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From: brian@ut-sally.UUCP (Brian H. Powell)
Newsgroups: net.cse
Subject: Re: Teaching (and Grading on) Style
Message-ID: <4385@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 8-Mar-86 01:17:09 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.4385
Posted: Sat Mar  8 01:17:09 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Mar-86 09:27:27 EST
References: <11577@watnot.UUCP> <148@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 31
Summary: killing people for bad style

In article <148@umcp-cs.UUCP>, mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) writes:
>  When I graded programs in the elementary courses, I gave out
> only 50% of the points on functionality.  Everything else was on style.
[... discussion on style.]
> 
> In my opinion, you can't hammer enough on style.
> 
> C. Wingate

     If you don't mind flunking a lot of people, or curving a lot.

     I agree with Charley that IN ELEMENTARY (e.g., freshman/sophomore)
COURSES, style is more important than functionality.
     I used to grade really tough on style.  It helped get better style out
of the students, but at the expense of grades (therefore at the expense of
a student's enthusiasm and motivation.)  You can bring their style up to a
certain almost-acceptable level, but after that, they feel like you're nit-
picking.  (i.e., they felt they just couldn't please me, no matter what they
did.)
     After a few semesters, I decided to lighten up on the points taken off.
I still used lots and lots of red ink pointing out bad style.  I still pointed
out bad style in class.  (displaying a bad program in front of the whole
class.  embarrasing...)  The students worked to get the style better.
     I guess if you miss 50 out of 100 because of style, you get discouraged.
If you miss 5 or 10 out of 100, you don't; you work to get those last 5 or
10 points.  BUT, you still have to verbally impress the importance of style
on them.

Brian H. Powell
		UUCP:	{ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!brian
		ARPA:	brian@sally.UTEXAS.EDU