Ensure that the grading policy is clear and easy to understand, even if your grading system is complex. Be sure that a list of all activities, tests, etc. that will affect the students' grade is included at the beginning of the course and in the syllabus.

An online gradebook lets instructors communicate feedback throughout the semester to each individual student. Some assessments (usually quizzes and exams) may be automatically graded with the grade appearing immediately in the student gradebook. Assessments can also be hand-graded, including a grade and comments. When a student checks their personal gradebook, they see only their own grades and comments. You may supplement the online gradebook functions with a spreadsheet application.

Some education specialists recommend providing a detailed rubric for evaluating student work and providing feedback. A rubric:

• is a set of guidelines describing characteristics of a high quality assignment
• helps the instructor and student understand expectations
• helps to reinforce learning - they are an added opportunity for the instructor to emphasize the important values they hope to teach
• attempts to remove some of the subjectivity from grading subjective assessments
• helps clarify assignments for everyone and facilitates grading

These web sites discussing design and use of rubrics:

• http://www.rubrics.com/
• http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html