Minimum length on Papers

Many students complain that English classes frustrate them because of subjective grading, and that rules of grammar can be flexible. For the most part that isn’t quite true. Teachers do “grade norming” exercises with colleagues and find that we in fact have similar expectations and similar ideas of what constitutes an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or unsuccessful paper. See the syllabus for Grading Rationale. However, I do understand where students are coming from with those comments.

With length or content minimums in my class, we have concrete and objective measures. Most instructors won’t accept a paper under the minimum specified word count or length, or they will simply fail the paper giving it 50 % and not bother going to the work of reading it. After all, the student didn’t bother going to the work of doing the minimum requirement.

I read every paper. Papers that fall under the minimum word count invariably leave me wanting more information. Some papers over the minimum length do too – and that may be reflected in comments about content.

It surprises me though when someone puts in minimal effort (as indicated by a brief response to an assignment) and then expects an "A" or "B." If a "C" is average - barely making the word count shouldn't guarantee you even that.

I had way too many papers under the minimum word length on the first paper this semester, and sometimes I read one that barely makes the minimum. I go back and count the times they used the word "very" or similar such filler. I generally find a relationship between the # of filler words and the word count in that the closer a paper is to the word count cut off - the more empty words or phrases clog up the prose. I did that once too. Read the assignment prompt and the rubric and you'll see why it won't work.