Grading

Grading in this course draws in practices of specifications grading and labor-based grading, approaches that provide a transparent pathway to earning the grade you want to earn. This page explains the grading policy in detail and is the authoritative version of the policies. This PDF provides a simplified overview of the policies.

The Three Components of Grades in English 120

Basics: Attendance and Participation

Passing the course requires regular participation in the intellectual life of the class community.

• A passing grade requires completion of all of the major assignments and attending at least 75% of in-person class sessions.
• Earning a course grade of B or higher requires being consistently on time and prepared for class, as well as missing no more than two weeks of class sessions.
• Earning a course grade of A requires being consistently on time and prepared for class, as well as missing no more than one week of class sessions.

Much of the work of this course involves classroom work and discussion. Earning a course grade of B or higher indicates that you are regularly participating in that work--doing the in-class activities, listening to your classmates carefully and sharing ideas with them, and so forth.

Smaller assignments (40% of course grade)

The class has many smaller assignments that involve submitting a short piece of writing in advance of class sessions.

Earning a B for this component of the class involves the following:

• Fully completing all, or all but one, of the most substantial of these smaller assignments: the close reading, the source analysis, the creative response, three sets of prototypes for the large assignments, and the end-of-term reflection.
• Missing no more than four smaller assignments of any kind.
• Aside from missing assignments, submitting no more than four smaller assignments late. (Every deadline has a 15-minute grace period for being on time. An assignment can be complete but late if submitted at least two hours before the next class period begins. After that point, the assignment counts as missing.)

Earning an A for this component of the class involves the following:

• Fully completing all of the most substantial of these smaller assignments: the close reading, the source analysis, the creative response, three sets of prototypes for the large assignments, and the end-of-term reflection.
• Missing no more than two smaller assignments of any kind.
• Aside from missing assignments, submitting no more than three smaller assignments late. (Every deadline has a 15-minute grace period for being on time. An assignment can be complete but late if submitted at least two hours before the next class period begins. After that point, the assignment counts as missing.)

Larger assignments (60% of course grade)

The class has three larger assignments: two papers and a video essay.

Earning a B for this component of the class involves the following:

• Fully completing the first version of all three larger assignments, including the submission sheet for each of them. (If the first submitted version of any assignment is not complete, I'll let you know, and you'll have a week to add whatever is missing.)

Earning an A for this component of the class involves fully completing revisions of two of the three major assignments. The criteria for full completion are explained on the revisions page in the Assignments section No more than one revision may be submitted late. (Every deadline has a 15-minute grace period for being on time. An assignment can be complete but late if submitted at least two hours before the next class period begins--or, for assignments due during finals week, at 3:00 on the Friday of finals week. After that point, the assignment counts as missing.)