Do Prompts Affect Grades
Yes. Changing the prompts can change grades, sometimes significantly.
For example:
If you change the topic of an assignment after students have submitted work, a student’s response may no longer match the assignment.
In that case, even strong writing could receive a very low score or a zero because it no longer answers the assigned prompt.
The Assignment prompts help define what the work is supposed to be about.
But Should Teachers Change Prompts to Adjust Grading?
No. Even though changing prompts can affect grades, it usually does not do so in the way teachers intend.
Think of the assignment prompts the same way you would in your classroom:
Changing the prompt in CoGrader is like changing the directions for students after the assignment has already been given.
That can create confusion and misalignment, not fairer grading.
If your goal is to:
Be more lenient or more strict
Emphasize structure over mechanics
Focus more on evidence, analysis, or clarity
The Prompt field is not the right place to do that.
What Prompts Are Meant For
Prompts should:
Describe the task students were given
Explain the topic, format, and basic requirements
Match what students actually saw when they completed the work
They are written for students, not as directions to the grader.
How to Control Grading the Right Way
To intentionally change how student work is evaluated, use:
A custom rubric
Rigor or grading settings
Feedback tone settings
These tools are designed to shape grading outcomes clearly and consistently.
Bottom Line
Prompts do affect grading
Changing them after the fact can change scores, sometimes dramatically
But they should not be used to fine-tune grading behavior
Use rubrics and grading settings instead
This keeps grading fair, predictable, and aligned with what students were actually asked to do.