tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post1455965856015743593..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: RewritesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-77159879812435292812010-06-30T16:44:11.820-04:002010-06-30T16:44:11.820-04:00I also had trouble with mandatory drafts. I taugh...I also had trouble with mandatory drafts. I taught a class devoted solely to teaching students how to write a research paper. They had 2 drafts due for grading. <br /><br />Draft #1 was usually a mess for 50% of the class. Draft #2 was supposed to an almost-complete paper, complete with citations, a works cited page, and a conclusion. Oh...so not close for about 70% of the class, who usuallyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-13072061238550782892010-06-30T02:40:16.538-04:002010-06-30T02:40:16.538-04:00I require a rewrite on the first paper now because...I require a rewrite on the first paper now because I became frustrated by the fact that only a few people would take advantage of the option when it was a choice and then complain about grades. Now that I have switched over, while they moan and complain initially, I get less issues later on in the class and it has helped significantly with their second paper and comprehension of how to actually Aretehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02671929999455583050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-63714751372741177402010-06-29T22:33:52.948-04:002010-06-29T22:33:52.948-04:00My motto is "If you don't have the time t...My motto is "If you don't have the time to do it right, when are you going to find the time to do it over?" I always offer optional conferences on drafts (the drafts are mandatory in my comp classes) and also direct them to the writing center if we can't work something out. Students who take advantage generally get a bump of at least half a letter. But for any given assignment,EnglishDochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12046114978214062491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-63719830825534184612010-06-29T22:30:07.886-04:002010-06-29T22:30:07.886-04:00I have had colleagues who set two possible due dat...I have had colleagues who set two possible due dates for an assignment. The earlier date is for those who want comments on their paper. The date a week later is for those who just want a grade.<br /><br />About 3/4 of the class opts for the later date. This cuts down their workload considerably.<br /><br />I think allowing time for "optional rewrites" on the initial schedule is a Merely Academichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00452389428113097744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-51158605760321010882010-06-29T22:21:22.906-04:002010-06-29T22:21:22.906-04:00Yeah, well...fairness and instruction used to be m...Yeah, well...fairness and instruction used to be my primary concerns, until my chair put me on notice about my last two semesters' eval #'s. I'm not tenured, and my family counts on me. And allowing the 'flakes rewrites contributed to some pretty damn good evals last semester, numbers that far exceeded the chair's expectations. So guess what my new priority is? I'll Captain John Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17514548079851596141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-88709237878890787132010-06-29T19:45:09.302-04:002010-06-29T19:45:09.302-04:00I have problems with optional rewrites (allowed af...I have problems with optional rewrites (allowed after-the-fact) because, in the end, they really are often "unfair."<br /><br />Some of our students really don't have extra time to re-do assignments because of busy schedules. This means that the students who CAN take advantage of the option will be those who either don't work or just don;t have to, or those who have a light Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-32323755212447639962010-06-29T19:26:42.653-04:002010-06-29T19:26:42.653-04:00Another good move, cost-benefit wise, is not to wr...Another good move, cost-benefit wise, is not to write a grade lower than a C on the submitted essay. Instead, record the grade you *would* give them for your own record, and ask them to rewrite the essay. In my experience, as often as not they will not submit a revision, but they don't know what they got...so they don't hate you for giving them the D or F they earned.Captain John Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17514548079851596141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-79098261970665382332010-06-29T18:17:10.829-04:002010-06-29T18:17:10.829-04:00Offering rewrites is nearly always worth it cost-b...Offering rewrites is nearly always worth it cost-benefit wise. It makes students think you are fair and caring, which gives you an evaluation bump, but they hardly ever actually do them. Even if they do, the marking burden isn't high. Just take a look and see if they paid attention to any of your comments.WhatLadderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11603489349164511704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-59695442395012547882010-06-29T17:01:39.518-04:002010-06-29T17:01:39.518-04:00Oh, dear, when we "believe" too much, we...Oh, dear, when we "believe" too much, we're always setting ourselves up to be hurt...I'm with you, Ophelia!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com