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EssayTagger is a web-based tool to help teachers grade essays faster.
But it is not an auto-grader.

This blog will cover EssayTagger's latest feature updates as well as musings on
education, policy, innovation, and preserving teachers' sanity.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Demo now available!

I haven't had much time time to post here because we're hitting crunch time as we get close to our launch date. But we do have a big announcement: You can now try out our innovative essay grading tool for yourself!

The demo is available from our homepage at:

www.essaytagger.com

The demo is fully-functioning. The only limitation is that it is preloaded with two fake assignments (normally you would customize the assignments and rubrics yourself).

The demo loads with a basic five-paragraph essay rubric. It's not the most exciting thing ever, but it uses the language that teachers and writing instructors are most used to seeing.

What's more exciting is that the demo also has the option to load our "They Say / I Say" rubric. I've been working with Gerald Graff on the early stages of this rubric that is a companion to the blockbuster composition book by Graff and his wife, Cathy Birkenstein. We're really excited about continuing the work on the "They Say / I Say" rubric and sharing it with the book's huge following.

The site will launch with a small library of rubrics, including the "They Say / I Say" rubric, that you can take and customize however you like. I'm working with other teachers to develop rubrics for AP English Language, AP Literature, and others. You'll always be able to create your own rubrics from scratch if you prefer; these pre-made rubrics are just to give you a head-start if you want it!

Check out the demo and let me know what you think!