Specs grading is a highly flexible grading schema that allows instructors to set high-but-achievable goals for students, saves time on grading, and motivates students. Instructors in STEM disciplines have succeeded with specs grading. Still, fewer humanities and social science instructors have tried it because it can be challenging to use pass/fail criteria to evaluate assessments like essays and projects. We will address some of those challenges and explore methods of implementing specs grading on a small or large scale in your course.

This pedagogy workshop is designed for humanities and social sciences instructors, but instructors from any discipline are welcome. It can be helpful to bring a copy of your syllabus to this workshop.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Define specs grading
• Explain the benefits and challenges associated with using specs grading
• Create specs grading tools
• Begin to plan how to implement specs grading for some or all of their course assignments