Intro
This document outlines everything you need to know to co-grade successfully using CoGrader.
2 steps to achieve best-practice grading:
🖥️ Assignment format: Ensure that the assignments include only one task and one answer.
✏️ Assignment instructions: Provide clear assignment instructions.
So let’s dive right in.
🖥️ 1. Assignment format
CoGrader is currently optimized for grading essays and written text in a "one-prompt, one-answer" format.
In the future, we will will also support:
Powerpoint / Google Slides
Long essays with Charts, Diagrams and visual elements.
Audio/Video
These formats are NOT available right now.
Checklist:
For the best grading results, ensure that each document is structured to contain only a single task and a single answer. If you want to grade multiple questions, look at this article.
As you've already provided the prompt in the "Assignment instructions", the imported file should ideally only feature the student's answer.
Make sure the document is under 5000 words and under 15 MB if importing.
Here is an example of a document which will be imported successfully:
✏️ 2. Assignment instructions / Prompt
For optimal results, write a simple description of what exactly you are looking for in that specific assignment. Make sure to only keep information that is relevant for CoGrader to grade.
Examples
Good assignment instructions:
✅ Write an essay on the book 'The Great Gatsby'. Specifically, address the theme of the book and analyze how complex characters develop over the course of the text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot to determine a theme or central idea.
Why is it good?
It provides all the necessary context for CoGrader to co-grade the assignment, yet it's brief. → What exactly the student is expected to do, the name of the book, and the essay content.
Bad assignment instructions:
🚫
Skim through 'The Great Gatsby' and your class notes.
Write 1 page (double spaced) about any thoughts, feelings, or observations about the characters and themes.
Copy and paste your writing into Chat GPT and ask it to move your ideas so that sentences about similar topics into unified paragraphs WITHOUT adding any additional writing or changing any of the words.
Copy and paste it into a new document.
Add a title and your name at the top.
Paste this into the attached document and add to your ideas.
Click "turn in."
Why is it bad?
Instructions are disjointed, making it difficult for CoGrader to understand what exactly should be graded.
Instructions like "Click 'turn in'" are not relevant to how CoGrader should grade the assignment.
🖥️ Google Classroom assignment format: Simplify your assignments to include only one task and one answer for optimal grading.
✏️ Assignment instructions: Clarity is key. Make sure your assignment instructions are straightforward and easy to understand.
🔍 Rubric: Whether you're using one of our template rubrics or your own, having specific grading criteria is essential for fair and consistent evaluations.
By following these guidelines, you're not only streamlining the grading process but also ensuring that each student receives a fair, impartial, and thorough assessment. CoGrader is here to make your grading experience as efficient and effective as possible.