“You were a lousy teammate, but I’ll give you an A”: The inflation of graded peer-assessments

This roundtable focuses on peer evaluations in team-based projects. We gathered quantitative data on peer non-graded ratings and graded peer ratings, and qualitative data on students’ reactions to graded vs. ungraded assessments across four classes. These data suggest students are most comfortable giving and receiving non-graded developmental feedback, and assign more variable ratings for non-graded assessments. This roundtable briefly summarizes these findings, and focuses on discussing instructors’ goals for peer assessments and when different ratings formats can be most effective. We end by sharing a peer-ratings template, which can aid instructors in optimally designing peer-assessments in their future classes.