UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SANTA CRUZ; Winter, 2009
I am dedicated to the narrative evaluation system. Please be aware that each evaluation takes about 20 minutes to compile, 20 mins. x 300 students = 100 hours which must be completed in just under 2 weeks. Throughout the quarter, one TA will be coding your exam performances; another will likely be reading, evaluating, coding your papers; another your section performance; and I will be checking the final overall assessment.
For a student taking the final, taking three midterms, (with lowest one dropped) attending section and turning in a section assignment, with 'A+' performance (top 2%):
On the midterm multiple-choice exams, Ms. Student's responses placed her in the top 2% of the class. On the final multiple-choice exam, Ms. Studen's performance was simply outstanding; again, within the top 2% of the class. [I generally describe what each exam covered, and performance on each, as well.]
Ms. Student chose to attend a section and complete a section assignment in lieu of taking the other two midterm exams. She helped create a script for the Vagina Vagaries (a student-written version of Ensler's Vagina Monologues) and bravely performed it in front of the class. She participated in section exercises. She was creative in the use of course material and her performance was truly inspired. Her writing skills are exceptional. Her script included astute use of the main concepts discussed in class; she clearly gained mastery over the material, went above and beyond the requirements of the assignment, and produced a sophisticated, stellar paper which reflected her depth of understanding.
Overall, Ms. Student was in the top 2% of this class of 300.
For a student taking the final, taking three midterms, (with lowest one dropped), and writing a paper, with 'B' performance:
On the midterm multiple-choice exams, Ms. Student's responses placed her in the top 35% of the class. On the final exam, Ms. Student's performance was excellent. [I generally describe what each exam covered, and performance on each, as well.]
Ms. Student chose to write a substantial paper comparing Lithuanian and Irish historical sexual mores, practices, and gender norms. The paper was quite well-written, overall; some grammatical errors disrupted the flow of the narrative. It was well-researched, needing some elaboration of course material. Ms. Student including compelling arguments for her main theses, and detailed examples which enriched her work.
Overall, Ms. Student's performance demonstrated a solid grasp of much of the course content.