Digging My Way Through Research Papers

 I promised myself yesterday morning before collecting research papers that I would grade 10 papers before going to bed.

I failed.

I graded five papers in almost three hours and gave up.

Why are research papers so difficult for students? Many of my best students who write beautifully on timed writings fall apart and often write incoherent phrases, sentences, and paragraphs in research papers. I understand that documentation is harder for students, but the major errors I am finding so far have little to do with documentation. 

As I grade, I'm also completing the English teacher shuffle. If you have ever graded essays or research papers, you know what I mean,

First, I put the papers in stacks of 5 so I can keep a tally of how many papers I have.

Then I start debating whether or not I want to grade what I think will be my best papers first so I can move quickly and smile or if I want to grade the weak papers first since they take much more time.

While I'm debating, I re-stack my papers into groups of 10 so it will look as though I have fewer papers to grade.

Then I count how many papers I have graded in the hopes that maybe I miscounted the first time.

I didn't.

So far, I have graded papers randomly and have assigned one F, 2 Cs, and 2 Bs, not a good start. At this rate, I'll need 17 days to grade papers, and I have a new set of timed writings popping up on Monday.

Grading research papers is brutal.

We should receive combat pay.

Maybe today will be better. I'll start by counting the papers I have graded, and then I'll put the ungraded papers in new stacks.

Comments

[Harriett Gillham]

This cracked me up, Dr. P. I can tell you that I had many strategies when I have approached the grading of essays, and you have definitely named most of them.

Research papers? *shudders*
ARE.THE. WORST.

I ALWAYS put the best writers on the bottom -- something to look forward to, and the weak writers on top while I have the energy to attack. If I wait, then I end up thinking that statements like this are okay: "The world is big." "The Scarlet Letter is a bad book."
or "Men have been committing crimes for a long time."

I'm tired thinking about what you are doing.
Gawd.

I have put my "red" soldiers to rest... they are now lying flat in a drawer somewhere.. they earned their pay, but you, the General, Dr. P, will have to continue to ride into battle.

Pen up.

Go get 'em.

I think the grades so far are sounding like you are pretty lenient. You need come chocolate.

Eh?

[Term Papers Guide]

Students usually take the easy route to write term papers which are above and beyond their true capabilities. Such issues can surely be handled by making the admission process more fool proof to ensure that only students with an ethical mind set who are fit to learn and acquire knowledge for knowledge's sake and not as a license to a pay grade.

[Edie Parrott]

Yes, indeed some kids do often take the easy route. I'm not sure, however, what you mean by fool proofing the admissions process. I teach high school seniors, and there is no admissions process.