Grading well is mostly about decisions you make before the first paper arrives: how scores are weighted, how grades are rounded and which scale you use. Settle those first, then use a fixed marking routine and a calculator for the arithmetic. The ten tips below cover both the setup and the daily work.

Start with a single grading scale for the whole course. If you are not sure which one to choose, see how the grading scale options compare, and then stick to the one you pick.

Tips 1 to 4: set the rules first

1. Publish your weights on day one

Put the category weights in the syllabus, for example homework 20%, quizzes 20%, tests 40% and projects 20%. The weights must add up to 100%. Students then know where to put their effort, and you can answer grade questions by pointing to one page. You can check any student’s result with the weighted grade calculator, and our guide to weighted categories explains the maths.

2. Write down a clear rounding policy

Decide whether 89.5% rounds up to 90% and whether rounding happens once at the end or at every step. On the 10-point scale, that single half point is the difference between a B and an A. Announce the rule early and apply it to everyone. Our guide to a clear rounding policy shows the options.

3. Use one scale for the whole course

Changing scales midway confuses students and creates disputes. The same 84% is a B on the 10-point scale, a B on the plus/minus scale and a C on the 7-point scale. Pick one, print it in the syllabus and use the letter grade calculator for quick checks.

4. Decide your late-work and drop rules now

Settle in advance how late work is penalised, whether you drop the lowest quiz and how extra credit works. Rules made after a complaint look arbitrary. Rules written in the syllabus look fair.

Tips 5 to 8: mark faster

5. Grade in batches, one question at a time

Mark question 1 for every paper, then question 2, and so on. You learn the common mistakes once, apply the same standard throughout and stop re-reading the whole answer sheet. Thirty papers at 4 minutes each take 120 minutes. At 2.5 minutes each they take 75, which saves 45 minutes.

6. Use an answer key and a quick tally

For objective tests, mark only the wrong answers and count them. Then convert the count to a score. If 3 of 25 answers are wrong, the student has 22 out of 25, which is 88%. The Easy Grader turns a wrong-answer count into a percentage and a letter for a whole stack of tests, with no arithmetic by hand.

7. Use rubrics for open-ended work

A short rubric with three or four criteria makes essays and projects quicker to mark and easier to explain. You circle a level for each criterion instead of writing the same comment again and again.

8. Use a comment bank

Keep a list of the ten comments you write most, and paste or number them. Save your personal notes for the work that needs them. Students still get feedback, and you get your evenings back.

Tips 9 and 10: stay fair

9. Mark without looking at names

Fold the name over or use student numbers where you can. It keeps first impressions and past results out of the score.

10. Re-mark a sample before you finish

Pick a few papers from the start of the pile and re-mark them at the end. If the scores have drifted, you were getting stricter or looser as you tired, and you can fix it before grades go out.

A simple weekly routine ties these tips together. Mark in one or two fixed blocks rather than a few minutes at a time, because switching back and forth costs more time than the marking itself. Enter scores into the gradebook the same day, so mistakes are caught while you still remember the paper. Return work quickly, since feedback loses value as the week goes by. Finally, keep a short note of any exception you made and why, so you can treat the next similar case in the same way.

Which tool for which job

If you are new to the idea, read what an easy grader is before you try it on a class set.

Frequently asked questions

How can teachers grade faster?

Mark in batches one question at a time, use an answer key, count only wrong answers on objective tests, and use a rubric or comment bank for written work.

What should a teacher publish on the first day?

The category weights, the grading scale, the rounding rule, and the policies for late work, dropped scores and extra credit.

How do I keep grading fair?

Use the same rules for everyone, mark without names where possible, and re-mark a few papers at the end to check that your standard did not drift.

Should I round grades up?

That is your policy to set. What matters is that the rule is written down in advance and applied to every student in the same way.

Which grading scale should I use?

Use the scale your school requires. If you can choose, the 10-point scale is the simplest, and the plus/minus scale gives finer detail. Stick to one for the whole course.