Section Five: Paperless Grading

Description:

With a world population exceeding 6 billion, we must conserve resources more than ever before if we are to maintain a standard of living decent to the next generation. In this spirit, I have developed a methodology for students to submit papers and laboratory reports electronically using email and Microsoft Word 97's (Word 98 on the Macintosh) built-in editing tools. The instructor can add comments, replace text and awkward prose, highlight key topics and even score the paper. Both Macintosh and PC versions of Word are accepted, and students using non-Word 97 can output their text as RTF (rich text format) or Word 6.0 with minimal compromise. Appendix C contains the required configuration steps for Microsoft Word 97 (or Word 98) necessary for implementation of paperless grading.

You may download the Microsoft Word example by clicking this link. Note that you must have Word configured correctly to view the graded document.


Methodology:

The required steps for this process to work are as follows:

  1. Both the student and the instructor must have their copy of Microsoft Word configured correctly. Instructions on how to configure the program are found in Appendix C.

  2. The student completes the assignment in Word.

  3. The instructor is emailed the assignment or a disk is brought to the instructor with the assignment.

  4. The instructor grades the assignment using the tools listed below.

  5. The student is emailed the corrected version of the report or is given the disk back with the corrected version and the original version.

  6. The student views the corrected version. If the configurations are followed, the student will be able to see instructor comments, corrections, and more.

Configuration is the key to success with paperless grading. Instructors are accustomed to writing over paper reports with pen, highlighting key ideas, praising or criticizing the student's work, etc. Word allows you to do these things, and implementation is not difficult.

Appendix Coutlines the necessary steps for the proper configuration of Microsoft Word. The remainder of this Methodology section will assume that you are using the proper version of Microsoft Word and that the configurations have been set properly.

Microsoft Word has four primary grading features which makes it attractive as a paperless grading medium for both reviewers (faculty) and authors (students):

  • a highlighter which can be used to grab the student's attention to certain sections
  • a spelling and grammar auto-check function which automatically scans the open document and underlines words and phrases which may not be correct
  • a comment function which allows the reviewer to select text and make comments. When the author places the mouse over the commented section, a pop-up menu appears with the reviewer's comments present.
  • the ability to track changes to documents. If the document includes mistakes that the reviewer wishes to correct, the changes can be made in a new text color (red) while showing the old, incorrect text in yet another color (blue) with a line through the middle of the text.

The highlighter works just as a normal highlighting pen would on a paper document. You can highlight phrases, sentences, sections, etc. A variety of colors are available to the reviewer. To use the highlighter, select the "Formatting" or "Reviewing" toolbar. A pen icon with the tip down on the left side is used for the highlighter, and an arrow next to the pen allows you to chose the color of the highlight. Upon selecting the highlighter, click and drag the text to be highlighted - the color becomes apparent. Select the highlighter icon once more to deselect the highlighting function.

Having Word automatically check spelling and grammar can help the reviewer accurately assess the credibility of the report. Words or phrases that are misspelled or of questionable grammar get a red or green jagged line placed under the section. Sometimes the grammar rules are unhelpful, and you may not wish to use the grammar option. To activate, select "Tools - Preferences - Spelling and Grammar", then select "Check spelling as you type" and "Check grammar as you type" if you wish to include these options in your paperless grading.

The comment function is accessible through the "Reviewing" toolbar. Comments are like placing post-it notes on your papers, making comments when appropriate or needed. The comment function works similarly except that the "post-it" becomes active once the mouse is moved over the commented area; otherwise it is invisible, and only a pale yellow color alerts to viewer that a comment is present. If a comment is desired, click and drag over the desired text, press the "Insert Comment" button on the left side of the Reviewing toolbar, enter the comments you wish to make, then select the "Close" button. Text with a comment attached is displayed with a pale yellow background, alerting the student author to its presence. Notice that it is ideal to use a non-yellow highlighter to distinguish its mark from the comment mark.

The ability to track changes in a document is a powerful tool which will come in handy often. This option is closest to the traditional grading motif; the reviewer can select text, make comments or corrections, etc. and when the student sees the report, they can view both the original and the corrected text. If a tracked change is required, press the "Track Changes" icon in the "Reviewing" toolbar. If you wish to erase and re-write text, delete the text and insert your comments; the deleted text will appear in a new color (blue) with a line through it, while your comments will appear in a third color (red.) Note the colored vertical bar present on the left side of the changed text; this alerts the student author as to the presence of a changed section. Select "Accept Change" in the "Reviewing" toolbar to end the tracking of your changes.

Other miscellaneous hints:

  • I save the corrected papers with a "Cor" extension to distinguish them from regular reports. For example, if the paper is entitled "Dynamics.doc", I would save the file as "DynamicsCor.doc" before grading begins to ensure safety from computer crashes and to help me distinguish between graded and non-graded reports.
  • I use a different color of text to add a "grade" at the end of the report. I tell my students that the color red is reserved for grading, and I include a point total and any essential comments at the end of the report.
  • Students who do not have access to Word 97 or 98 may send you a report in RTF (where RTF stands for "Rich Text Format", an early Word text protocol) or as "Word 5.0" or "Word 6.0" if they use WordPerfect, MacWrite, etc. You can send their reports back to them in RTF, etc., but they will be unable to view the "track changes" or "comments" corrections. If you use a grading synopsis at the end of the report, they will still be able to view this portion with no problem. Paperless grading without Microsoft Word 97 or Word 98 is possible, but not as desirable.
  • If attachments on electronic mail are not being sent correctly, make sure the email program is set to send attachments using "BinHex" or ".hqx". This is a standard encryption method ubiquitous to most of the newer browsers and programs, but earlier programs had it as an option. Other formats may or may not appear correctly to the recipient if BinHex is not used. Microsoft Outlook (which is used at Mt. Hood Community College) accepts attachments well.

An example of a document formatted using the paperless grading techniques described above is available for downloading and viewing from the accompanying website: http://www.gst-d2l.com/TLC

You may download the Microsoft Word example by clicking this link.


Results:

I have been using the paperless grading scheme since September of 1999, and it has worked well. At first it took some additional time to adjust to the new protocols; I was unfamiliar with using "tracked changes" and comments, and I erased a few files before instituting the "Cor" correction suffix discussed earlier. But now I find it is easier to use paperless grading than regular grading. I enjoy the freedom from carrying bulky papers and reports home with me; all of my papers fit nicely on disks or on the email system. I also find that I make more comments when I type than when I write by hand; my typing is faster and more legible, a subtle bonus for my students! I enjoy the knowledge that I am not participating in the destruction of ecosystems by the continued unnecessary consumption of paper.

Students appear to enjoy the opportunity to submit electronic papers. Some submit their work via email by including an attachment along with a normal message. Other students prefer to hand in a disk with the paper included on it. Both methods work satisfactorily for paperless grading, and I return the graded work using the same medium as it was submitted.

I use paperless grading as an option for interested students for lab reports and written assignments. Approximately 30% of my students have tried the paperless grading option, and the feedback has been positive. For the student, they get the opportunity to view the corrected work earlier without having to wait until the next class period to receive the graded paper.

It should be noted that paperless grading methodology might "feel" strange to students accustomed to turning in paper copies of reports; indeed, this instructor felt a bit uneasy trusting the electronic arena to reports and papers despite the many years of work performed with computers. But this is natural. Upon continued use the feeling of uneasiness disappears, and paperless grading begins to "feel" fine and fits well along with the traditional paper-based grading schemes developed over decades by hard-working instructors. Give it a try! You will not be disappointed!



You may download the Microsoft Word example by clicking this link. Note that you must have Word configured correctly to view the graded document.


Return to the Table of Contents for "Beyond the Internet Syllabus".
Return to the TLC Proposal Homepage.

Questions about this material should be addressed to the author,
Dr. Michael A. Russell,
Professor of Chemistry at
Mt. Hood Community College
Gresham, Oregon

Last Updated on January 21, 2000