AllBlogGradingV2

= old way = =Assessment of Blog Assignments= toc Blog entries are due 1 hour before class starts. Often I need to review the responses before class starts as your answers will impact class discussion / class activities for the day. Sometimes I glance through the blog entries without grading them and come back later to actually grade them.

Points
Blog assignments count towards your participation grade. They will be graded using the following point system:

Assuming the blog entry is made on time, you earn: Different blog assignments require different amounts of time to complete. Points will be based on the estimated work load for the entry. For example, more points will be allocated when you are asked to read and synthesize a chapter from a textbook than when you are asked for a reaction that is just based on your opinion but without required reading.
 * 1 point--There are no errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or other mechanics of writing
 * 1 point--Directions were followed: the right title was used, correct tags were included if assigned, format (bulleted list, 2 paragraphs, 2-4 sentences,...) was followed, etc.
 * 1 point, 2 points, or 3 points--Content

A late blog entry earns zero points. An entry is considered late if it's not there when I look for it (and I never look until after it's due). I do not go by the time and date stamp on the blog entry.

Feedback
When I read a blog entry, I will make a comment. I will write how many points you earned out of how many possible (4/4, 3/5). If you didn't earn all the possible points, I will explain which points you missed and why. I will also write a comment that may be as short as "nice reflection" or may be longer based on what you wrote. You will know it's from me because it will say it's from "TexasTheresa."

If you wrote a long blog entry and there is one small error in mechanics of writing, I will probably give you all the points for the entry and then write a separate comment pointing out the one error. Please correct that error but then you may delete the comment and no one will ever know.

Resubmission
If you did not earn all the points and would like to "fix" the entry, I will regrade it and average the two grades together. I will also delete the first comment and put a new comment with the second score. That way, it's possible for you to not have any comments with less than a perfect score on the Web for the world to see. Remember, though, that even if you earn a perfect score on the second time around, the averaged score is what will count towards your participation grade. ALL RESUBMISSION REQUESTS MUST BE MADE IN PERSON! If you re-write a blog entry, come see me during office hours or make an appointment for another time. We will look at the new entry together, we can have a discussion about the changes you made, and you will make sure that I write the new grade down in my gradebook.

If you lost a point due to mechanics of writing and you're not sure what the issues are, print out your blog entry and the comment in which I listed them and take it to The Writing Center. They are very helpful and will explain what the problem is as well as how to fix it. Do not fix one error by replacing it with another. Be sure you correct your errors correctly before coming to see me.

Late blog entries can be resubmitted as well. You will earn the average of zero and the grade received on the resubmission. But half credit is better than none!

A blog entry may only be resubmitted once.

Style
//The Bedford Handbook// will be used to judge correctness of spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. For capitalization and spelling of common technology terms, the [|MLA Style Crib Sheet] (which acknowledges other styles) will be used.

Resources
If you are looking for assistance in understanding the nuances between words or deciding which word to use between two commonly interchanged words (e.g., insure & ensure, affect & effect, it's & its), check out Paul Brians' [|Common Errors in English].

(For a rather politically incorrect but very effective set of mnemonics for some very common errors, check out [|The Oatmeal]'s cartoons, shared by Olivia N. from 101 in Spring 2010. Also from The Oatmeal, Kim F. (101, Spring 2010) shared the site's [|semi-colon] and [|apostrophe] cartoons.)

Here are two wikis with great resources that Dan Ryder and Travis Tierney from MBHS use (shared by Kim F. from 101 in Spring 2010):
 * http://road-trip304.wikispaces.com/
 * http://flight307.wikispaces.com/

From an email that's been forwarded a few times: //An English professor wrote the words:// //"A woman without her man is nothing" on the chalkboard and asked his students to punctuate it correctly.// //All of the males in the class wrote: "A woman, without her man, is nothing."// //All the females in the class wrote: "A woman: without her, man is nothing."// //Punctuation is powerful--Make sure you are really saying what you mean to say.//