The Genre of the End The Genre of the End Comment: Conventions Comment: Conventions in Teacher Responses in Teacher Responses to Writingto Writing

by Summer Smithby Summer Smith

The Study…The Study…

First sample:First sample:– 208 end comments from 10 teach 208 end comments from 10 teach

assistants at Penn Stateassistants at Penn State– Papers from 1993 of students in the Papers from 1993 of students in the

university’s first-year composition and university’s first-year composition and rhetoric coursesrhetoric courses

– Grades from A through FGrades from A through F Second sample:Second sample:

– 105 end comments from 1983-1985105 end comments from 1983-1985– From teachers at various universities of From teachers at various universities of

various sizes in every region of the U.S.various sizes in every region of the U.S.

The Study…The Study…

Smith read the 313 comments and Smith read the 313 comments and identified:identified:– Primary genrePrimary genre– Order in which primary genres appearOrder in which primary genres appear– Grammatical subject and mood of each Grammatical subject and mood of each

primary genreprimary genre Then she evaluated the comments Then she evaluated the comments

and considered alternative patternsand considered alternative patterns

Primary GenresPrimary Genres

16 primary genres that fall into 3 16 primary genres that fall into 3 groups:groups:– Judging genresJudging genres– Reader response genresReader response genres– Coaching genresCoaching genres

““A primary genre may consist of A primary genre may consist of several sentences, a single several sentences, a single sentence, or simply a phrase or sentence, or simply a phrase or fragment” (252).fragment” (252).

Table 1. Frequencies of Primary Genres in Sample.Primary Genre Total Number in Sample-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Judging GenresEvaluation of development 199Evaluation of style 118Evaluation of the entire paper 106Evaluation of focus 105Evaluation of effort 96Evaluation of organization 88Evaluation of rhetorical effectiveness 82Evaluation of topic 63Evaluation of correctness 52Evaluation of audience accommodation 51Justification of the grade 48Reader Response GenresReading experience 67Identification 43Coaching GenresSuggestion for revision of current paper 155Suggestion for future papers 88Offer of assistance 37

Judging GenresJudging Genres

The majority (11) of primary genres The majority (11) of primary genres falls into this commenting stylefalls into this commenting style

Can express positive or negative Can express positive or negative messagemessage– 5 genres are generally positive5 genres are generally positive– 2 are generally negative2 are generally negative– 4 neutral4 neutral

Genres of topic, effort, and the paper as Genres of topic, effort, and the paper as a whole are positive 80-85% of the timea whole are positive 80-85% of the time

Genres of correctness and grade Genres of correctness and grade justification are generally negativejustification are generally negative

Reader Response Reader Response GenresGenres 2 primary genres: 2 primary genres:

– Reading ExperienceReading Experience Generally rare in end comments because teachers tend to write their Generally rare in end comments because teachers tend to write their

personal reactions and thoughts in the margins throughout the paperpersonal reactions and thoughts in the margins throughout the paper Readers’ thoughts serve to remind students that their words have Readers’ thoughts serve to remind students that their words have

effects effects – IdentificationIdentification

Response to the student’s personal experiences rather than the Response to the student’s personal experiences rather than the student’s writingstudent’s writing

Rare (1 in every 8 comments) attempts to truly connect with studentRare (1 in every 8 comments) attempts to truly connect with student Example: “I have to congratulate you on your acceptance to the Example: “I have to congratulate you on your acceptance to the

baseball team. I admire you because baseball will certainly require a baseball team. I admire you because baseball will certainly require a large athletic commitment in addition to all other academic pressures” large athletic commitment in addition to all other academic pressures” (257).(257).

Comments intended to “establish a more personal Comments intended to “establish a more personal connection with the student and demonstrate the connection with the student and demonstrate the effects of words on readers” (257)effects of words on readers” (257)– Smith wants to increase the use of both reader response Smith wants to increase the use of both reader response

genres in order to end the impersonality of end commentsgenres in order to end the impersonality of end comments

Coaching GenresCoaching Genres

3 primary genres:3 primary genres:– Revision suggestions for current paperRevision suggestions for current paper

Frequently are indirect evaluations, which can cause Frequently are indirect evaluations, which can cause student to see revision as a punishment and the student to see revision as a punishment and the teacher as a dictator rather than a coachteacher as a dictator rather than a coach

– Suggestions for future papersSuggestions for future papers– Offers of assistanceOffers of assistance

68% comments come in the form of a command, which 68% comments come in the form of a command, which gives the teacher a power role over the studentgives the teacher a power role over the student

Often uses questions to provoke students’ Often uses questions to provoke students’ thought and push them in the “right” directionthought and push them in the “right” direction

These 3 genres all put the burden of These 3 genres all put the burden of responsibility on the students who must accept responsibility on the students who must accept or reject suggestions and offers of assistance, or reject suggestions and offers of assistance, which can lead to intimidation. which can lead to intimidation.

PatternsPatterns

Teachers typically use the same 4 or Teachers typically use the same 4 or 5 primary genres of their choice in 5 primary genres of their choice in their end commentstheir end comments

““The resulting secondary genre The resulting secondary genre usually begins with positive usually begins with positive evaluation, moves to negative evaluation, moves to negative evaluation and coaching, and ends evaluation and coaching, and ends either with coaching or positive either with coaching or positive evaluation” (261).evaluation” (261).

ConclusionConclusion

“…“…most elements of the end comment most elements of the end comment genre are relatively stable across time genre are relatively stable across time and place” (266). This stability is the and place” (266). This stability is the true danger in creating ineffective end true danger in creating ineffective end comments:comments:– Teachers write comments that they think Teachers write comments that they think

they are expected to write, which become they are expected to write, which become repetitive and ineffectiverepetitive and ineffective

– Students may notice the conventionality of Students may notice the conventionality of the comments and thus disregard the the comments and thus disregard the comments altogethercomments altogether

Smith’s SuggestionsSmith’s Suggestions

To guard against the weakening of their positive To guard against the weakening of their positive evaluations, teachers should:evaluations, teachers should:– Follow a positive response with a coaching or reader response Follow a positive response with a coaching or reader response

comment rather than moving into negative statementscomment rather than moving into negative statements– Strive to give positive and negative feedback on each topic Strive to give positive and negative feedback on each topic

(focus, grammar, etc) rather than, after a compliment, moving (focus, grammar, etc) rather than, after a compliment, moving on to a different, negative aspect of the paper. This would on to a different, negative aspect of the paper. This would also, Smith says, cause students to accept praise more also, Smith says, cause students to accept praise more willinglywillingly

50% of comments end with a positive evaluation, and 50% of comments end with a positive evaluation, and according to Smith, this final comment may seem more according to Smith, this final comment may seem more significant to the student than the first positive comment significant to the student than the first positive comment because a positive first comment has come to be expectedbecause a positive first comment has come to be expected

For coaching genres:For coaching genres:– Suggest that students have the choice of whether or not to Suggest that students have the choice of whether or not to

meet with the teachermeet with the teacher– Provide specific guidance in suggestions rather than indirectly Provide specific guidance in suggestions rather than indirectly

stating evaluations in question or command formstating evaluations in question or command form