Discussion Den: Grading Legal Research

We will discuss grading practices for legal research courses. The focus will be on 1L and advanced legal research, but the conversation might also include consideration of LLM and graduate legal studies courses. These are some potential topics for discussion:
-Should classes be norm-referenced (on the curve)? Why or why not?
-Is pass/fail grading a viable option?
-How much should formative assessment count toward the final grade if it is graded? How should formative assessment be graded (i.e. full credit for completion)?
-How much do you grade based on presentation and mechanics vs. substance?
-Is it appropriate to grade class participation? If so, how much should it count for the overall grade? How can it be measured?
-Does late work deserve a penalty? If so, should policies be strict or lenient?
-How often do you provide substantive feedback without a grade?
-Do you ever allow students to retake or resubmit assignments to demonstrate improvement based on feedback?
-What impact might generative AI have on graded assessments in legal research?

Informal Discussion Den chats will be held throughout the conference in addition to regular programs. Designed to be conversational rather than presentational, these 45-minute dialogues are an opportunity to brainstorm, sound off, and share challenges, experiences, and ideas in a smaller, informal setting.