The Red Ink Student Survey

1. The Red Ink Student Survey Prepared and Tabulated by Tracy Constantine and Laura Lease Durham Technical Community College January 2005

2. Methodology • Eleven-question Blackboard Survey • Appeared at top of students’ list of courses • Asked instructors to encourage student participation • Available to 3,435 students in online, hybrid, and Blackboard-enhanced classes at Durham Tech in the Fall Semester 2004 • Number of responses: 903 (26.3%)

3. Question 1: When an instructor returns a graded essay or paper to you, how often do you read his or her comments?

4. Question 1: When an instructor returns a graded essay or paper to you, how often do you read his or her comments? Most responders said that they “always” (88%) or “usually” (8%) read instructor comments.

5. Question 2: When are you most likely to read your instructor’s comments on your essays or papers?

6. Question 2: When are you most likely to read your instructor’s comments on your essays or papers?

7. Question 3: Which of the following kinds of comments are you most likely to read?

8. Question 3: Which of the following kinds of comments are you most likely to read?

9. Question 4: Once your essay or paper is graded and returned to you, how often do you ask your instructor to clarify a written comment you do not understand?

10. Question 4: Once your essay or paper is graded and returned to you, how often do you ask your instructor to clarify a written comment you do not understand? Seventy-four percent of students ask for clarification only sometimes (42%), rarely (26%), or never (6%).

11. Question 5: In general, which of the following describes the amount of written feedback your instructors provide?

12. Question 5: In general, which of the following describes the amount of written feedback your instructors provide? Keep writing those comments--and perhaps write a few more!

13. Question 6: How often do you go back and rework a problem sentence, paragraph, or essay based on the instructor’s comments?

14. Question 6: How often do you go back and rework a problem sentence, paragraph, or essay based on the instructor’s comments?

15. Question 7: Which type of comments do you find most helpful? (Mark all that apply.)

16. Question 7: Which type of comments do you find most helpful? (Mark all that apply.)

17. Question 8: Which of the following tools do you MOST PREFER your instructors to use when grading your essays or papers?

18. Question 8: Which of the following tools do you MOST PREFER your instructors to use when grading your essays or papers?

19. Question 9: Which of the following best describes your overall feeling about instructors’ written comments on your essays or papers while you have been studying at Durham Tech?

20. Question 9: Which of the following best describes your overall feeling about instructors’ written comments on your essays or papers while you have been studying at Durham Tech?

21. Question 10: Describe the most helpful instructor comment you have ever received in response to your written work.

22. Question 10: Describe the most helpful instructor comment you have ever received in response to your written work. • Most often mentioned: • The instructor pointed out specific mistakes and then explained how to correct them. (77 students) • The instructor offered both praise and constructive criticism. (52) • The instructor pointed out specific grammar and punctuation errors. (45) • The instructor told me where I needed to elaborate and offer more details. (24) • The instructor offered praise and encouragement. (21)

23. Question 10: Quotable Comments “Once I struggled with the length of my paper. It was too long; there were places where I had too much to say. My instructor simply said to treat a paper as you would a comic book. Make it short and sweet with lots of imagery. It actually helped me pick out the drab detail and focus on my most sharp points.”

24. Question 10: Quotable Comments “Basically all comments on papers I have found to be useful, as long as they are critiquing logic and stylistic issues and not just saying, ‘I think you’re wrong about this point’ or ‘I disagree.’” “The most helpful comment I’ve ever received on a written assignment involved the instructor attempting to approach an incorrect answer from my point of view. He tried to demonstrate why I may have given that answer and then corrected the errors I made in my thought process.”

25. Question 10: Quotable Comments “For essays, the instructor wrote on every page, good and bad comments. You always felt like you knew what he/she was thinking. At the end of the test or paper, he/she would then write a summary of thoughts on the overall structure of the paper as well as give suggestions for improvement. If after reading all of these comments you still didn’t feel 100% clear, the instructor was still available for questions.”

26. Question 10: Quotable Comments “A general statement that indicates that my work was read and acknowledged has been the most helpful. The comment doesn’t have to be detailed, but any indication that I was on track, put in appropriate effort, or stepped outside of the box in a creative and positive way is appreciated. A simple ‘YES!’ following my text is an indicator that I made my point known, had placed a lot of thought and energy into the work, or was able to find common ground on which to relate. A simple one-word response, given in a positive and supportive manner, can do a lot to encourage a student to reach for something beyond the status quo.”

27. Question 11: Describe the least helpful instructor comment you have ever received in response to your written work.

28. Question 11: Describe the least helpful instructor comment you have ever received in response to your written work. • Most often mentioned: • No comments at all/just a grade (56 students) • Lines drawn through paragraphs or circles without any explanation (53) • Single-word phrases without explanation (e.g., “Awk,” “Wrong,” “Vague,” “Incomplete,” “Unclear,” “No,” “Needs work”) (46) • Symbols/codes only (no explanation) (20) • Question marks and questions like “What do you mean?” (16) • Comments in a negative, hostile, or sarcastic tone (16) • Only compliments like “Good job” (14) • The phrase “You can do better” (7) • Illegible comments (6)

29. Question 11: Quotable Comments “An instructor did not understand a sentence that I had written. Instead of writing that she didn’t understand, a giant question mark was placed over the entire paragraph containing the sentence. I found this to be rude, insulting, and completely unnecessary.”

30. Question 11: Quotable Comments “I hate it when an instructor writes a comment that says ‘why do you need this?’ or ‘why did you include this?’ I prefer instead ‘You do not need this because . . . .’ Also, I do not like it when a long line is crossed through my work because that tells me the instructor says I have no idea of what I am doing.”

31. Question 11: Quotable Comments “Some of my instructors have done nothing more than put a big check mark on my assignments. Does this indicate I have done the least, the most, met expectations, understood the assignment? I just don’t know.” “I find it useless when an instructor writes, ‘You can do better.’ My question is, Better at what? Sentence structure, paragraphing, grammar? When instructors are vague, I find that very annoying and unprofessional.”

32. Summary of Lessons Learned • Students read instructor comments and find them useful.

33. Summary of Lessons Learned • Students read instructor comments and find them useful. • They like both summary comments and specific comments that point out mistakes.

34. Summary of Lessons Learned • Students read instructor comments and find them useful. • They like both summary comments and specific comments that point out mistakes. • Most students (about 75%) only follow up with questions about comments on occasion; therefore, comments should be clear and complete.

35. Summary of Lessons Learned • Students read instructor comments and find them useful. • They like both summary comments and specific comments that point out mistakes. • Most students (about 75%) only follow up with questions about comments on occasion; therefore, comments should be clear and complete. • Students think Durham Tech instructors generally provide an appropriate amount of written feedback.

36. Summary of Lessons Learned • Students read instructor comments and find them useful. • They like both summary comments and specific comments that point out mistakes. • Most students (about 75%) only follow up with questions about comments on occasion; therefore, comments should be clear and complete. • Students think Durham Tech instructors generally provide an appropriate amount of written feedback. • Students seem to prefer red ink (67%) over other color inks (26%).

37. Summary of Lessons Learned • Students read instructor comments and find them useful. • They like both summary comments and specific comments that point out mistakes. • Most students (about 75%) only follow up with questions about comments on occasion; therefore, comments should be clear and complete. • Students think Durham Tech instructors generally provide an appropriate amount of written feedback. • Students seem to prefer red ink (67%) over other color inks (26%). • Blackboard can be an effective way to capture data--but there are some limitations.