Grading

Grading Contracts

For this course, we will use a version of a grading contract, which Melissa Watson has defined as “a system of grades that are based primarily on your labors and efforts.” That means that your final course letter grade will be based on your participation, attendance, and successful completion of assignments and revisions. Like Prof. Watson, whose model of grading contracts I adapt here, I will “continue to hold high standards for completing assignments fully and effectively,” but hope that contract grading will “invite you to feel more comfortable taking risks, making mistakes, and being transparent about your questions and stances.” It’s my preference to put my energy into supporting your growth.

The grading contract includes all the assignments, low stakes and high, that make up your grade for the term. You agree to strive to complete all readings, all writing activities, and to turn in on time and complete all assignments.  Even if you are absent, you are still responsible for submitting work that’s due on time. If you do that, you’ll earn the points allotted to that assignment. The numbers add up to 100. That number will help you know what letter grade you can expect. For your convenience, grades in Blackboard are (or should be) listed as both number values and letter grades. 

 

Grading Breakdown

Your grade for this course is determined by a number of writing exercises. To build up to these, you’ll do a lot of informal work—reading, freewriting, listing, sketching, imagining, translating, and more. In-class writing and discussions are essential preparations for each of these four exercises. Similarly, peer feedback is an essential part of the grade for these more challenging pieces of writing. Reading, research, and informal  presentation of your ideas round out the way you’ll be graded. That should take some of the pressure off of the final product. So should this: generally, if you follow the instructions, participate in a meaningful way in the preparatory work in class, and complete the attempt on time, you’ll earn all the available points. 

  • Outsider Narrative (20 points) | Assignment Prompt
    • Due in stages on Sept 1 (peer editing version) and Sept 8 (graded revision)
    • On Sept 8, in class, we’ll reflect on the work
    • On Sept 15, publish a revision to your digital portfolio on CUNY Academic Commons.
  • Metaphor Essay  (20 points) | Assignment Prompt 
    • Due in stages on  
    • The annotated bibliography is worth 5 points 
    • The process-analysis in-class writing is worth 10 points 
    • The deposit in “Leaving Evidence” (our class freewrite folder) is worth 5 points
  • Research Stages (30 points)
    • Peer Editing draft due Nov 15, worth 10 points
    • Non-Peer Editor non-assessment non-refusal due, November 22, worth 5 points
    • Graded Revision due November 29, worth 10 points
    • Non-peer editor non-binding non-assessment, due with Graded revision, worth 5 points
  • Self-Assessment and Portfolio due December 13 (30 points)
    • Annotated Deposit in “Leaving Evidence” due Dec 1 (5 points)
    • Presentation draft of “Point B” essay due (various) Dec 6, 8, 13 (5 points)
    • Graded revision of “Point B” essay due Dec 15 (10 points)
  • Academic Integrity (10 points)

This is explained more fully below, but basically, I expect you to demonstrate academic integrity by:

  • having no more than 4 absences or 8 partial attendances (leaving early, coming late)
  • ignoring no formal attempts, and completing anything initially marked “incomplete”
  • demonstrating an understanding of MLA-style citation and other key academic conventions
  • progressing towards consistently producing digital writing that is accessible to a range of readers
  • effectively and regularly participating in class conversation, especially in freewrites (writing and sharing)

Students who complete all of the above will earn two points in each area for a total of 10 points.→ Students who do not meet any one of the above criteria will lose 1-2 points, at the instructor’s discretion.