Originally Posted by Bostonian
Here is an article about grading of essays on standardized tests

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/education/robo-readers-used-to-grade-test-essays.html
Facing a Robo-Grader? Just Keep Obfuscating Mellifluously
By MICHAEL WINERIP
New York Times
April 22, 2012

My comment: essay tests as a way of measuring writing skills are as problematic as multiple choice tests. I think essay exams should be used to measure content knowledge, as the essay portions of the Advanced Placement exams do.

The criticisms of the robo-grader seem to be that length and language complexity matter, and accuracy doesn't. Since that's also a criticism of essay grading in general, I'd say the robo-grader is an excellent parody of the whole essay grading process.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/04/education/04education.html

Edit: Interestingly, it seems it's the same Mr. Les Perelman making the criticisms in both articles.

Last edited by Dude; 04/23/12 08:00 AM.