Early Specs-Grading

During the Spring 2017 semester, I piloted a “specs” grading system with one of my English Composition 1 courses: in a “specs” grading system, students get a Pass/No-Pass assessment on all assignments rather than grades, as long as assignments meet minimum specifications. The minimum specifications are typically A and B-level work, and students have the chance to revise work if it doesn’t pass the first time.

The pilot was a success, and during the Spring 2019 semester, I ran my creative writing class using the specs system. It’s an appropriate system to use for a class in which students are being assessed on creative work, and it reinforces the revision process, which is key in any writing class.

Here are some of my early artifacts:

• Specs Grading Syllabus for Creative Writing
• Specs Grading Assignment Checklist for Creative Writing
• Specs Grading Story Assignment for Creative Writing
• Specs Grading Syllabus for English Composition
• Specs Grading Assignment Checklist for English Composition
• Specs Grading Outline Assignment Rubric for English Composition

The Practice, Now

I took a hiatus from full-time instruction between the 2017/2018 and 2020/2021 academic years to serve as my division’s dean. That experience improved my ability to support students in the classroom, which is ultimately what I decided to return to doing.

In the Fall of 2021 I returned to my full-time faculty position in MCC’s Department of English. I’ve been working on alternative grading practices since, which has freed me up to build a skills-focused curriculum centered around students’ practice using different rhetorical appeals.

Anyone interested, please feel free to review my English Composition 1 Fall 2025 course syllabus.