The Lit Essay and the Dim Student

 As an English teacher, I spend way too much time grading writing. I have been assigning numbers (and/or letters) to student writing for over 30 years. And I still can't explain it well. Here is a transcript of a wholly fictional (yet accurate) conversation I have with a student after handing back papers (no line of student dialogue was never said):

Student (S) -- why did I get an 87 on my paper?

Me (M) -- because there were errors in it.

S -- was my answer wrong?

M -- in writing, it isn't about right or wrong -- it is about structure and proof.

S -- But I proved my point!

M -- Yes, you did, but there were stylistic and mechanical errors.

S -- But I got the answer right.

M -- in English class, we aren't looking for you to get the right answer, and then show your work. In English, the work IS the product. The proven argument is just a way for you to demonstrate mastery of writing as an independent skill.

S -- so what did I do wrong?

M -- did you look at the corrections that I made, or the comments that I wrote?

S -- Can't you just tell me?

M -- OK: you have no transition between your first and second body paragraphs.

S -- And that was worth 13 points?

M -- no, that isn't how it works. You had other errors as well. You didn't capitalize, your comma use was poor and you used first person which I had told you not to use.

S -- But how is that 13 points? My friend showed me his paper and it was basically the same but he got a 92!

M -- Every paper is different as is every student's background and tendencies. A student who has shown marked improvement and a student who makes no effort to fix previously corrected errors are not viewed identically.

S -- So another kid can make comma errors and get a 92, but I do it and I get an 87?

M -- Well, yes, and you did other things wrong as well.

S -- How much is each missing comma worth?

M -- That's not how holistic grading works.

S -- You why did I get an 87?

M -- You want an 88?

S -- I want an A.

M -- it wasn't an A paper.

S -- But my friend got an A and I think my paper is better.

M -- If you would like, I can regrade your friend's paper and take off more points.

S -- Why you got to be like that?

***Repeat for over 30 years***