What is Blind Grading?
Blind grading is an approach where student work is stripped of identifiers prior to the review and grading process to reduce bias. Instructors may bring biases, both unconscious and conscious, into the grading process through their knowledge of students’ previous scores, race/ethnicity, work ethic, and other attributes (Malouff, 2008; Malouff et al., 2013). These biases can sometimes lead the instructor to inconsistent grading based only partially on performance.
Blind grading has advantages and disadvantages. In addition to minimizing instructor bias, blind grading can improve student belief in the accuracy of assessment scores when they are made aware of the practice. However, blind grading can also limit instructors’ ability to track individual student progress on assignments and thereby note improvements. Further, handwritten assignments can be difficult to make truly anonymous. With these elements in mind, blind grading can still assure students that instructor bias has been minimized, and encourage students to let their work speak for itself.
Recommendations
- Cover Student Names: In this approach, the instructor covers up student names prior to grading and shuffles assignments. For example: the instructor might 1) have students write their names on the first page and leave the remainder of the page blank, 2) fold over the page to cover up names prior to grading, and 3) place graded exams face down after completing.
- Use Student Personal Identification Numbers: Students can be given a personal identification number. Instead of their name, they can write this number on their assessment or other work. Instructors may also consider periodically providing students with new ID numbers if they become recognizable. ID numbers can be matched up to student names after grading is complete.
- Have Students Write Names on the Back of Last Page: In the case of an exam, quiz, or written work, students can be told to write their names on the back of the last page instead of the front page. With this method, the instructor does not see student names until the grading process is finished.
- Encourage Students to Type Assignments Over Writing in Longhand: Handwriting can be identifiable, and thus, where appropriate, instructors can encourage particular assignments to be typed. This approach can be coupled with the use of personal identification numbers, or having students include their names at the end or front of the assessment.
- Grade the Same Section or Question for all Students at the Same Time: In the case of grading exams, quizzes, or other worksheets, an instructor can grade one section or question for all students at the same time. This can minimize the influence of between-student biases on scoring if the name is covered. This approach is also a best practice for ensuring reliability of test scores, as it allows graders to focus on the same criteria and content over the same period of time for all students. Instructors can easily do this through the Gradescope plug-in.
- Use Anonymous Canvas Grading: Canvas, Yale’s learning management system. enables blind grading. Instructors can select the gearbox in the upper left in SpeedGrader and choose “Hide Student Names in the SpeedGrader”.
