(U-WIRE) IOWA CITY, Iowa — To combat his growing class size, one University of Iowa faculty member has taken a unique approach to grading papers.

For the last five semesters, sociology Professor Michael Lovaglia, the department's chairman, has instructed the three teaching assistants in his Introduction to Sociology Principles class to read and grade portions of the required 10-page papers — instead of reading the papers in their entirety.

"We decide in advance what parts to focus in on; we then decide how many points for that section," Lovaglia said, adding that under the system, TAs look to see that the assigned components of the assignment are completed. They give points based on how well the student meets the requirements.

"In a sense it is the same, but instead of looking for X, X and X and deciphering what the person is saying, we have laid out what students are required to do," said teaching assistant Vernon Woodley, adding that the goal is to get through each paper — which is worth 25 percent of the class grade — in five minutes.

Woodley, who is responsible for grading 220 of the more than 600 papers, stressed that it is still up to individual teaching assistants to decide how much they will read.

"If the student followed the format, what is required, it should be relatively easy for the grader to look for certain things. If the student doesn't follow the format, you may have to look more," he said.

Lovaglia said a writing in large classes seminar he attended more than a year ago spawned the idea for the system. The seminar came out of an initiative by former UI President Mary Sue Coleman to require a substantial writing component, even in large classes.

Lovaglia stressed that writing is important but that he doesn't grade solely on how well the students write but rather, on how well they fulfill each of the assignment's requirements -- which, he said, he explains in detail.

"We haven't told students how we'll grade their papers because it is separate from teaching how to write the paper. It would shift focus from doing the best they can to doing what they need to do to get by," Lovaglia said.

JoAnn Castagna, the assistant to the associate dean for academic programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said professors are required to follow the Faculty Handbook provided by the school. According to the handbook, professors are required to grade papers fairly and inform students of the requirements in the course syllabus.

Lovaglia said he has not noticed a change in the grade distribution, adding that "generally good students do well, no matter which way you grade them."

When told of Lovaglia's procedure by The Daily Iowan, first-year student Jessica Banks said she doesn't object to the procedure as long as she receives a grade she feels she deserves.

"The only thing that would bother me is that I'm putting effort into 10 pages, but if they're getting the gist of what I'm saying, it's OK," she said.

Students who object to their grades have the opportunity to revise the paper.

"Once in a while, we have a complaint by really good students who say they are good writers, get A's on every paper, but got a D on this paper. Because the students are such good writers, they didn't follow the assignment," Lovaglia said.

— Sarah Franklin