One of the problems with traditional grading is it's a distraction from learning. Writers don't become better writers by being graded on writing. Writers get better by writing, getting feedback on their writing, reflecting on their writing, revising, and writing some more. I have spent the last few years experimenting with different ways to remove "grading" from my classes. I think the plan we will use in our class this semester is the best one. Let's see what you think!
The assignments in this course are structured and sequenced to support your development as a reader, writer, and thinker over the course of the semester. No matter your starting point, after completing the reading and writing assignments, reflecting on the feedback you receive, and incorporating that reflection into subsequent reading and writing tasks, you will emerge as a stronger, more confident academic writer at the end of our 16 weeks together. The grading plan is designed to facilitate that growth.
At the beginning of the semester, you will commit to three writing goals--one goal I have chosen for the whole class, and two goals you will choose for yourself: one process goal, and a big-picture goal or sentence-style goal. (You'll get help choosing these goals in our Week 1 module in Canvas.) Each time you finish a draft of one of our five major writing assignments, your classmates and I will give you feedback related to these goals. Your essays won't receive a grade; they will simply be marked complete or incomplete.
"Complete" means you turned it in and it met the specifications for the assignment (for example, word count and number of required sources). The feedback you get from your classmates and me will tell you how successful the essay was in terms of its purpose and the extent to which the piece of writing met your goals. You will use that feedback to continue working on your goals in future assignments.
The designators "complete and incomplete" do not carry any point value. All smaller assignments that lead up to the major WAs will typically be worth 10 points, and these are graded on a "specifications" basis. You either get 10 points for turning the assignment in or 0 points for not turning it in. In some cases, I might ask you to make some adjustments and resubmit to earn the ten points.
In order to earn a passing grade in ENGWR 300, all major WAs must be turned in and marked "complete." As long as that requirement is met, your final grade will be determined by the number of points you earn on the smaller, supporting assignments. That grade will always be visible to you in Canvas.
Q: What if I don't turn in one of the major writing assignments?
A: In order to receive a passing grade (A, B, or C) in the course, you must turn in all five of the major writing assignments. If one of these is missing, your course grade will be a D. If two of these are missing, your course grade will be an F.
Q: What if I miss a due date for one of the major writing assignments?
A: I know that taking online courses is not easy. We are living through a public health crisis -- nothing we do right now is easy! However, in a skills-based class like ours, with reading and writing tasks that build on each other, it's crucial to turn in (and get feedback on) each major writing assignment before starting the next one. I also know from talking with students in past semesters that clear and firm deadlines are helpful -- they help clarify the importance of the task and help you prioritize what you should focus on. We all have a million competing priorities and there are so many temptations (I’m looking at you, Netflix)! For these reasons, the due dates for major writing assignments are firm. Of course, if a tech issue or some other hiccup prevents you from submitting a writing assignment on time, please reach out to me so we can make a plan for when you’ll get the assignment in.
Q: What if I miss a due date for one of the smaller supporting assignments? Can I turn it in late?
A: Many of the weekly assignments require you to contribute to a class discussion or give feedback to your peers. These types of assignments require timely completion for obvious reasons. After the deadline for a discussion reply has passed, the class has moved on. What would be the point of contributing to a discussion board that no one was going to read? And imagine getting a lot of great peer feedback on an essay draft….three weeks after you submitted the final draft. For these types of assignments, it doesn’t make sense to turn them in late, so you will miss out on the points for that assignment. Much more important than the missing points, though, is your classmates missing out on the opportunity to learn from you and your unique perspective!
I know that things outside of your control can suddenly come up and make it so you miss assignments. I also know how easy it is to lose track of a due date when you are taking multiple online classes! As long as you are staying on top of your work otherwise, missing an assignment won’t be a big deal. As a safeguard, throughout the semester there will be some optional (extra credit) assignments, and these can help you make up for any points you may have missed. If you have missed a few assignments in a row, please reach out to me so we can work together to get you back on track.
To learn about how to make sure you are successful in our class, see the Success Tips page.
For information on all the success resources SCC has for you, see the Support For You page.
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