Meeting Abstract
Requiring students to write can enhance their analytical, elaboration, and critical thinking skills while giving them an opportunity to explore the scientific literature. Writing out ideas is a very different process than correctly answering content-laden multiple choice questions, and many students do not get enough writing experience in their science classes. One reason may be that for the instructor, grading and commenting on a large number of student writing assignments is time consuming. It is also frustrating, since simply copy-editing student work often has no impact on the student’s writing, with the same errors showing up repeatedly. Minimal marking is a grading technique in which minimal feedback based on structured error codes requires students to actively engage in the editing process. It is faster and simpler for the grader, and it improves awareness of writing skills for the student. In this presentation we will demonstrate how to use the minimal marking technique, with examples from a writing-intensive inquiry lab course.
