As graders go on grading, their comments become more frustrated and their good-will becomes much sloppier. At least that’s the hypothesis to explain this. Researchers found the reverse effect on graders who sorted in reverse-alphabetical order.
As graders go on grading, their comments become more frustrated and their good-will becomes much sloppier. At least that’s the hypothesis to explain this. Researchers found the reverse effect on graders who sorted in reverse-alphabetical order.
I agree with this. It’s a bit like the first 2 pancakes, you have to go back over the first half a dozen once you’re in the zone.
I used to grade hard copies a lot, after I graded I’d put them in order from best to worst (numerical grades) and then do quick comparisons between an assignment and its neighbours in the pile. It’s an easy way to “quality control”.
As for the comments, that’s a self-discipline issue. If you’re giving, say, 4 positives and 4 negatives per assignment and have standard ways of phrasing, it shouldn’t deteriorate.