Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign In
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle On-The-Road
    • Professional Development
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
  • More
  • Sections
    • News
    • Advice
    • The Review
  • Topics
    • Data
    • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
    • Finance & Operations
    • International
    • Leadership & Governance
    • Teaching & Learning
    • Scholarship & Research
    • Student Success
    • Technology
    • Transitions
    • The Workplace
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Special Issues
    • Podcast: College Matters from The Chronicle
  • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle On-The-Road
    • Professional Development
  • Ask Chron
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Professional Development
    • Career Resources
    • Virtual Career Fair
    Upcoming Events:
    An AI-Driven Work Force
    University Transformation
Sign In
Profhacker Logo

ProfHacker

Teaching, tech, and productivity.

Grading Triage

By Jason B. Jones November 30, 2009

At my school, fall semester classes end on December 10, with exams to follow the next Monday. And that can only mean one thing: I am so far behind on grading that I’m a little nervous about looking my students in the eyes.

At such moments, I’m reminded of advice that a colleague gave me ten or eleven years ago, back when I was teaching for the first time:

If you’re late getting papers back, announce to the class that you’re done grading, but that you can’t return the papers yet because you’ve found some instances of plagiarism. Say that if the student(s) responsible come forward, something can perhaps be worked out, but if you return the papers first, then they will Suffer. Your. Wrath.

That way [said my colleague], you kill two birds with one stone: The class won’t ask you for the papers again, because they’ll be too worried, plus some people will out themselves as plagiarists, and you might not have caught them.

I’ve never taken this advice–choosing instead simply to just tell the story to my students–but from a certain point of view it’s a model of Machiavellian ingenuity.

Then, of course, there’s the ever-popular model from Friends:

And while Ross’s strategy is probably a little unprofessional, it’s also the case that, come crunch time, many people seek out shortcuts to get through the pile of self-created work that accumulates. For me, the main thing is cutting down on interlineal/marginal comments. When things are truly late, it’s just a rubric score and a terminal comment. (More on rubrics this evening!)

I know that ProfHacker readers are too organized, efficient, and–why not?–stylish to ever be truly behind with grading. But if you’ve got tricks–or even just rituals–please spill in comments!

Image by flickr user accent on eclectic / CC licensed

To continue reading for FREE, please sign in.

Sign In

Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.

Don’t have an account? Sign up now.

A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.

Sign Up

At my school, fall semester classes end on December 10, with exams to follow the next Monday. And that can only mean one thing: I am so far behind on grading that I’m a little nervous about looking my students in the eyes.

At such moments, I’m reminded of advice that a colleague gave me ten or eleven years ago, back when I was teaching for the first time:

If you’re late getting papers back, announce to the class that you’re done grading, but that you can’t return the papers yet because you’ve found some instances of plagiarism. Say that if the student(s) responsible come forward, something can perhaps be worked out, but if you return the papers first, then they will Suffer. Your. Wrath.

That way [said my colleague], you kill two birds with one stone: The class won’t ask you for the papers again, because they’ll be too worried, plus some people will out themselves as plagiarists, and you might not have caught them.

I’ve never taken this advice–choosing instead simply to just tell the story to my students–but from a certain point of view it’s a model of Machiavellian ingenuity.

Then, of course, there’s the ever-popular model from Friends:

And while Ross’s strategy is probably a little unprofessional, it’s also the case that, come crunch time, many people seek out shortcuts to get through the pile of self-created work that accumulates. For me, the main thing is cutting down on interlineal/marginal comments. When things are truly late, it’s just a rubric score and a terminal comment. (More on rubrics this evening!)

I know that ProfHacker readers are too organized, efficient, and–why not?–stylish to ever be truly behind with grading. But if you’ve got tricks–or even just rituals–please spill in comments!

Image by flickr user accent on eclectic / CC licensed

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

More News

Illustration showing the logos of Instragram, X, and TikTok being watch by a large digital eyeball
Race against the clock
Could New Social-Media Screening Create a Student-Visa Bottleneck?
Mangan-Censorship-0610.jpg
Academic Freedom
‘A Banner Year for Censorship’: More States Are Restricting Classroom Discussions on Race and Gender
On the day of his retirement party, Bob Morse poses for a portrait in the Washington, D.C., offices of U.S. News and World Report in June 2025. Morse led the magazine's influential and controversial college rankings efforts since its inception in 1988. Michael Theis, The Chronicle.
List Legacy
‘U.S. News’ Rankings Guru, Soon to Retire, Reflects on the Role He’s Played in Higher Ed
Black and white photo of the Morrill Hall building on the University of Minnesota campus with red covering one side.
Finance & operations
U. of Minnesota Tries to Soften the Blow of Tuition Hikes, Budget Cuts With Faculty Benefits

From The Review

A stack of coins falling over. Motion blur. Falling economy concept. Isolated on white.
The Review | Opinion
Will We Get a More Moderate Endowment Tax?
By Phillip Levine
Photo illustration of a classical column built of paper, with colored wires overtaking it like vines of ivy
The Review | Essay
The Latest Awful Ed-Tech Buzzword: “Learnings”
By Kit Nicholls
William F. Buckley, Jr.
The Review | Interview
William F. Buckley Jr. and the Origins of the Battle Against ‘Woke’
By Evan Goldstein

Upcoming Events

07-16-Advising-InsideTrack - forum assets v1_Plain.png
The Evolving Work of College Advising
Plain_Acuity_DurableSkills_VF.png
Why Employers Value ‘Durable’ Skills
Lead With Insight
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Jobs in Higher Education
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Vision, Mission, Values
    • DEI at The Chronicle
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Group and Institutional Access
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Chronicle of Higher Education is academe’s most trusted resource for independent journalism, career development, and forward-looking intelligence. Our readers lead, teach, learn, and innovate with insights from The Chronicle.
Follow Us
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin