There is no such thing as true objectivity in grading. The mere construction of grading rubric implies some subjectivity in what you expect students to demonstrate in their assignments. However, the goal of any grading system is to apply that system fairly and consistently to all students enrolled in your class.
f you are a TA for a faculty-led course, discuss their expectations for grading. If you have full responsibility for a course, consult with other faculty members and TAs who have taught that course. Aspects to consider:
-What does a 3.5 mean in the context of your course? A 4.0?
-How will grading issues and disputes be handled?
-How will issues of plagiarism and academic dishonesty be handled?
-What will your policy be for late assignments and incompletes?
If more than one TA is teaching the same course, have all the TAs meet together to agree on common grading criteria to ensure fairness for all students enrolled in the course.
2. Grading Strategies
If you plan on using the same rubric/PTA throughout the entire course, then make sure students have a copy of this at the beginning of the quarter. Otherwise, distribute your rubrics to students at the start of each assignment.
Set aside time to grade - if you have a large class, do not try grading all assignments at once. Do a few at a time.
Involve students in grading their own work. For example, if you have assigned a writing assignment, provide time in class for students to critique each others' rough drafts, using the rubric/PTA to "grade" the papers. Not only are students more receptive to comments from their peers, but they will gain more experience in identifying whether they have met key traits in their own writing.
If you are grading rough drafts, focus on the larger issues. Do not spend too much time noting mistakes in writing mechanics, as they will probably be edited out of the final draft, anyway. If you provide extensive comments on rough drafts, have a component of the grade for the final draft reflect significant revisions made in comparison to the rough draft. Otherwise, my experience has been that students will ignore the TA's comments in the rough draft and turn in a final draft that is largely unaltered.
Online Resources:
University of Washington Grading System - especially helpful for TAs new to the UniversityÕs 4.0 grading scale. Provides a general idea of how the GPA system equates to the letter grading system.
Faculty Resource on Grading - a guide put together by the University of Washington with helpful tips for setting up and maintaining grades. Also included are resources for dealing with Academic Conduct issues, and helping students with disabilities.
"Effective Grading" - a powerpoint adaptation from the ÒEffective GradingÓ book by Walvoord and Anderson; helpful tips and a brief overview of Primary Trait Analysis.