Journal of Writing Assessment

Grading writing, or judging language, can be difficult. Asao B. Inoue's Labor-Based Grading Contracts problematizes traditional assessment practices that assess writing "quality". Inoue explains how this type of practice operates to reproduce White supremacy because language standards are tied to historical White racial formations. He suggests an alternative assessment method (e.g., grading contracts) that is based on labor and compassion. If you find yourself dissatisfied with classroom grading practices or wanting to understand how writing assessment can be constructed to do social justice work, then Inoue's Labor-Based Grading Contracts is a great read.

Keywords: grading contracts, race, writing assessment, labor