Designing Rigorous Assignments & Exams That Lead to Fair Grades

The below are some strategies to help faculty ensure that they are designing courses with a rigorous workload, fair and meaningful grades, and that grading is transparent and consistent across sections:

• Design assignments that accurately assess mastery of skills and course material. Ensure that:
  • Assignments yield student work that is reliable evidence of their own thinking (rather than AI usage).
  • Major assignments assess skills and understanding of course content rather than just rewarding completion.
  • “Creative” or “nontraditional” assignments are held to the same intellectual standards as other coursework. 
  • End-of-semester assessments are cumulative, that is they build on work completed over the course of the semester.
  • Students are accountable for doing assigned out-of-class work (such as reading) and for being present in class by being asked to apply their knowledge to particular assignments.
  • Assessments of class participation are based on clearly communicated standards.
• Articulate to students how class assignments are tied to course objectives.
  • Remind students that grades are a reflection of mastery of course content and skills, not merely the amount of effort put into an assignment.
  • Provide clear directions, including rubrics or grading expectations, so that students understand the standards for success.
• Provide your teaching team with clear guidance and expectations for grading assignments during regular teaching team meetings.
  • Communicate clear grading rubrics and standards to your TFs.
  • Norm grades with teaching fellows and across sections.
  • Review some or all graded assignments for accuracy in grading. Particularly when your TFs are going to assign low grades, review the work so that you can back up their decision if a student complains.
• Respond to student grade complaints and appeals by hearing their concerns and directing them to campus resources for additional support.
  • Help students understand why their assignment earned the grade it received and what they can do differently on the next assignment to improve future grades. Faculty can also encourage students to visit the Writing Center or the Academic Resource Center for additional support.
  • If students have larger concerns about the relationship between an assignment grade and their future career, encourage them to connect with the Mignone Center for Career Success to learn more about the relationship between grades and career paths.