1. What you should know about the current evaluation process. There is a new evaluation system for students to assess each others’ Op-Eds. The current system of evaluation builds on an earlier one and is better pedagogically. It makes students clarify the reasons for their assessments and, as a result, pay more careful attention in evaluating each Op-Ed. Previously students could zip through the assessment process spending 10 to 20 minutes on it. It now takes students 40-60 minutes to complete the evaluation process.

The process generally works well. Students evaluate the four papers first in terms of a particular criterion -- Does the opinion piece have a point that is clearly expressed? Then they evaluate the same four papers in terms of a second criterion Does the piece persuade the reader? Students continue on to a third criteron (Is the paper thoughtfully organized?), a fourth criterion (Is the piece written clearly and with few grammatical errors?) and, finally, a fifth criterion (Is the piece presented in a polite and respectful manner?).

The main error for students is a few, in their rush to complete the process, stop after evaluating the papers on the first criterion. Students should be reminded that they evaluated the four papers on five distinct criteria, not just one.

2. Teachers can now see if students actually read any of the model Op-Eds. Teachers have the ability to see who actually opens up the model (or highest scoring) Op-Eds and who does not. Many teachers emphasize their students should read the model Op-Eds, whether they support them or not, AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE -- (a) to see how high scoring Op-Eds are written and (b) to reflect on the ideas in the model Op-Eds. Students can now see which students do, and do not, follow through on this valuable experience.