Student papers

What should be important in a student paper? What should I, as a teacher, point out to the student?

Some teachers want to comment on everything in a student's paper. But then some students complain that that is too overwhelming. Some teachers want students to have impeccable grammar, but that's considered a low priority concern. It's important to figure out what is most important.

When I read about instructors' responses to grammar it seems like authors assume a binary approach to grammar. People are viewing grammar errors as colossal mistakes or they think that grammar errors are completely irrelevant. I think the evaluation of grammar must fall somewhere in between. No, a grammar mistake is not a reason to call in the national guard and force someone to behave differently. However, grammar exists for a reason. It makes writing more readable. If everyone spoke and wrote what was convenient for them, it would make communication more difficult. There has to be some semblance of clarity in the work.

Comp instructors also talk about the dangers of collaborative writing, and yet, it is considered a good thing because it forces the writers to think about things more thoroughly. I think grammar should fit into a similar type of format. Collaborative writing forces a writer to think about audience. It forces a writer to prepare and not wait until the last minute to do the writing. Good grammar works the same way. The writer should think about what people will think while they are reading the work-- does the grammar make it the content more clear? If a writer writes ahead and then proofreads his/her work, grammar errors usually decrease.