I was not at all uncomfortable with being graded blindly in any of my classes last semester. However, after hearing Eben discuss the grading possibilities for our third writing assignment in class today, I found myself prickling at the idea of being graded "with a bag over my head." This prospect is particularly prickly since we happen to have a professor who seems to be investing a great deal of effort in individualizing the learning process. In the class following Theo's HowToFixHealthcare post, Eben explained that his responses to Theo were engineered to best help Theo learn and develop his piece. The discomfort for some of the rest of us had come from the fact that we learn and are motivated differently, but could still see Eben's comments. I was struck by this explanation because not only did it make sense, but it seemed to be effective. Having gotten to know Theo a bit over the poker table, I suspected it was true that he would step up his game if challenged in the way that Eben challenged him. Given his re-write of the topic, it seems that he did just that.

If we were talking about grading options for one of my typical 1L classes, I might lean more towards blind grading; I haven't been to any of my professors' office hours this semester, and would feel at a disadvantage compared to those students who have become BFFs with the professors. But we're not talking about a typical 1L class, we're talking about this class. In this class, I think I have the faith to take the bag off.

-- MolissaFarber - 31 Mar 2009

I think you make some great points, and I tend to agree with your positions overall. I actually would prefer more anonymity with regard to most classes, as many professors now have the ability to partially increase or decrease grades based on their own evaluations of your in-class performance. Even this small amount incentivizes frequent but banal contributions in many classes, which have the effect of distracting the class while someone merely gets their daily word in.

I think this course is an exception to a general preference for anonymity, not just due to the individualized assessment, but because of the challenge Professor Moglen will issue to those on either side of an argument. One thing I realized quite quickly was that this was not a concept that he just paid lip service to, which I suspect is a unique characteristic among the classes we will end up taking here.

-- AaronShepard - 31 Mar 2009

Correct me if I am wrong, but I understood the two options to be:

1. Our final assignment will be blind and count for 50% of our grade, with everyone receiving the same score,

OR

2. We continue with the same framework we are currently using.

Since the work we are actually graded on will not be blind no matter which we choose, what is the objection (aside from an argument that we should adhere to Columbia policy)? Am I missing something: did Professor Moglen offer an option of a blind exam which would actually constitute a part of our grade?

-- WalkerNewell - 31 Mar 2009

Walker, I think you are correct about the first option, but I thought the second option was that the third assignment would be blindly evaluated. It would then be factored in with the other work we have produced. Did I misunderstand?

-- MolissaFarber - 01 Apr 2009

To be taken with the seriousness that individualized criticism requires is, especially in this degree program, an invaluable and all-too-rare opportunity. I say to hell with the anonymous grading rule.

-- MichaelHolloway - 01 Apr 2009

Molissa, yours makes more sense: otherwise we wouldn't really be given a choice. I suffer from the listening/remembering problems that Professor Moglen refers to.

-- WalkerNewell - 01 Apr 2009

Given Eben's assurances that nothing truly "bad" will come from disregarding this rule, I agree with Michael. This is my first opportunity for individualized feedback on my writing since my freshman year of college. I'd like to take advantage of it.

-- KeithEdelman - 01 Apr 2009

I just realized my most recent post was inaccurate. To be clear about our two options:

1. The third writing assignment will be blindly evaluated and graded on that basis, counting for slightly more than 50% of our grade.

2. The third writing assignment will have our names attached and will be individually critiqued. (not blind) We will all be given the same grade - thereby canceling out the assignment and beating the rule that requires that 50% of our elective grade be based on a blind assignment. The rest of our grade for the semester will consist of our other writings for this course.

-- MolissaFarber - 01 Apr 2009

There were three options, weren't there?

1. Disregard the grading rule, and write a third, non-blindly-graded essay along the same lines as the first, receiving individualized comments.

2. Write a third, anonymized essay, to be given the same grade as all other third essays on the basis of the essays' average quality, and to be factored into individual grades accordingly.

3. Write anonymized essays, receiving anonymized comments and grades.

Obviously, I'm for option #1.

-- MichaelHolloway - 01 Apr 2009

I think Michael's got it right. I'm pretty sure if the essay is not blind, then we get individualized comments and grades.

-- KeithEdelman - 01 Apr 2009

I'm with Keith and Michael on this. Although it is painful sometimes, I think the individually tailored feedback is really valuable. I don't think we should pass up another opportunity to get some.

-- PatrickCronin - 01 Apr 2009

Well, I'm glad we're getting this hammered out! In any case, I'm in favor of an option allowing individualized feedback, for the above-mentioned reasons, as opposed to blind grading.

-- MolissaFarber - 01 Apr 2009

I thought there was an option of not writing a third essay and everyone just getting the same grade for the third essay. I think that is what the last year's class did. As much as I would want an individualized assessment, at this point where we are so close to finals I would honestly not mind extra time I can have by not writing another essay...

-- EstherKwak - 01 Apr 2009

I agree in principle with Esther. But I genuinely feel that I am at a point of actually developing in some way with/from this class. A lot of loose ends are coming together for me, and I hope that I can reflect that in another assignment. Additionally, let's not forget that Eben has offered to allow revisions up until the last point before his grades are due. It might be really interesting to see how themes continue to develop during our respective experiences in "the real world" this summer. I vote for Option 1, time and pressure taken into advisement.

-- JonathanFriedman - 01 Apr 2009

There was no option for not writing a third essay; it would be written but everyone would get the same grade. This basically alleviates any "stress" that comes with writing a good paper, which may or may not detract from the overall quality of the papers. But remember, that means that the grade an individual receives will be determined by everything NOT the final, which may not be good for those that want to demonstrate improvement, effort, and commitment with the final paper.

-- AlexHu - 01 Apr 2009

I thought we had that option, and that's exactly what last year's people did. Am I the only person who understood it that way?

-- EstherKwak - 01 Apr 2009

I'm with you Esther; I thought that was the other option. I also think that given our other commitments, such an option might make sense, although the opportunity for additional feedback is tempting.

-- AaronShepard - 01 Apr 2009

Well, it seems that we have different recollections of the specific options, but we all seem to agree that it boils down to a choice between anonymity and individualized feedback. I really didn't think it was an option NOT to write a third paper, but this wiki discussion might be more useful if we focus on the general arguments in favor and against anonymity or individualization. That way, our thoughts can add to the discussion in a way that would be helpful to people who are still on the fence.

-- MolissaFarber - 01 Apr 2009

I think Molissa is right. Regardless of whether we write a paper or not, our options are anonymity (where presumably we will all receive the same grade) or individualized feedback (where we will not).

I think the analysis still holds true from the above: with anonymity, we have less stress, but less opportunity for learning, thinking, and/or demonstrating the three pillars of this class. With the other option, we actually have to work (and stress and edit), but we will have something to learn from/show for it, along with demonstrating our growth and development over the semester. I believe these are the general arguments Molissa is looking for.

-- AlexHu - 02 Apr 2009

Confession: I am making a post during class (ironically, while we discussed Ritalin). Explanation: I wanted to write this down before all of us, with our short and degraded memories, forget Eben's explanation.

We WILL have a third assignment. The question is about how to evaluate/grade the third assignment. There is a rule that all electives base the majority of the grade (over 50%) on an anonymously-graded assignment. We can chose to do away with this rule entirely and submit a third assignment that will be graded with our names attached, we can choose to violate the spirit of the rule but not the letter, or we can chose to follow the rule to a T. The decision process will happen in two stages.

Stage One: We vote on whether to do away with the rule altogether. This process will happen by email to Eben within the next 24 hours. If you want to get rid of the rule, you don't have to email. If you want to veto the rule, you DO have to email. Your votes will be anonymous. Complete abandonment of the rule must be 100% unanimous.

If we abandon the rule, our third assignment will be graded as our others have been - with our names attached, and with individualized feedback based on who we are.

Stage Two: If there is a veto of the rule abandonment, then we will vote on how we want to follow the rule. We can either:

• Follow the letter of the rule but not the spirit by having our third assignment graded anonymously, but agreeing that Eben will give us all the same grade. The third assignment will thus fall out of our final grades because we all got the same thing, and our actual "grade" will be based on our individualized assignments.

• Follow the letter of the rule by having our third assignment graded anonymously, with all of us getting different grades.

This second vote will be a majority-rules vote.

-- MolissaFarber - 02 Apr 2009