Don't Let Brand New Students Grade Homework

True, but what if students who just joined (like me) DID read the grading rules and learn quickly from watching how others grade? I agree that some new students judge people on grammar and if they like the writing or not, which isn't allowed. But asking for more detail and more writing should only be encouraged, since now people who put a lot of effort and creativity in it, get outstanding, while people who only answer the prompt with 1 sentence also get outstanding. This doesn't seem fair either. I think it is only fair to give people who wrote less and only a couple of sentences shouldn't get outstanding, but Good or Exceeds Expectations with a good feedback on what they can improve. Maybe it's an idea to make it mandatory to read the grading system/rules etc. With a box to 'check' that you read it.

Although there are students like you who do read the guidelines thoroughly before grading, you are the vast minority. In the long run, I think the potential benefit for grading as a whole outweighs the necessary consequence of keeping good graders from initially beginning. As for the grading rules in general that you are addressing, we need to keep in mind that we have people turning in homework with a wide range of capability. We don't want to exclude people who would have a hard time producing more than a few sentences. As for the mandatory reading of rules, people could still just skip through and click the box. By keeping them from grading, they're more likely to read the rules to see what they are missing, and in the long run, a week or two isn't very long to wait to open up that section of WoP. In fact, it's more of an incentive to stick around, as you get the feeling of being rewarded as new areas of WoP are opened to you.

I see where you are coming from. I agree, since I noticed I get frustrated by the grading system as is. I try to give personal feedback and always tell what is good and if there is something that they can work on. All I get back is: completed prompt. Mostly, not by all of course.

Can i ask on what world of potter you are? Because on .com I have the same problem and it is hard to just come up with a solution. I was hoping there could be a chat somewhere where people toss around ideas to come up with a solution which is acceptable and heplful for all. It looks like a lot of people are dissadisfied and frustrated with homework gradings but it is hard to find a way to change it.