ABSTRACT
All grading is criterion based. Articulating these criteria, to yourself and your students, determines whether the grading is effective or ineffective. According to Walvoord and Anderson (1998), when grading is effective, it uses the instructor’s time efficiently. It is consistent and fair. The expectations are easily explained to students. The grades show what you are trying to teach. The grades identify relationships between knowledge and skills. The grades help students know what they should aim to accomplish. Students can evaluate their own and each other’s work. Providing the criteria saves the instructor from explaining grades after the fact. It helps students give each other constructive feedback on drafts. It helps team teachers and teaching assistants grade consistently across sections. It helps instructors in sequenced courses communicate about standards and competencies. Finally, criteria-based grading can help departments and institutions assess their programs more effectively.
