STUDY CASE CHAPTER 2:

Should a Computer Grade Your Essays?

2-13. Identify the kinds of systems described in this case.

In the study case, Harvard/MIT joint venture developed a massively open online
courses (MOOCs) and an automated essay scoring (AES) software. The programs
like AES or e-rater use two types of business intelligence system to support:
Management Information Systems (MIS) and Decision-support systems (DSS).
The essay scoring programs can apply statistical analysis to linguistic features
like argument formation and syntactic variety to determine scores, while still
consider vocabulary and topical content.

2-14. What are the benefits of automated essay grading? What are the
drawbacks?
The benefits of automated essay grading should be:
- Sometimes: More accurate (according to Hewlett Foundation)
- Speed: E-Rater can score 16,000 essays in 20 seconds
- The software allows students to revise their essays multiple times
- Monetary benefit: it helps save a lot of money
- Help handling large-size class which comprehensive writing feedback is
infeasible.
The drawbacks should be:
- Automated Essay Scoring cannot distinguish fact from fiction as computer
programs cannot divine meaning.
- It takes away some of the jobs of the graders hired by standardized test
companies.
- There are courses developed just to teach students how to beat AES
software.
- It also presents a decline in educational quality.

2-15. Can automated essay grading replace a human grader? Why or why
not?
Automated essay grading cannot replace a human grader. It should only be used
as a classroom tool, which allow students to revise their essays multiple time, or
be used to score essays that are in basic level. It will be unfair if there are students
who have high-order thinking skills to write a nonsense essay and still have good
result, while the others who have well-reasoned essays get worse marks.
Besides, I believe there should still be human-interaction, especially in the
classroom.

2-16. What management, organization and technology factor should be

considered when deciding whether to use AES?
Management: Professors, teachers or staffs from the department which holds the
exam, should explain officially and publicly about how the program works, and
what extent they are used in the course.
Organization: Universities and colleges should decide how and to what extent
they would use the software to assist scoring. They have to consider about the
quality of the software, or if it is worth to cut jobs from human graders or just use
the software as a supplement.
Technology: Universities and colleges should ask themselves if their facilities are
good enough to run the system, if they have enough knowledge about it or if they
have technician to support.

2.17. Would you be suspicious of a low grade you received on a paper graded
by AES software? Why or why not? Would you request a review by a human
grader?
Yes, I will probably be suspicious of a low grade I received by AES software. I
will think maybe the computer only considers my vocabulary and structure and
while not takes into account the great ideas that I develop. Thats why I will
request a human grader. However, on the contrary, if I am scored higher than I
expect, will just ignore it. Humans are greedy so I dont really have the right
answer.