IF YOU WANT TO:
Making extensive, constructive comments on student work.
Several excellent teachers stressed the need to give students positive as well as negative feedback and to suggest ways in which they might have strengthened their responses. "Students need to know what they are doing well," in addition to what they need to improve," says one professor of history. "I am always careful to praise their strengths and to be as constructive and helpful as possible in pointing out their weaknesses."
"I make a point of writing extensively on student papers," says a professor of architecture. "I make comments in the margins as I am reading and then append lists of strengths and suggestions for improvement."
"I write many comments on the students' papers and essay exams," says a professor in ethnic studies. "In fact, I write just as much on the best papers as on the poorest. On failing papers I write something like, `Insufficient - come see me Wednesday' or on a good paper I might write `Read such and such over the weekend and come talk to me about it next Tuesday.' I am also careful to remark on any improvements or progress a student may have made from one writing assignment to another."
The TIES office has guidelines for commenting on student papers. Contact TIES (2-6392).
Limitations on Use of Suggestion
Copyright 1983 by the Regents of the University of California