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Grading Electronically: Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts [PDF]

From a presentation given in April 2010.  Includes Outlook add-ins (EZDetach, Simply File, and Xobni). BccThis works with Outlook, Gmail, and Blackberry. Also included are PhraseExpress, Audacity, and Dropbox.  Tips for using MS Word (using the Quick Access toolbar and keyboard shortcuts) are on the second page.

ToPIX Rubrics Page

This page has information on grading rubrics, samples of rubrics for many different sorts of assignments, and links to rubric creation programs.

Creating rubrics.  RubiStar is an online rubric creation program.

How to make and use Rubrics in Canvas and Blackboard.

PhraseExpress. If you grade papers electronically (e.g., using 'comments' in Word), PhraseExpress is very handy.  It allows you to create macros so that a few keystrokes give you a commonly used sentence or phrase.  For instance, you could type #pv and phrase express would replace it with "passive voice."

EZDetach. This Outlook add-in pulls all of the attachments off your email messages.  For instance, if students are emailing their assignments to you, move all of those email messages into one folder.  Click the EZDetach icon in your Outlook toolbar, and EZDetach will remove all of the attachments, name them according to the criteria you would like it to use (e.g., name on email account, email address, and the original name on the file --  "Joe Schmoe -- Joe@schmoe.com -- Paper1.doc"), and place them all in the folder you designate. 

Audacity. If you'd rather speak your feedback than write it, try Audacity. Open the program, plug in your microphone, hit the record button, and talk.  ("Page 2, third paragraph...")  When you're done, save your file in whatever format you'd like.  If you'd like to save it as an MP3, you'll need the LAME encoder.  Email your audio file to the student.

Voice feedback in Canvas and Blackboard.