I have a small backlog of ideas that I’ve been meaning to write about, but I haven’t found the time to write about them properly, which wouldn’t help me or anybody who happened to wander by and look at them. However, it’s been a long time, so I thought I’d do a short post about two tips I’ve discovered for providing feedback on Turnitin. Turnitin is known as an anti-plagiarism tool, but I find it even more useful as a method of giving my students feedback. Keep in mind my context, which is that I’m teaching in a secondary school (high school to Americans).
1. Hide the Mark in a Comment
Some students read their comments, and some look for a mark and are done after that. By hiding the mark in one of the comments, there is a better chance they will have to look at a few comments before they see their grade. In the grade box at the top of the essay, I type a “1” to indicate to me that I’ve marked the essay. I don’t put their mark in it.
2. Make the “Post Date” Time for Outside of School Hours
When students receive their marks during school hours, they often feel pressured to tell their friends their marks, and then the comparisons begin. By making the time of the “Post Date” occur outside of school hours, the students are removed from the immediate pressure to share their marks.
Doors Marked Pull 