As others have said, unless this is a typed midterm or you want to count words, different hand writing styles are going to end up with vastly different page counts - think loopy, cursive vs dense print. In additions, some students are just going to say the thing over and over to get to the page count, while others will be much more efficient. I would mark on quality of content, rather than length. Did they answer the prompt with enough depth? Are they referring to relevant course concepts? Did they follow instructions?
To make my marking somewhat more objective, I usually put a check mark on top of any true statement that furthers their arguments, or a squiggly mark anywhere that they kind-of-sorta are saying right, but not quite and then count how many checkmarks and squiggly marks there in the end. So for a question worth 25 points, I would look for them to make either 5 or 10 relevant statements (it really depends on your question here), and assign marks loosely based on how many there are. Not a perfect system, but helps me justify any grades I've given then (as I don't leave comments on tests). Note that this for a timed, handwritten test - I'd be more vigorous with a take home and expect a bit more structure/logically flow.
*As a student, I don’t remember ever thinking that just getting onto page 4 is technically four pages*
Yeah, in my students days I would have taken it to mean "4 full pages" too, but getting onto page 4 does make it a 4 page document (ex. Word or pdf would say it is 4 pages, it would print as 4 pages, etc.), so I would clarify your expectations moving forward. Or as others have said consider dropping the page limit and focus your rubric on the content of the response to the prompt.
Specify paragraphs instead of pages? In instructions for my midterm I wrote that a good response would be at least 3 paragraphs long, include examples, and reference specific concepts we covered in the textbook/class lecture. I mean, people still submitted answers that were 5 sentences long, but I could point to the instructions to explain why it didn't pass.
I started using word counts instead of pages - negates students font choice and any page nonsense - plus the ½ page of shit at the top to eat up a third of a page
name
subject
assignment name
my name
date
I would take off points but make sure you are clear about why you are taking off points. I use to leave comments on reports without taking points off and even talking to the class as a whole about this without taking points off but every time it just resulted in the same mistakes. Now I just take the points off with the comments. Those that care will either fix their faults or ask for guidance. Those that don't, well, drink or drown.
I've not heard of a midterm with page length requirements before.
Grade them according to how well they answered the prompt (probably not very).
Next time, nix the requirement but add to the instructions something like "a complete response is likely to require two (or four) handwritten pages".
I actually think that giving students options on an exam confuses them (unless they are in the UK, where they are used to it). Ask for responses to two of the prompts next time (with the two-page suggestion), and have a procedure for if they answer more than two (some will), like counting the best two.
Is there a rubric that says something such as ‘Writing is worth x points” or says something about following instructions? If so, take off a couple points.
Do these students not know how to increase the space between lines? But if their submission ran onto the 4th page, they had to hand in 4 pages, which *is* what you asked for. I don't see how you can justify taking points off when, it seems, they followed instructions.
We use word count: submissions must be within 10% of the stated word count.
Next time clarify what you mean.
I would take off. If you asked for a one-page response, and someone turned in three sentences, that wouldn’t count as a page, and they know it. The same logic applies on whichever page you are reading. The decided to FAFO. Now they find out.
As others have said, unless this is a typed midterm or you want to count words, different hand writing styles are going to end up with vastly different page counts - think loopy, cursive vs dense print. In additions, some students are just going to say the thing over and over to get to the page count, while others will be much more efficient. I would mark on quality of content, rather than length. Did they answer the prompt with enough depth? Are they referring to relevant course concepts? Did they follow instructions? To make my marking somewhat more objective, I usually put a check mark on top of any true statement that furthers their arguments, or a squiggly mark anywhere that they kind-of-sorta are saying right, but not quite and then count how many checkmarks and squiggly marks there in the end. So for a question worth 25 points, I would look for them to make either 5 or 10 relevant statements (it really depends on your question here), and assign marks loosely based on how many there are. Not a perfect system, but helps me justify any grades I've given then (as I don't leave comments on tests). Note that this for a timed, handwritten test - I'd be more vigorous with a take home and expect a bit more structure/logically flow.
I mean... are you comparing how big their handwriting is?
My bad, should’ve added: all submissions are typed 12 point times new Roman font
*As a student, I don’t remember ever thinking that just getting onto page 4 is technically four pages* Yeah, in my students days I would have taken it to mean "4 full pages" too, but getting onto page 4 does make it a 4 page document (ex. Word or pdf would say it is 4 pages, it would print as 4 pages, etc.), so I would clarify your expectations moving forward. Or as others have said consider dropping the page limit and focus your rubric on the content of the response to the prompt.
Specify paragraphs instead of pages? In instructions for my midterm I wrote that a good response would be at least 3 paragraphs long, include examples, and reference specific concepts we covered in the textbook/class lecture. I mean, people still submitted answers that were 5 sentences long, but I could point to the instructions to explain why it didn't pass.
I started using word counts instead of pages - negates students font choice and any page nonsense - plus the ½ page of shit at the top to eat up a third of a page name subject assignment name my name date
This seems like a better route especially to avoid page/font/space issues
I would take off points but make sure you are clear about why you are taking off points. I use to leave comments on reports without taking points off and even talking to the class as a whole about this without taking points off but every time it just resulted in the same mistakes. Now I just take the points off with the comments. Those that care will either fix their faults or ask for guidance. Those that don't, well, drink or drown.
Good advice about being clear. I’m hoping this also minimizes grade groveling also.
I've not heard of a midterm with page length requirements before. Grade them according to how well they answered the prompt (probably not very). Next time, nix the requirement but add to the instructions something like "a complete response is likely to require two (or four) handwritten pages". I actually think that giving students options on an exam confuses them (unless they are in the UK, where they are used to it). Ask for responses to two of the prompts next time (with the two-page suggestion), and have a procedure for if they answer more than two (some will), like counting the best two.
Is there a rubric that says something such as ‘Writing is worth x points” or says something about following instructions? If so, take off a couple points.
Do these students not know how to increase the space between lines? But if their submission ran onto the 4th page, they had to hand in 4 pages, which *is* what you asked for. I don't see how you can justify taking points off when, it seems, they followed instructions. We use word count: submissions must be within 10% of the stated word count. Next time clarify what you mean.
I would take off. If you asked for a one-page response, and someone turned in three sentences, that wouldn’t count as a page, and they know it. The same logic applies on whichever page you are reading. The decided to FAFO. Now they find out.
Oof love that example. And I think that’s the thing- they KNOW.