Assessments
The best tool to have when assessing students is a grading rubrics. Students need to know what content is being graded and what expectations are being graded. Usually the students will perform to your objectives.
I personally use rubrics for all projects and presentations. There are several good websites that can help you build your own. When the students know exactly what I am looking for, they will rise to the task and deliver quality work.
It also helps since rubrics answer many of the questions they may have about a given assignment when you are unavailable for questions, so long as you take the time to properly explain it to them.
During my time doing my undergraduate work I always relied on my rubric. Once I knew the exact requirements it made my work very clear.
I like using rubrics too as it lays out the road map for their success on the task being given to them. I teach cooking and the grading criteria is pretty straight forward. The main goal is to make sure that they understand the cooking methodology behind each dish and that it taste good. Upon completion I enter their scores into my excel spreadsheet and it averages their score. I will then sit down with each student and go over the grading rubric and explain in detail of their assessment. My students really appreciate the honest feedback moving forward.
The rubric also forces the teacher to evaluate the assessment method in the context of the learning objectives and outcomes. Once satisfied with the rubric and assessment, the teacher can have confidence that it is an effective way to communicate expectations to the students. It reduces frustration among the teacher and students.
Rubrics are fairly new to me, but I see the value for the instructor and the student. It helps to eliminate questions of fairness and subjective grading.
rubrics are affine and concise measuring tool for the student as well as the instructor.
Consistancy is the most important tool. Being sure to grade everyone the same. Also, going over the assignment in detail.
I always give my students rubrics so they know exactly what I am looking for and exactly what they are being graded on
