The marking has started!

First, it’s the students’ own dissertation topic proposals. Then it’s the allocation of all dissertation students. And then the marking hits. This year, I would get two assignments at the same time: one of a small cohort (~30) and one of a big one (~100). The week after, I would get the intermediate cohort (~50).

When I started the week after the swamp hike I felt all that marking looming. I tried to get as much as possible done on the allocation, so as to not have all three things tugging at me. Fortunately, I made good progress with that. 

That Friday I had to pause the allocation anyway. I needed to kick some colleagues in the bum. In order to make it work, I have to give staff students on topics they haven’t designed themselves. But they have to volunteer for topics. Some need encouragement to do that to such a degree it actually helps. That encouragement has now gone out. And while I waited for that to have effect I could start marking.

The disheartening sight of a very full assignment upload

That first day I got beyond halfway on the small batch! Not bad. And the week after I need to finish that, and the allocation, and make a dent as big as possible in the big pile of marking before the intermediate pile comes in. But when that’s done, most of the marking for this semester will be done! That will be great…