Contract Grading
Overview
Labor-Based Contract Grading is a system of grading based on the research of Asao Inoue (2015; 2018) and other scholars in writing studies. It differs from traditional grading in that you do not receive a grade based on the subjective quality of your work, but instead based on the labor you put into the course. In other words, you will receive feedback from me, comments, suggestions for revision, encouragement, and support, but you will not receive an “A, B, C, D, or F” based on how “well” you complete a project.
I’ve chosen to use contract grading because it aligns with my beliefs about what creates the most productive environment for students to develop as writers:
- writers should have the opportunity to be experimental and exploratory, rather than focusing on being “correct” or doing exactly and only “what the assignment requires”
- time and labor are valuable, and students who are investing more time, energy and effort into the course should have those efforts recognized
- students should always have a clear sense of how they’re progressing and where they stand
- study after study has demonstrated that the best way to improve as a writer is to write, and contract grading encourages that without an accompanying fear of failure
- students don’t enter an organic chemistry class knowing everything about organic chemistry. Similarly, you should not be evaluated based on your prior knowledge or experiences with writing. In other words, all students should have the same potential to earn an A.
Contract grading is freeing for both teachers and students, allowing us “to think more about writing and less about grades” (Danielewicz and Elbow, 2009, p. 249). With less focus on the grade, we can all focus more on the feedback and the overall learning that happens when we write. I want you to be able to approach the class and its activities with a sense of curiosity, enthusiasm and excitement and with less fear and worry, allowing you to trust yourself and the process, letting yourself make mistakes, take feedback into consideration, and engage in dialogue with me (and each other) about your projects and writing.
So How Do I Figure Out My Grade?
| Final Grade | Late PN | Missing PN | Late Assignments | Missing Assignments | Meetings with Kevin | Classes Attended | Extra Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 90% | All |
| B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 80% | - |
| C | 3-4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | |
| D | 5+ | 3+ | 3 | 1 | - | <50% | - |
| F | - | - | 2+ | - | - |
The table above shows how to determine your grade in the class. Note that each column provides a grade ceiling. For example, if you submit two major assignments late, because that indicates a C, the highest grade you can get in the course is a C regardless of anything else.
The table may seem intimidating at first, so I’ll go over what it means in simple language as well. (I promise it’s actually simpler than it first appears.)
To receive an A for the course, you should have
- completed all progress notebook entries, with no more than one late,
- met with me at least once,
- completed all major assignments with no more than one late,
- attended at least 90% of the class sessions, and
- completed all extra work.
To receive a B for the course, you should have
- completed almost all progress notebook entries, with no more than one missing and no more than one late,
- met with me at least once,
- completed all major assignments with no more than one late, and
- attended at least 80% of the class sessions.
- No extra assignments are required for a B.
Grades lower than B mean you have
- not completed multiple progress notebook entries,
- been routinely late with progress notebooks,
- been routinely late or missed major assignments,
- been routinely missing from class, or
- failed to meet with me during the quarter.
Thus, the quickest way to slide to a C, D, or F is to not submit weekly work or major assignments or to consistently miss class.
+/- grades will be assigned at my discretion. They will be used in cases when your assignments and participation suggest you labored above and beyond the expectations (+) or the quality and completeness of your major projects, smaller assignments, and participation is lacking in one way or another (-). You are always welcome to ask about this!
Definitions and Clarifications
LATE: Work is “late” if turned in past the deadline (or, more realistically, after 1pm the next day).
MISSING: If work is not submitted by midnight on Friday of Week Ten, it is missing.
COMPLETE: Work is considered “complete” if it satisfies the criteria in the relevant prompt. This means that work is not just done, but done in the manner expected. (That is, work that does not make a good faith effort to engage with the prompt or that is clearly rushed will not be counted as “complete.” The good news is that you can try again, with it only counting as “late”.)
ASSIGNMENTS: This refers to the Job Materials, Market Research, Design Section, and Presentation.
EXTRA WORK: This refers to the revised Job Materials, extended Market Research, and extended Design Section.
