Instructions and Rules for Self-Grading

The system we will be using this term requires you to grade your own homework, and report the results back to me. In my experience, most students get very high homework grades, and the key issue is to quickly discover which items they got wrong, and try to figure out why. With no TA, this system will save me an immense amount of time, and leave me more available to consult with you on issues important to your learning process.

Here are the rules:

1. Homework has a due date. You must submit your Rmd and compiled HTML files by midnight on that due date.

2. I will run a check to see if everyone has submitted their work, and after all files have been submitted, I will distribute a Key file to you. This file represents a reasonable set of answers (hopefully all correct) for you to use as a guideling in grading.

3. Each answer will have a number of points assigned, and the key should also indicate the point allocation for sub-items.

4. Minor typographical errors entering numbers are penalized 1 point for the first error on a homework assignment, 2 points for the second error, and n points for the nth error.

5. In general, you should be fairly tough on yourself regarding partial credit. In some cases, you will find yourself confused and at a loss regarding an appropriate point assignment. In that case, you can email and ask my opinion. :)

6. Following completion of grading, you need to check what you got wrong, and determine why you got it wrong (assuming my answer was correct). If you cannot determine why you got something wrong, make a note.

7. Send me a grade report, in Rmd format and compiled Html format, with the same subject header and file names as the actual assignment, but with GRADING added to the end, with the following information.

• 1. Your total grade.
• 2. A description of what you got wrong, and why. This could include reasons related to instructional flaws, i.e., I asked you a question which you believe was not covered properly (or at all) in study materials or lecture. If you know why, I assume you also understand now how you could have gotten it right.
• 3. If you include part (b) above, I will raise your grade halfway to the maximum from the total grade listed in (a).

8. A major goal of the system is to try to ascertain where we are having problems, to diagnose them, and to proceed onward with “no adult left behind.”

9. I will personally read at least one of your assignments, and I will let you know if I feel that you are too hard on yourself (or too easy) in your grading.

10. Please complete your grading within 5 days of receipt of the key, and, of course, please let me know if you find errors or shortcomings in the key!