Insights from Western University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning.
- Allow enough time. Don’t put off your grading until you absolutely have to do it. Rather, plan for enough hours to accomplish the task in smaller chunks. Remember that not all assignments have to be graded in one sitting and, in fact, grading this way may lead to tiredness, lack of focus, and grading inconsistency.
- Set a goal for yourself. For example, say, “This morning I will grade 10 papers.” Then give yourself permission to do something else whenever you are finished—whether that’s research, reading, or going for a walk. In the afternoon, resume your grading and tackle another 10 papers. It may take a few extra hours to grade this way, but in the end, you will feel less tired and frustrated and your grading will be more consistent.
- After you’ve graded a certain number of papers, review your rubric or checklist to ensure that you are grading consistently. If you are working with teaching assistants, recommend that they do the same.
Insights from Berkeley University’s Teaching and Resource Center
- Time yourself. Try to limit how long you spend grading each assignment (e.g., I want to grade 20 problems per hour, on average). If you find yourself puzzling over a particular paper or assignment, set it aside to grade last, when your sense of all the students’ work has been fully developed.
- If the assignment has disjointed parts, grade each part separately. For example, if an assignment consists of three problems, grade the first problem for the entire class before you proceed to grading the second problem. This will help you grade consistently and efficiently.
- Grade with (virtual) company. In addition to being more fun than grading alone, grading with your colleagues provides you with a resource for any grading questions. Peers can help with consistency checks, particularly for large lecture courses. Exchange a few papers in each score range with your colleagues and grade them independently, then compare the scores and take corrective action if necessary.
Insights from “How to Grade Faster in 2020” by Deborah J. Cohan, published in Inside Higher Ed
- Grade when you’re at your best. “I used to grade into the wee hours of the morning when I was very tired, and then I’d wind up needing to reread things, worried that I had perhaps made incoherent remarks. Back then, I thought that I did not want to waste precious alert time grading. Now I see it differently: I grade when I am most awake and sharp, and it takes far less time.”
- Alphabetize papers before grading them. “That way, as soon as I finish, inputting the grades into the online system goes very quickly.”
- Use the tools that work best for you. “This may seem trivial, but it’s worth considering what sort of pen to use if you are grading hard copies. I have a favorite pen that I find is very fast and never makes my hand feel fatigued.”
