GRADING Writing Comments and Returning Student Work Returning Student Work

There are good reasons to return student work at the end of class. If you return assignments at the start of class or section, students may be distracted by reading comments rather than focusing on the lecture or discussion. Don't leave papers or exams in a pile on the desk during class; put them out of sight where they will not distract students. If there are several GSIs for a course, try to return assignments on the same day. Students resent assignments for one section being returned significantly earlier or later than assignments for another section.

Before returning student work, let students know when your next office hour will be or when they can come to you to discuss comments or grades. It is a good idea to leave at least one full day between the time you return assignments and the time you allow students to come to discuss them with you. This gives them time to think about your comments first. It also allows students to respond more rationally, rather than emotionally, to your feedback.

Some students are hesitant to discuss a grade that they don't understand or feel is unfair. Giving students a copy of your policy on regrades can encourage students to think through your comments before they discuss comments or grades with you. Here is a sample that one GSI distributes to her students:

Regrades: (What to do if you think that you have received an unfair grade?)

GSIs sometimes make mistakes when they are grading papers, quizzes and exams. If you feel that your GSI has made a mistake, you should ask him or her to regrade your paper (etc.). Here is my policy on regrades.

I will not accept papers for regrading in the three days following their return to you. The reason for this delay is to give you time to read and think about my comments. Very often students find that comments which don't make sense the first time around, become clearer when they've thought about them for a while or reread assigned reading, lecture notes etc. Once you have read and thought about any comments on your paper, you have two options:

1. Come to office hours to discuss your paper and my comments on it in greater detail;
2. and/or submit your paper for regrading.

To have your paper regraded, you must resubmit it to me together with a WRITTEN explanation of why you think that your initial grade is unfair and ought to be changed. I will only accept papers for regrading if they are accompanied by a written explanation from the student.

Finally, please remember that when a paper is regraded it is reassessed from scratch. This means that a regrade could result in a grade that is lower than your initial grade rather than higher. If this happens then you MUST accept the lower grade. (However, if your initial grade was mistaken, your grade will be raised without penalty, quibble, invoking my undying hatred etc., so don't suffer in silence.)