Grading Symbols Grading SymbolsThe symbols below are the ones I commonly use in grading essays. Please let me know if you have questions about these symbols or if you have questions about correcting the errors or weaknesses they indicate.
Syntax (Sentence Structure)
| cs | comma-splice |
| run-on | run-on sentence |
| frag | sentence fragment |
| ? | confusing sentence |
| ^ | missing word |
Style (Word Choice and Phrasing)
| wc | incorrect word for context |
| ww | wrong word (homonym error: its/it's, then/than) |
| awk | awkward wording |
| inf | informal style (e.g. I, you, contractions) |
Grammar
| s-v | subject-verb agreement error |
| tense | verb tense error |
| pro | pronoun error or vague pronoun |
| agr | pronoun-antecedent error or other agreement error |
Mechanics (Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization)
| sp | spelling error |
| apos | apostrophe error |
| , | comma error |
| ; | semicolon error |
| : | colon error |
| caps | capitalization error |
Source Use and Documentation
| " " | Incorrect or incomplete use of quotation marks |
| q | Inaccurate or misused quotation |
| para | Incorrect or incomplete paraphrase |
| intro | Weak or absent introduction/transition to borrowing |
| cit | In-text citation error |
| p# | Omitted or incorrect page number provided |
| PLAG | Undocumented source material |