For grading multiple choice and true/false questions, you can save yourself hours of tedious work with a scanner. At only three pounds, Apperson’s DataLink 1200 is portable, so you still can do your grading at home if you run out of time at school. The best part is that it comes with DataLink Connect , free software that instantly spits out reports on student performance. So, instead of sorting through every quiz or test, you can quickly look over the report to find common errors and areas you may need to review in class the next day (and quickly get back to watching your favorite shows!).

4. Pass out colored pens.

Have students grade their own multiple choice quizzes and worksheets with a brightly colored pen, like red or green. Ronni Jones says she has her students place their pencils on the floor and asks her most trusted students to act as monitors. She likes the system because it provides kids with instant feedback. “You still have to check to be sure they’re being honest,” says Heather Galiszewski, who also uses this strategy. “I tell my students that if I see anything other than a red pen in their hands, they get an automatic zero.”

5. Grade one section at a time.

When Rebecca Bolton is grading assignments or tests, she first grades all multiple-choice questions for every student. Then she moves on to the second section and so on. She says it typically takes only about two minutes per student to grade her physics exams.

6. Stop using an answer key.

If you’re grading assignments, not formal assessments, correct one paper against another. Ellen L.G. Lucy learned this technique from a teacher friend. For example, put any two students’ papers side by side; find where the answers differ; and then check to see which one is correct. Lucy says this technique catches most errors.

7. Provide an answer blank.

“When I first started teaching, I thought I needed to look at every process on every problem for every student,” says math teacher Cindy Bullard. She started adding answer blanks so she could quickly focus on the areas where students need support. “If they have right answers, a quick scan tells me if their process and notation are correct,” says Bullard. Wendy Badeau uses a similar strategy to save time, which she learned from a fellow teacher: She asks her students to write any multiple-choice or true/false answers in the margins of their papers. “I can line up four or five papers and grade them all at the same time.”

8. Trade and grade.

Sarah Mattie has students write their ID numbers, instead of their names, on assignments. That way, when she asks students to trade papers and correct them, it not only saves her time, but it also keeps grades confidential.

9. Don’t grade everything.

Take a hint from Caitlin Valesco and give a completion grade on bellwork or work that is guided and/or done with a partner. Rather than collecting this work to correct, Valesco simply walks up and down the aisles with a clipboard and checks that the assignments have been completed. Kimberly Darron grades homework for completion by using a bingo dauber color-coding system: green dot for 100 percent complete; blue dot for 50 percent complete; and red dot for 0 percent complete. Darron says she also uses this system to grade journal entries when she’s just scanning for content completion.

10. Spot check during lessons.

Ellen L.G. Lucy often provides students with whiteboards and markers (or has them use the whiteboard app on their iPads) to have them work through math problems and hold up their answers. “The nice thing about this is you can quickly see who is understanding the concept by not only accurate answers but by who holds up their whiteboard the quickest,” says Lucy. Sarah Mattie also uses whiteboards for vocabulary assessment. She asks students to write down the words and hold them up.

11. Alphabetize assignments.

One of the student jobs in Anita Schmuecker’s classroom is to put all turned-in papers in alphabetical order. She says it helps her quickly enter the scores after she grades them.

12. Cut down on grading long assignments.

On longer assignments, Michelle Turner chooses a random 10–15 questions and grades those rather than the entire assignment. She says she chooses a different set of questions for each student.

13. Give verbal feedback.

“I’ve started providing more verbal feedback to students,” says Christa Barberis. “Assessment needs to be something students can work with, and it needs to be authentic,” says Barberis. She typically provides feedback on one aspect of the assignment in which a student did well and one aspect that needs improvement.

14. Use voice typing to dictate your comments.

When Sancha De Burcha needs to write extended feedback on assignments, she uses Google Docs’ voice-typing feature. She downloaded the app for her phone, which allows her to simply dictate her comments rather than write or type them. Bonus of using this method: You end up with a digital record of the feedback. De Burcha cautions, however, that you need to check for typos.

15. Mark all papers before entering grades.

Many teachers mark a single assignment and enter it into the grade book immediately. Mary Elizabeth Allcorn says she saves a lot of time by marking all papers first. She then sets up her grade book and inputs all of the grades at once.

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Quick Tips: Grading Essays and Papers More Efficiently

If you are among those who don’t teach during the summers, grading papers may be the furthest thing from your mind at the moment. Before we know it, however, a new semester will be starting. And now is a good time to be thinking about new directions in your assessment and evaluation of student work, especially if your syllabus will need changing as a result.

Jenkins, who teaches several writing-intensive courses every semester, notes that it is easy to take on the pose of a martyr when faced with stacks and stacks of multiple-paged papers, especially when the process is repeated a few times for each class. He offers eight guidelines for keeping grading in balance with the aspects of teaching that are more enjoyable. Jenkins proposes that you:

• Change your bad attitude about grading. Grading is an integral part of teaching. View grading student work as an opportunity to reinforce class concepts and use misconception that arise in their papers as a basis for class discussion.
• Stagger due dates. Plan in advance and have students in different sections turn in essays on different dates.
• Break it down. Determine an optimum number of papers to grade at one sitting. Take a break for an hour before starting another session.
• Schedule grading time. Literally. Put it on your calendar.
• Have a realistic return policy. Jenkins says, “I’ve chosen to define ‘a reasonable amount of time’ as one week, or two class sessions. Occasionally, if I get four stacks of papers in the same week, it might take me three class meetings to finish grading.”
• Be a teacher, not an editor. Stay out of the weeds and focus on the major problems with the essay. Jenkins limits editing “to situations where a simple change of wording or construction might have broader application than to that one essay.”
• Limit your comments. For undergraduates, a few observations will be more useful as a teaching strategy than pages of commentary. Jenkins tries to offer one positive comment and three suggestions for improvement.
• Limit grading time on each essay. Following the suggestions above will help you reduce the time you need to spend on each paper.

One thing Jenkins doesn’t mention is using a rubric for grading. Rubrics can be a powerful tool for consistent grading across the class or sections, as well as a means for students to understand how the assignment is being evaluated. See previous Innovative Instructor posts on rubrics: Creating Rubrics and Sharing Assignment Rubrics with Your Students .

You might also be interested in some of The Innovative Instructor’s past posts on grading: Feedback codes: Giving Student Feedback While Maintaining Sanity and  Quick Tips: Paperless Grading .

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Macie Hall, Senior Instructional Designer Center for Educational Resources

Image Source: Microsoft Clip Art

One thought on “ Quick Tips: Grading Essays and Papers More Efficiently ”

Rubrics… The schools have worked with recently, have provided students with rubrics on key aspects of the essay. By presenting students with the key requirements, I scan the paper for the elements – then review each to ensure they have covered each adequately or with great detail. Grades are assigned accordingly. My comments are relevant to the rubric measure, eliminating any confusion for the expectations or student effort.

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4 Tips for Managing Essay Grading

Audrey Wick is an English professor at Blinn College in central Texas

I remember the bright-eyed enthusiasm with which I approached the process of essay grading for the first time as a rookie instructor. I was so excited! The essays seemed like such a gift! They were, after all, the voices of my students come alive to me on paper.

Now that I’ve been teaching for a number of years, those essays seem like “gifts” that keep on giving. Each semester, I receive batches of essays from my students—multiplied by the several sections of each course I teach—and the process of responding to them all can be overwhelming.

Luckily, I’ve developed a few techniques for essay grading over the years that I’m happy to pass along so we can all recapture the initial enthusiasm which surrounded that inaugural set of essays.

1. Stagger Due Dates For Essay Grading

For instructors teaching multiple sections, this is key.

Full-time instructors at my institution teach five classes, so each deadline results in well over 100 papers submitted. That’s a lot of essays to grade at once! Rather than bracing for an avalanche of essays being submitted on a single day, consider staggering due dates: a Monday deadline for one section, a Tuesday deadline for another, etc. Since deadlines are often accompanied by student questions, staggering them allows correspondence around the assignment to spread out a bit. This way an instructor is not answering dozens of last-minute questions, for instance, on a Monday.

But even if there needs to be uniformity between sections, staggered deadlines can be accomplished by differences in modality. For instance, my face-to-face sections have a mid-week Wednesday deadline, but my online sections have an end-of-weekend Sunday deadline. With this schedule I can still ensure all of my students submit essays, say, at the end of week four, even with staggered submission days.

2. Digitize Your Essay Grading

Many instructors use digital assignment submissions—but I still have colleagues who require hard-copy paper submissions. I shared this preference when I first began teaching, but collecting, shuffling, transporting, organizing, and redistributing paper copies cut into time I spent actually grading essays.

Digitizing through electronic drop box submissions means that the moment a student submits an assignment, I get it—and I don’t have to move it anywhere.

Digital drop boxes also allow me to set submission windows, so students have the option to submit early. While plenty of students do procrastinate, it’s refreshing to see those who submit well in advance of a deadline. This helps me manage the influx of their assignments since the files arrive a few at a time.

3. Grade Essays in Order

Thanks to digitized submissions, I am able to see the exact date/time a student submitted an assignment. The dropboxes I use allow me to sort submissions using this time data, and that is the order in which I grade papers. I tell this to students—so for some, it’s their incentive to submit early because it means that they will receive their grades and feedback prior to others in the class.

This is a good habit to cultivate in students: a reward for early preparation. I realize this is not always possible for students, but it’s one small way I can incentivize the process equitably.

Grading essays on a rolling basis instead of in one fell swoop means that I can devote more focused attention to each submission because I’m not overwhelmed. This allows me to stay organized as well.

4. Use Smart Shortcuts in Essay Grading

If I’m assigning the same essay prompt across multiple sections, there are certain types of feedback that I am apt to give. If I find a way to shortcut these, I can save myself time on each essay.

The easiest way I do this is through saved comments in the digital grading software I use; I can archive comments across sections and then apply them individually to papers as needed.

No matter if you have this capability or not, there may be other ways to take a smart shortcut:

• Creating a document in a word processor of frequently typed feedback
• Using shorthand and frequently understood editing marks
• Applying a rubric for essay grading
• Leaving audio feedback on digital essay submissions instead of text feedback (since many of us can talk more quickly than we can type or write)

I may be grading over 100 submissions, but each of my students is only reading feedback on their own. So, I also need to remember that shortcuts should not undercut the quality of feedback each student ultimately receives.

Seeing students’ writing is, truly, a gift. And with proper time management, essay grading can be an exercise instructors feel enthusiastic about, round after round.

Want more of my tips for powering your course your way? Get the Empowered Educator eBook.

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| | --> by Susan Verner 219,078 views In a world where and often determine a student’s grade, what criteria does the writing teacher use to evaluate the work of his or her students? After all, with essay writing you cannot simply mark some answers correct and others incorrect and figure out a percentage. The good news is that is a chart used in grading essays, special projects and other more items which can be more subjective. It lists each of the grading criteria separately and defines the different performance levels within those criteria. Standardized tests like the SAT’s use rubrics to score writing samples, and designing one for your own use is easy if you take it step by step. Keep in mind that when you are using a rubric to grade essays, you can design one rubric for use throughout the semester or modify your rubric as the expectations you have for your students increase. . The essay should have good and show the right level of . It should be organized, and the content should be appropriate and effective. Teachers also look at the overall effectiveness of the piece. When evaluating specific writing samples, you may also want to include other criteria for the essay based on material you have covered in class. You may choose to grade on the type of essay they have written and whether your students have followed the specific direction you gave. You may want to evaluate their use of information and whether they correctly presented the content material you taught. When you write your own rubric, you can evaluate anything you think is important when it comes to your students’ writing abilities. . , and ) we will write a rubric to evaluate students’ essays. The most straightforward evaluation uses a four-point scale for each of the criteria. Taking the criteria one at a time, articulate what your expectations are for an , a and so on. Taking grammar as an example, an would be free of most grammatical errors appropriate for the student’s language learning level. A would have some mistakes but use generally good grammar. A would show frequent grammatical errors. A would show that the student did not have the grammatical knowledge appropriate for his language learning level. Taking these definitions, we now put them into the rubric. The next step is to take each of the other criteria and define success for each of those, assigning a value to A, B, C and D papers. Those definitions then go into the rubric in the appropriate locations to complete the chart. Each of the criteria will score points for the essay. The descriptions in the first column are each worth 4 points, the second column 3 points, the third 2 points and the fourth 1 point. What is the grading process? Now that your criteria are defined, grading the essay is easy. When grading a student essay with a rubric, it is best to read through the essay once before evaluating for grades . Then reading through the piece a second time, determine where on the scale the writing sample falls for each of the criteria. If the student shows excellent grammar, good organization and a good overall effect, he would score a total of ten points. Divide that by the total criteria, three in this case, and he finishes with a 3.33. which on a four-point scale is a B+. If you use five criteria to evaluate your essays, divide the total points scored by five to determine the student’s grade. Once you have written your grading rubric, you may decide to share your criteria with your students. If you do, they will know exactly what your expectations are and what they need to accomplish to get the grade they desire. You may even choose to make a copy of the rubric for each paper and circle where the student lands for each criterion. That way, each person knows where he needs to focus his attention to improve his grade. The clearer your expectations are and the more feedback you give your students, the more successful your students will be. If you use a rubric in your essay grading, you can communicate those standards as well as make your grading more objective with more practical suggestions for your students. In addition, once you write your rubric you can use it for all future evaluations. P.S. If you enjoyed this article, please help spread it by clicking one of those sharing buttons below. And if you are interested in more, you should follow our Facebook page where we share more about creative, non-boring ways to teach English. Teaching Ideas Classroom Management and Discipline Popular articles like this How to design a rubric that teachers can use and students can understand. How to Evaluate Speaking Faq for writing teachers, but it is clear dealing with the defensive student, do student papers breed in your briefcase 4 methods of managing the paper load, tuning in the feedback 6 strategies for giving students feedback on speaking. Copyright 2007-2021 пїЅ Submit a worksheet Mobile version 12 Tips for Grading Essays Faster & 17 Best Tech Tools to Use Grading essays is a crucial aspect of teaching, yet it can be time-consuming and challenging to do well. Luckily, there are tools for teachers that can make the process more efficient and effective. In this blog, we explore the benefits of using these tools and share tips for grading essays more efficiently and accurately, making the experience less stressful for educators and more beneficial for students. Let's dive in and discover how these tools can revolutionize your essay grading process. What Is Essay Grading & Why Its Important Grading essays is a crucial aspect of the education system as it helps educators assess student understanding, provide feedback, and guide future learning. It serves to evaluate and communicate student performance accurately while identifying areas where students may need more assistance to achieve the learning objectives set forth by the course. Grades also offer standardized communication of student performance to various stakeholders , including students themselves and educational departments. Enhancing Student Writing Through Grading Grading essays is instrumental in improving student writing skills and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. By providing constructive feedback, instructors help students identify areas for improvement and areas of proficiency. This feedback motivates students to enhance their writing abilities and deepen their comprehension of subject matter.  Grading fosters transparency, allowing students to grasp what they have learned and what areas they need to focus on for ongoing improvement. This transparency also boosts motivation and engagement among students. Grading as a Process and Its Various Activities Grading is not merely assigning grades but a comprehensive process involving several activities. This process includes setting expectations with students through a grading policy, designing assignments aligned with course objectives, establishing grading standards and criteria, ensuring consistency and fairness in applying grading standards, making decisions about effort and improvement, providing constructive comments to guide student learning, and returning assignments promptly while helping students understand their grades. Purpose of Grades and the Various Ways They Serve Grades are essential for quantifying learning and intellectual progress with objective criteria while serving multiple purposes.  They evaluate student work, effort, understanding of course content, skill development, and progress.  Grades motivate students to continue learning and improving while providing feedback on their performance.  They also communicate students' potential to stakeholders like parents, graduate schools, professional schools, and future employers.  Grades help to organize lessons, units, or semesters by marking transitions in a course and offering closure. The Role of Feedback in Grading Essays Feedback is a crucial element in the grading process as it informs students about their learning progress and areas for improvement. It clarifies what students understand, what they need to enhance, and how they can improve.  For instructors, feedback offers insights into students' learning, aiding in making informed decisions for future teaching engagements. Thus, providing prompt, constructive, and personalized feedback is essential in guiding students toward continuous improvement and deeper understanding. Related Reading Best AI Tools For Teachers AI Rubric Generator Grading Papers Assessment Tools For Teachers How To Grade Papers Essay Grading Rubric Can ChatGPT Grade Essays 12 Tips for Grading Essays Faster While Leaving Better Feedback 1. Use Highlighters to Self-Check Writing and Grade Faster Utilizing highlighters can be a game-changer when it comes to grading essays. Allow students to highlight their writing to showcase understanding, completion, or writing mastery. For instance, when working on embedding quotations, have students highlight the parts of their properly embedded quotation.  This technique not only saves time by simplifying the scanning process for mistakes but also facilitates swift identification of content errors such as missing evidence. Using highlighters enables teachers to provide one-on-one help more efficiently, as they can quickly pinpoint students who need assistance, enhancing classroom productivity and focus. 2. Focus on Revision Instead of Grading Essays Prioritizing the revision process over grading essays can significantly enhance student growth while streamlining the grading process. By focusing on working smarter rather than harder during the revision stage, teachers can save time grading final essays.  Shifting the emphasis to revision can result in substantial improvements in writing skills as students receive more personalized feedback and guidance, driving student accountability and engagement. 3. Give Verbal Feedback in Class to Cut Down on Essay Grading To streamline the grading process and provide more effective feedback, allocate time for one-on-one conferences with students. Verbal feedback sessions, even if brief, can markedly enhance students' writing skills.  Strategies to carve out time for verbal feedback include conducting spot checks for common mistakes, using targeted exit tickets to address specific writing elements, integrating teacher-student conferences into the revision process, and providing students with access to self-help stations for individualized instruction. 4. Use Self and Peer Writing Revision Stations for Fast Grading Implementing writing revision stations can optimize the grading process by facilitating one-on-one conferencing with each student. By having students self-grade with a rubric , engage in peer reviews, read their essays aloud, utilize tech tools for grammar checks, focus on word choice improvement, participate in teacher conferences, and demonstrate specific skill mastery, teachers can efficiently assess writing quality while promoting student collaboration and self-improvement. 5. Set Up a Feedback Comment Bank for Grading Essays Establishing a comment bank can revolutionize the grading process by enabling teachers to deliver faster and more effective feedback. By compiling frequently used feedback comments and reusing them to reinforce learning and address common writing issues, teachers can save time while providing targeted, quality feedback to students. 6. Ride the Tortoise Adopting the 2x2e approach, which involves grading two essays in a sitting at least twice a day, can enhance efficiency and productivity. By breaking down grading tasks into manageable chunks and setting realistic goals, teachers can optimize focus and maintain a steady, consistent effort, leading to gradual progress and a sense of accomplishment. 7. Avoid the Rabbit Hole Setting a timer for grading essays can help teachers stay focused and mindful of time constraints, preventing distractions and enhancing productivity. By establishing target timeframes for each essay, teachers can maintain a structured pace and navigate through grading tasks more effectively. 8. Play Home Inspector Adopting a strategic evaluation approach akin to that of a home inspector can expedite the essay grading process. By focusing on key sections such as introductions, conclusions, and key sentences to assess the coherence and structure of student essays, teachers can quickly identify patterns and gain a solid understanding of the content. 9. Make a Grading Conversion Chart Creating a grading conversion chart using tools like Excel can simplify the process of converting letter grades, percentages, and numeric grades. By centralizing grading data and streamlining conversions, teachers can ensure accuracy and consistency in grading assignments across diverse institutions and grading criteria. 10. Mark in Batches Breaking down grading tasks into manageable batches, typically consisting of 3-5 essays, can enhance efficiency and reduce mental fatigue. By grading essays in intervals, typing comments, entering grades, and taking regular breaks, teachers can maintain focus, alleviate stress, and ensure thorough feedback. 11. If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say, Say Something Nice Anyways Incorporating positive feedback alongside constructive criticism can foster a supportive and encouraging learning environment. Using a positive-negative-positive approach, whereby positive comments precede and follow constructive feedback, can motivate students to improve while boosting morale and engagement. 12. Find Joy in the Work Approaching the grading process with humor and positivity can make the task more enjoyable and sustainable. Embracing humor, using colorful pens, and finding moments to appreciate student efforts can alleviate stress, enhance engagement, and promote a more positive grading experience.  Streamline Essay Grading with EssayGrader EssayGrader is the most accurate AI grading platform trusted by 30,000+ educators worldwide. On average it takes a teacher 10 minutes to grade a single essay, with EssayGrader that time is cut down to 30 seconds That's a 95% reduction in the time it takes to grade an essay, with the same results.  With EssayGrader, Teachers can: Replicate their grading rubrics (so AI doesn't have to do the guesswork to set the grading criteria) Setup fully custom rubrics Grade essays by class Bulk upload of essays Use our AI detector to catch essays written by AI Summarize essays with our Essay summarizer  Primary school, high school, and even college professors grade their students' essays with the help of our AI tool. Over half a million essays were graded by 30,000+ teachers on our platform. Save 95% of your time for grading school work with our tool to get high-quality, specific and accurate writing feedback for essays in seconds.  Get started for free today! Time Management For Teachers ChatGPT For Teachers Free Rubric For Writing Assignments Grading Practices Responding To Students Writing How Much Time Do Teachers Spend Grading How To Give Feedback On An Essay How To Grade Work Feedback Tools For Teachers Grading Tips For Teachers Grading Methods For Teachers Essay Grader Free Online Essay Grader For Teachers Tips for Grading Essays Faster Tips for Grading an Essay Tips for Grading Essays Tips for Quick Essays Grading Tips for Teaching and Grading Five Paragraph Essay Automated Essay Grading Essay Grading Software Essay Grading Website Free Automated Essay Grading Software Grading Essays Online Grading Essays with AI 12 Smart Ideas to Grade Essays Faster How to Grade College Essays Faster How to Grade Essays Faster 17 Best Tools for Grading Essays 1. EssayGrader: AI-Powered Grading Platform EssayGrader is a cutting-edge AI grading platform that has gained the trust of over 30,000 educators worldwide. With EssayGrader, the time it takes to grade an essay is reduced significantly - from 10 minutes to a mere 30 seconds.  This platform allows teachers to utilize their grading rubrics, set up custom rubrics, grade essays by class, upload essays in bulk, and even detect essays written by AI. Teachers can summarize essays quickly using the Essay summarizer tool . EssayGrader is ideal for educators at the primary, high school, and college levels. 2. Canvas Teacher: On-the-Go Grading Tool Canvas Teacher is a convenient tool for teachers who are always on the move. This platform enables teachers to grade, communicate, and update students on their assignments with ease. Teachers can quickly check which students have submitted assignments and identify those who are yet to turn in their work.Teachers can provide feedback directly from their phones. The best part? Canvas Teacher is a free tool. 3. Easy Grade: Grading Assistance on iOS Easy Grade is an excellent tool for grading papers and tests on iOS devices. Users can customize grading methods by altering point values and round scores quickly. This app is compatible with iPads and is available for free with some optional in-app purchases. 4. Quick Grader: Customizable Grading Solution Quick Grader is a completely customizable and free grading solution. This tool offers half-point values, adjustable grade scales, decimal values, plus/minus grading, and an intuitive user interface. 5. Groovy Grader: Digital Slide Grader Groovy Grader is a free digital slide grader that replaces traditional paper grading calculators. This tool helps in simplifying and digitizing the grading process. 6. Grades – Grade Calculator: Future Grade Prediction App Grades – Grade Calculator app calculates the grade a student needs to score on an upcoming exam to achieve target grades and GPA. This free app is a useful tool for both teachers and students. 7. Gradework PRO: Comprehensive Grading App Gradework PRO is a feature-packed app that automates grade calculation, attendance tracking, and student performance summaries. This ad-free app comes with a one-time fee of $19.99, covering all features without any additional in-app purchases. 8. Grade Grid: Convert Number Grades to Letter Grades Grade Grid is a free tool that can convert number grades to letter grades using customizable grading scales based on the nature of the assignment. 9. Showbie: Bulk Assignment Grading Solution Showbie is a free tool that enables teachers to grade up to 10 student assignments simultaneously. It also includes a digital grade book for efficient grade management. 10. Viper: Plagiarism Detection Tool Viper is a plagiarism detection tool that scans students' work to identify instances of plagiarism. Though there is a small fee associated with the app, institutions can purchase a plan to facilitate usage. 11. BookWidgets: Assignment Automation Tool BookWidgets allows teachers to create assignments for students to complete and return via the app for automatic grading. Teachers can provide real-time feedback to students upon assignment submission. The app is available for a monthly fee of $9, with discounts for multiple users. 12. Flubaroo: Google Add-On for Grading Flubaroo is a free Google Forms/Sheets add-on that simplifies grading and analyzing student performance. It helps in identifying students needing assistance, analyzing average scores, and sharing scores with students via email or Google Drive. 13. Formative: Real-Time Task Monitoring App Formative allows teachers to assign tasks and monitor students' progress in real-time. This tool enhances the learning experience by providing instant feedback on assignments. 14. Gradescope: AI-Powered Grading Platform Gradescope automates the grading process using AI, saving teachers time and effort. This platform offers rubric-based assessment and team grading to ensure objectivity and consistency in grading. 15. Turnitin Feedback Studio: Plagiarism Detection and Feedback Tool Turnitin Feedback Studio features robust plagiarism detection capabilities to maintain academic integrity. Instructors can customize feedback and facilitate peer review activities for collaborative learning environments. 16. CoGrader: Efficient Grading and Feedback Tool CoGrader integrates with Google Classroom for seamless assignment management. The tool provides AI-driven feedback, accelerates the grading process, and offers customizable grading rubrics to meet educational standards. 17. Smodin: Multifunctional Writing Assistance Tool Smodin offers writing assistance tools like rewriting, plagiarism detection, summarizing, and AI writing. It supports multiple languages and integrates with various useful tools like plagiarism and paraphrase generators and citation generators. Factors to Consider When Choosing an Essay Grading Tool Criteria and Components When selecting an essay grading tool, it's essential to look for specific criteria and components for assessing students' work. These criteria will typically cover various aspects such as organization, content, language use, and mechanics.  These components help break down the essay into specific elements or requirements that students need to fulfill to achieve a particular score. By having clear criteria and components, it becomes easier to provide detailed feedback to students and guide them towards improvement. Performance Levels A good essay grading tool should include performance levels or grading scales, such as "excellent," "good," "fair," and "poor." These levels help educators evaluate student work based on where their performance falls on the scale.  Each performance level should come with descriptors that clearly define what is expected at that level. Having these clear descriptions helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, making the feedback more actionable and meaningful. Thesis Statement and Focus Another crucial aspect to consider when selecting an essay grading tool is whether it assesses the clarity and relevance of the thesis statement. A strong, clear, and insightful thesis statement is crucial for effective essays.  The tool should help evaluate how well students maintain focus throughout their writing, as tangents or lack of consistency can impact the overall quality of the essay. By considering the thesis statement and focus, the grading tool can provide targeted feedback that helps students enhance the core elements of their essays. Ease of Use and Interpretation Selecting an essay grading tool that is easy to administer and interpret is key. Teachers should be able to use the tool efficiently without unnecessary complexity. Avoid tools that require extensive training or have a steep learning curve, as this can hinder its adoption and effectiveness. An intuitive and user-friendly interface will make it easier for teachers to provide timely feedback and guide students towards improvement. Cost and Accessibility Evaluating the cost and accessibility of the grading tool is essential. Some tools may be expensive, while others might be more budget-friendly. Consider whether the tool is accessible to both teachers and students, as user-friendly interfaces are essential for efficient grading and feedback processes. By assessing the cost and accessibility of the tool, you can ensure that it aligns with your institution's budget and supports equitable access for all students. Grading Websites Essay Grader For Teachers Free Automated Essay Scoring AI Grading Tools For Teachers Grading Apps For Teachers How To Use Chat GPT To Grade Essays AI Grading Software Cograder Reviews Save Time While Grading Schoolwork — Join 30,000+ Educators Worldwide & Use EssayGrader AI, The Original AI Essay Grader I am excited to share with you about EssayGrader , a groundbreaking AI grading platform that is transforming the way essays are graded by educators worldwide.  Grading Efficiency With EssayGrader , teachers can save an incredible amount of time grading essays. On average, it takes a teacher 10 minutes to grade a single essay. With EssayGrader, this time is significantly reduced to just 30 seconds. This represents a remarkable 95% reduction in the time it takes to grade an essay, with the same high-quality results. Imagine the hours saved and the increased efficiency for educators! Features and Benefits EssayGrader offers a wide range of features that make the grading process more efficient and effective.  One key feature is the ability to replicate grading rubrics used by teachers. This means that AI does not have to guess the grading criteria, ensuring that essays are graded accurately and consistently.  Teachers can set up fully custom rubrics tailored to their specific needs. They can also grade essays by class, allowing for seamless organization of grading tasks. Educators can take advantage of the bulk upload feature, which simplifies the process of uploading multiple essays for grading.  AI Detection To ensure the authenticity and integrity of student work, EssayGrader includes an AI detector that can identify essays written by AI. This feature helps educators maintain academic honesty and detect any instances of plagiarism. Essay Summarizer Another valuable feature of EssayGrader is the essay summarizer. This tool allows educators to quickly summarize essays, providing a concise overview of the content. This can be incredibly useful for quickly gauging the main points of an essay and providing targeted feedback to students. Wide Adoption It is no wonder that over half a million essays have been graded by 30,000+ teachers on the EssayGrader platform. Educators from primary school to college level have embraced this innovative tool to streamline the grading process and provide students with high-quality, specific, and accurate writing feedback in seconds. With EssayGrader, grading essays has never been easier or more efficient. Join the thousands of educators who are already benefiting from this transformative AI grading platform. Save time, improve grading consistency, and provide valuable feedback to your students.  Start grading today Save hours by grading essays in  30 seconds or less. Related blogs 9 Expert Tips to Make Standards Based Grading Systems Work for You Get practical strategies to effectively implement standards based grading systems and improve student assessment outcomes. 25 Best Google Classroom Alternatives for Streamlined Digital Teaching Feeling limited by Google Classroom? Explore top Google Classroom alternatives to boost student engagement. Discover the best fit for your needs! 45 Best Technology Tools for the Classroom to Enhance Learning Transform with these essential technology tools for the classroom! Enhance learning and make learning more engaging for your students today. How to Grade Faster I don’t know a single teacher who would rather grade than teach (and if you do, give me your address. I’ll send you a large package with a self-addressed stamped envelope with some essays. Thanks!) However, grading essays, tests, and homework is part of the responsibility of being a teacher. If students would simply learn everything that we taught them, we wouldn’t need to grade anything at all! But they don’t, so we have to grade assessments to make sure that they have learned what they need to know, and make adjustment if they don’t. If you’re an English teacher like me, you can easily be bombarded with papers. It can seem like the stack will never get smaller and just when it does, a new set of papers comes in. What can you do? Here are some strategies that have helped me over the years. And no, assign less work is not one of the strategies. Set a deadline. My goal is to get papers back a week after they are handed in. I don’t always accomplish it, but setting this deadline for myself is one of the best ways I’ve found to help me stay on task and get them back quickly. If you’re especially brave, tell your students your goal. It will help keep you accountable. Find your most productive time. I have 1st period and 7th period off, and I’m a much quicker grader in the morning than in the afternoon. My mind is fresh and I don’t get distracted easily. On the weekends if I have papers to grade I’m likely to do them first thing in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. Those are the times when I feel like I can crank out a bunch of papers. Make sone tea, turn on some classical music, sit in the early morning sun, and I’m ready to go. Be aware of the times of day that seem to work best for you. Grade during those times and do other tasks during the other times. I don’t check my email first thing once I get to school, because that can easily rob me of fifteen minutes I could have spent grading. I save that for much later in the day. Pair grading with something you like to do. On the rare occasions where I’m grading something in the evening, I like to have a glass of wine. I know some teachers who love to grade in their pajamas – even in the afternoon! Pairing something you don’t want to do with something you like to do is a great way to make the task less of a chore. Put on some of your favorite chill out music and grab that pen and go. Create cues. Yoga teacher Erica Jago always lights a candle in her office when she writes. This signals to her mind that it’s time to get to work. Similarly, we can create these cues in our own lives that signal to our brains when it’s grading time. Make a cup of tea, listen to a certain CD, go to a certain place in the building. I like to grade in the media center in our school with a cup of tea. Once we signal to our brains that grading is what we are supposed to be doing, it’s easier to get in the flow and crank out some papers. Don’t grade for yourself. I have been guilty of putting way too many comments on students’ papers. I put comments on the paper to justify the grade I give them rather than to teach them how to do better the next time. Excessive comments take up time, and if the students don’t read them when you hand them back, it’s a waste of time. Don’t grade to prove that the students deserve the grade you give them. Only put meaningful, purposeful comments that will help students do better the next time. If the students have questions about how they can do better, or don’t understand the grade they received you can address it then. A good rubric will also help you to make less comments. You can also make the argument that if your assignment is summative – like a test or an exam –  you don’t need to add any comments at all. If you’re only trying to assess what students have learned, all you need to do is give a grade.  Timeliness beats thoroughness. I could go through a stack of essays and add numerous comments and mark every mistake, but if I hand them back two months later, it would do much good. Feedback is best when it’s received as quickly as possible. It’s much better to only mark a few things and get papers back quickly rather than be meticulous and get them back long after the students have forgotten what they’ve written. Read more about: grading , teacher time management , teaching tips You might also like... How To Win at Online Learning Get Students Interested in Shakespeare Teaching Shakespeare to Struggling Readers Latest from @rickertdraws on instagram. For Teachers © David Rickert • Website by KristenDoyle.co Want to learn more about making comics? Sign up here to get occasional  tips, tutorials, comics, and general silliness. Link to facebook Link to linkedin Link to twitter Link to youtube Writing Tips How to Write Top-Graded Essays in English 5-minute read 7th December 2022 Writing English papers and essays can be challenging at first, but with the right tools, knowledge, and resources, you can improve your writing skills. In this article, you’ll get some tips and tricks on how to write a top-graded essay in English. Have you heard the saying “practice makes perfect”? Well, it’s wrong. Practice does make improvement, though. Whether you’re taking an English composition class, studying for the IELTS or TOEFL , or preparing to study abroad, you can always find new ways to practice writing in English. If you practice on a daily basis, you’ll be exercising the skills you know while challenging yourself to learn even more. There are many ways you can practice writing in English daily: Keep a daily journal. Write practice essays. Do creative writing exercises . Read in English The best way to improve your writing is to read English books, news articles, essays, and other media. By reading the writing of other authors (whether they’re native or non-native speakers), you’re exposing yourself to different writing styles and learning new vocabulary. Be sure to take notes when you’re reading so you can write down things you don’t know (e.g., new words or phrases) or sentences or phrases you like. For example, maybe you need to write a paper related to climate change. By reading news articles or research papers on this topic, you can learn relevant vocabulary and knowledge you can use in your essay. FluentU has a great article with a list of 20 classic books you can read in English for free. Immerse Yourself in English If you don’t live in an English-speaking country, you may be thinking, “How can I immerse myself in English?” There are many ways to overcome this challenge. The following strategies are especially useful if you plan to study or travel abroad: Follow YouTube channels that focus on learning English or that have English speakers. Use social media to follow English-speaking accounts you are interested in. Watch movies and TV shows in English or use English subtitles when watching your favorite shows. Participate in your English club or salon at school to get more practice. Become an English tutor at a local school (teaching others is the best way to learn). By constantly exposing yourself to English, you will improve your writing and speaking skills. Visit Your Writing Center If you’re enrolled at a university, you most likely have a free writing center you can use if you need help with your assignments. If you don’t have a writing center, ask your teacher for help and for information on local resources. Find this useful? Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox. Use Your Feedback After you submit an English writing assignment, you should receive feedback from your teacher on how you did. Use this feedback to your advantage. If you haven’t been getting feedback on your writing, ask your teacher to explain what issues they are seeing in your writing and what you could do to improve. Be Aware of Your Common Writing Mistakes If you review your feedback on writing assignments, you might notice some recurring mistakes you are making. Make a list of common mistakes you tend to make when writing, and use it when doing future assignments. Some common mistakes include the following: Grammar errors (e.g., not using articles). Incorrect vocabulary (e.g., confusing however and therefore ). Spelling mistakes (e.g., writing form when you mean from ). Missing essay components (e.g., not using a thesis statement in your introduction). Not using examples in your body paragraphs. Not writing an effective conclusion . This is just a general list of writing mistakes, some of which you may make. But be sure to go through your writing feedback or talk with your teacher to make a list of your most common mistakes. Use a Prewriting Strategy So many students sit down to write an essay without a plan. They just start writing whatever comes to their mind. However, to write a top-graded essay in English, you must plan and brainstorm before you begin to write. Here are some strategies you can use during the prewriting stage: Freewriting Concept Mapping For more detailed information on each of these processes, read “5 Useful Prewriting Strategies.” Follow the Writing Process All writers should follow a writing process. However, the writing process can vary depending on what you’re writing. For example, the process for a Ph.D. thesis is going to look different to that of a news article. Regardless, there are some basic steps that all writers should follow: Understanding the assignment, essay question, or writing topic. Planning, outlining, and prewriting. Writing a thesis statement. Writing your essay. Revising and editing. Writing essays, theses, news articles, or papers in English can be challenging. They take a lot of work, practice, and persistence. However, with these tips, you will be on your way to writing top-graded English essays. If you need more help with your English writing, the experts at Proofed will proofread your first 500 words for free! Share this article: Post A New Comment Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services. Free email newsletter template. Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and... 6-minute read How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need... 9-minute read How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when... 8-minute read Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? 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Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account. Enter a 6-digit backup code Create your username and password. Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it. Reset your password Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password Check your inbox An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account Choose a Reddit account to continue 430 COMMENTS Easy Essay Grading Fair Grading an essay: Fast, Reliable & User-friendly. Perfect For Students & Professionals. Get Instant Plagiarism Analysis. Write Clear, Compelling Papers And Essays With Justdone How to Grade Essays Faster Tip 2: Give Student Choice. Let's say you've been working on a particular skill for a few weeks and have had your students practice using various writing prompts. Instead of feeling forced to provide feedback on every written response, let your students choose their best work for you to grade. 12 Smart Ideas To Grade Essays Faster 9. Grade with a Timer. Think efficiency…Identify a maximum time to spend on each essay, say 3-minutes per page, so you don't linger too long on any one paper. To increase your focus, breathe deeply and perform 5-10 squats after completing 3 papers. 10. Grade with a Checklist. 12 Smart Tips for Grading Essays Faster & Top 10 Tools to Use 1. EssayGrader. EssayGrader is the most accurate AI grading platform trusted by 30,000+ educators worldwide. On average it takes a teacher 10 minutes to grade a single essay, with EssayGrader that time is cut down to 30 seconds That's a 95% reduction in the time it takes to grade an essay, with the same results. 10 Tips for Grading Essays Quickly and Efficiently Your comps list can be a great starting point. 5) Make a Grading Conversion Chart. In general, most assignments require three different "grades": a letter grade, a percentage, and a numeric grade (like 7 out of 10). They each have their own purposes, but the odds are you will need to convert between them. PDF Grading Student Writing: Tips and Tricks to Save You Time 35. Scan several essays quickly without grading, before picking up a pen 36. Grade everyone quickly without commentary, sort into piles, then adjust as needed and add (minimal) commentary 37. Divide the work over time: read only 5 or 10 essays per day 38. Find a distraction-free area to work in 39. Grade blindly (with a cover page you flip over ... Tips for grading student essays efficiently and with integrity (opinion) Here are a few simple suggestions. Sit on your hands. Read a bit of each essay and get a sense of things before pouncing with the marking pen or comment box. This restraint may keep you out of the trap of overmarking and overwhelming the student. Concision is better in end comments, too. How to Achieve Higher Essay Grades (In Just Ten Minutes) 7 steps to higher essay grades using your tutor feedback. 1. Grab your marked essay and all tutor feedback. 2. Scan your feedback for positive comments from your tutor. Look for things you did RIGHT and note them down as a reminder to continue doing those things. 3. 5 Strategies on How to Grade College Essays Faster Integrating student self-assessment tools like rubrics or checklists prompts students to reflect on their work. By encouraging self-reflection, educators can gain insights into the student's perspective before commencing the grading process. 5. Text-Matching Tools: A Time-Saving Aid for Plagiarism Detection. Advice for grading more efficiently (opinion) The point is that grading efficiently doesn't just help save us time; it can also produce good outcomes for our students. If you are turning back work more than a week after it is due, it is probably backfiring for both the students and you. The sooner students get things back and know what they did wrong and how they can improve, the better. Smart Tricks to Grade Essays Quickly and Efficiently Discover smart tricks to grade essays quickly and efficiently without compromising quality. Learn how to develop clear rubrics, prioritize feedback, use comment banks, and leverage technology for a streamlined grading process. Save time while providing valuable feedback to students. Grading Faster And Smarter Skimming is especially important for essays or more complex work, as it will save you time from having to go back and readjust your grading scale. Mark one section or aspect at a time. Marking one section at a time does not only help eliminate bias, it is also much, much faster than grading one paper at a time. Practical Tips for Grading Faster: Keep the Quality & Maintain Your Grading essays goes faster when we can focus. Plan ahead to reduce distractions in order to maximize productivity. Instead of grading the entire essay in one sitting, try collecting and grading one paragraph at a time. This works best with students who are motivated to make the corrections you have suggested. 6 Ways to Grade College Essays Faster and Easier This method can be used for content comments or for grammar errors. 5. Grading Using Grammarly or Turnitin. I love using Grammarly for editing my own documents, and I've frequently told my students to use the free version, too. Using Grammarly Premium, you can also have a tool for grading essays. 15 Teacher-Tested Ways to Save Time Grading Assignments and Tests 5. Grade one section at a time. When Rebecca Bolton is grading assignments or tests, she first grades all multiple-choice questions for every student. Then she moves on to the second section and so on. She says it typically takes only about two minutes per student to grade her physics exams. 6. Stop using an answer key. Quick Tips: Grading Essays and Papers More Efficiently Plan in advance and have students in different sections turn in essays on different dates. Break it down. Determine an optimum number of papers to grade at one sitting. Take a break for an hour before starting another session. Schedule grading time. Literally. Put it on your calendar. Have a realistic return policy. 4 Tips for Managing Essay Grading Creating a document in a word processor of frequently typed feedback. Using shorthand and frequently understood editing marks. Applying a rubric for essay grading. Leaving audio feedback on digital essay submissions instead of text feedback (since many of us can talk more quickly than we can type or write) 3 Easy Steps to Grading Student Essays If the student shows excellent grammar, good organization and a good overall effect, he would score a total of ten points. Divide that by the total criteria, three in this case, and he finishes with a 3.33. which on a four-point scale is a B+. If you use five criteria to evaluate your essays, divide the total points scored by five to determine ... 12 Tips for Grading Essays Faster & 17 Best Tech Tools to Use This tool helps in simplifying and digitizing the grading process. 6. Grades - Grade Calculator: Future Grade Prediction App. Grades - Grade Calculator app calculates the grade a student needs to score on an upcoming exam to achieve target grades and GPA. This free app is a useful tool for both teachers and students. How to Grade Assignments Faster A technique for ensuring consistency and marking essays faster is to grade all submissions for content first, then return to assess structure, supporting material, clarity, consistency and writing quality. Too much feedback on assignments slows marking down. Jo Guldi (CC BY-2.0) 5 Tips for Grading Essays Faster While Leaving Better Feedback Here are some ways to find the time for verbal feedback: Walk around the room while students are writing and spot check for common mistakes or areas of growth such as ensuring a strong thesis, checking for evidence, or finding frequent grammatical errors. Use one tiny element of an essay as an exit ticket. How to Grade Faster Similarly, we can create these cues in our own lives that signal to our brains when it's grading time. Make a cup of tea, listen to a certain CD, go to a certain place in the building. I like to grade in the media center in our school with a cup of tea. Once we signal to our brains that grading is what we are supposed to be doing, it's ... An Easy Way to Grade Writing Quickly A Simple Way to Grade Writing Quickly. Create a checklist of everything you are grading. Your checklist will look similar to a rubric because you will include a list of everything that you want your students to do in the paper. For example, you can have a section for anything you are checking such as content, writing style, mechanics ... How to Write Top-Graded Essays in English However, to write a top-graded essay in English, you must plan and brainstorm before you begin to write. Here are some strategies you can use during the prewriting stage: Freewriting. Looping. Concept Mapping. Outlining. For more detailed information on each of these processes, read "5 Useful Prewriting Strategies.". How can I grade essays faster? : r/ELATeachers Thesis first. Intro when their thesis is approved and worked on. Topic sentences after intro. Then they can start writing the majority of it when the topic sentences are approved. This chunk is peer reviewed (then I grade their grading or their ability to understand my rubric). Also make a grading reference sheet. assignment essay homework paper phd resume review speech thesis