A grading contract is an agreement between you (the student) and me (the professor) regarding the workload expectations for the course. Grading contracts assume that no matter how competent we currently are, we all still have a lot to learn. A grading contract shifts emphasis away from evaluating competence toward reflecting the effort you exert toward learning.
The categories below indicate the different expectations for students agreeing to strive for an A, B, etc. After carefully reading the criteria under each grade category, please complete the contract by selecting the grade that matches your personal goals and workload expectations. Then sign and date your contract.
Please note the following:
The categories below indicate the different expectations for students agreeing to strive for an A, B, etc. After carefully reading the criteria under each grade category, please complete the contract by selecting the grade that matches your personal goals and workload expectations. Then sign and date your contract.
Please note the following:
- There are still minimum guidelines set for assignments as a way to maintain certain standards regarding the expected amount of labor associated with a particular grade.
- A Red Light on a major assignment means it requires substantive development/revision to adequately respond to the assignment guidelines; a Yellow Light means a major assignment mostly conforms to the assignment guidelines but may need modest to substantive revisions to better address certain criteria; and a Green Light means a major assignment meets the guidelines with only minor revisions and is a good candidate for expanding/remixing for the final draft.
- The red/yellow/green light system of instructor feedback does not require a student who receives a red light on a major assignment to do more work; it does require a different kind of work, as the student who receives a green light still must substantively expand or repurpose a major assignment if they wish to earn an A. After all, a green light means, "Move forward," not "Abandon your vehicle and walk away."
- The student who wishes to earn an A is required to do more work than the student aiming for a B.
- You can revisit and resign the contract at any time during the semester, but keep in mind that the decisions you make throughout the semester can alter/limit the grade options available to you at semester's end.
- Workloads that fall in between one of these categories (e.g. A and B) will receive a + or - based on its proximity to one or the other category.
- Students should be able to easily track their progress via the grade book feature on Bridges. Numerical grades there do not generally "add up" in the sense that there are total point values or weighted categories. Instead, consider the following:
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Discussion Leader
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Interview
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Stakeholders
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Presentation
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Feedback
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Revisions/Reflection
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100 means you meet A criteria by leading a discussion.
100 means you meet A criteria by interviewing a discourse community "insider" for both major assignments.
50 means you meet B criteria by interviewing a discourse community "insider" for your final project.
50 means you meet B criteria by interviewing a discourse community "insider" for your final project.
100 means you meet A criteria by responding to an actual rhetorical situation for your final project.
50 means you meet B criteria by responding to a hypothetical rhetorical situation for your final project.
50 means you meet B criteria by responding to a hypothetical rhetorical situation for your final project.
100 means you meet A criteria by delivering a multimodal presentation of your final project in class and at the Celebration of Writing.
75 means you meet B criteria by delivering a multimodal presentation in class.
50 means you meet C criteria by delivering an oral presentation in class.
75 means you meet B criteria by delivering a multimodal presentation in class.
50 means you meet C criteria by delivering an oral presentation in class.
100 means you meet A criteria by discussing your revision work in terms of peer, professor, stakeholder, and writing center feedback.
50 means you meet B criteria by discussing your revision work without addressing either writing center or stakeholder feedback.
50 means you meet B criteria by discussing your revision work without addressing either writing center or stakeholder feedback.
100 means you meet A criteria by substantively revising and reflecting on both major assignments.
75 means you meet B criteria by substantively reflecting on both major assignments but only revise red and yellow lights (green lights left unrevised).
50 means you meet C criteria by substantively reflecting on both major assignments and substantively revising only red lights (green and yellow lights left unrevised).
25 means you meet D criteria by failing to substantively reflect on and/or revise one red light.
0 means you meet F criteria by failing to reflect on and/or revise two red lights.
75 means you meet B criteria by substantively reflecting on both major assignments but only revise red and yellow lights (green lights left unrevised).
50 means you meet C criteria by substantively reflecting on both major assignments and substantively revising only red lights (green and yellow lights left unrevised).
25 means you meet D criteria by failing to substantively reflect on and/or revise one red light.
0 means you meet F criteria by failing to reflect on and/or revise two red lights.
No matter what anyone tells you, grading is always a subjective enterprise. This is why you are not only invited but encouraged to negotiate for your grade. One way you negotiate for your grade is by thoroughly and accurately assessing your learning in your web portfolio. Another way is by meeting with me to discuss your self assessment. Both of these methods help me to more accurately assess the amount of work you're putting into you own learning, and assign a grade that matches that assessment.
A
- No more than two absences (including tardies)
- Submit all work on time and meeting minimum assignment guidelines
- Lead a class discussion (individually or as a team, depending on preference/demand) related to one minor assignment
- Your preliminary analysis and final project each involve at least one interview with a discourse community “insider,” with an interview protocol approved by the professor
- Your final project responds an actual rhetorical situation
- Your final project proposal is presented to your actual project stakeholders for approval/feedback
- For class and Celebration of Student Writing, deliver a multimodal presentation of your final project, inviting stakeholders to attend
- Your reflective web portfolio demonstrates learning via:
- Substantively revised drafts of any of major assignments that receive yellow or red lights, and significant expansions/remixes of those that receive green lights
- Related explanations of applying:
- Feedback from peers, writing center, project stakeholder(s), and professor
- Course concepts/skills related to outcomes
B
- No more than two absences (including tardies)
- Submit all major assignments and 80-89% of minor assignments on time and meeting minimum assignment guidelines
- Your final project involves at least one interview with a discourse community “insider,” with an interview protocol approved by the professor
- Your final project responds to a hypothetical rhetorical situation
- For class, deliver a multimodal presentation of your final project
- Your reflective web portfolio demonstrates learning via:
- Drafts of any major assignments that receive great lights, and substantively revised drafts of any that receive yellow or red lights
- Related explanations of applying:
- Feedback from peers and professor
- Course concepts/skills related to outcomes
C
- No more than three absences (including tardies)
- Submit all major assignments on time and meeting minimum assignment guidelines, except in one or two cases
- 70-79% of minor assignments on time and meeting minimum assignment guidelines
- Your final project doesn’t involve an interview
- Your final project responds to a hypothetical rhetorical situation
- For class, deliver an oral presentation of your final project
- Your reflective web portfolio demonstrates learning via:
- Drafts of any major assignments that receive green or yellow lights, and substantively revised drafts of any that receive red lights
- Explanations of:
- Feedback from peers and professor
- Course concepts/skills related to outcomes
D
- Four absences (including tardies)
- More than two cases of submitting major assignments late and/or without meeting minimum assignment guidelines
- 50-69% of minor assignments submitted on time and meeting minimum assignment guidelines
- Your final project doesn't involve an interview or respond to a rhetorical situation
- For class, deliver an oral presentation of your project without a visual component
- Your reflective web portfolio includes drafts of all 3 required major assignments, but some are still red-lighted, and some required explanation may be missing
F
- Five or more absences (including tardies)
- Failing to submit one or more major assignments
- Failing to submit 50% or more of minor assignments on time and meeting minimum assignment guidelines
- Your final project doesn't involve an interview or presentation, or respond to a rhetorical situation
- Your reflective web portfolio is missing one or more required components
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