Perplexed by the comments and markings in my feedback on your work – whether online, or on paper? You will find some answers here.
Items in grey rows fall on the formal/mechanics side of the spectrum of evaluation.
- They refer to criteria such as length requirements, spelling, and grammar.
Items in green rows fall on the content/conceptual side, and
- include criteria for assessing the articulation of ideas, the evaluation of evidence, and the composition and presentation of arguments.
[help][/help] links to help pages.
This list is worth some attention prior to paper-writing, as a guide to common issues to keep in mind.
|
Marking |
Meaning |
|
highlights or P |
There is a spelling / grammar issue here (it could be any from this list) |
|
ABC |
A bit confused |
|
A/E |
An affect/effect issue [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/affect-effect-grammar.html[/help] |
|
AGR |
Error in agreement (e.g.g., subject-verb [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/verbs/rules-for-subject-verb-agreement.html[/help], pronoun-antecedent [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/pronouns/pronoun-agreement.html[/help]) |
|
APQ |
Need to answer all parts of the question |
|
AWK |
Construction or word choice difficult to understand (if this is a draft, rewrite!) |
|
BEA |
Need better explanation of argument(s) |
|
CAP |
A capitalization error (uppercase/lowercase) |
|
CIT |
Improper citation, or citation needed; inline, this can indicate improper formatting of a source’s title, etc.[help]http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_citation_styles.html[/help] |
|
CUT |
Cut quotation down [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/when-to-use-ellipses.html[/help] |
|
EA |
Excellent answer |
|
EWE |
Example without (adequate) explanation |
|
Frag |
A fragment, not a complete sentence [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/sentences/sentence-fragments.html[/help] |
|
GA |
Good answer |
|
GOTH |
Grain of truth here |
|
HWO |
Hand in with original |
|
I/W |
An if / whether issue [help]http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/if-versus-whether[/help] |
|
ITS |
An its / it’s issue [help]http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/its_its.htm[/help] |
|
MCI |
Missing crucial information |
|
MHT |
Your meanings are too hard to track (specify where needed, and be consistent) |
|
MW |
Missing a word or words here. |
|
NAS |
Not a sentence |
|
NBA |
Need better argument(s) |
|
NBO |
Need better discussion(s) of objection(s) |
|
ND |
Need definition(s) (or better definition(s)) |
|
NE |
Need to elaborate |
|
NO |
Need objection(s) |
|
NMS |
Not what you meant to say |
|
NQR |
Not quite right |
|
OT |
Need to stay on topic |
|
PTA |
Present the argument(s) |
|
P |
Improper punctuation (is there a problem with a comma, semicolon, colon, dash, apostrophe, or period? [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/[/help]) |
|
RB |
You wrote, “the reason is because,” which should be “the reason is that…” [help]http://www.getitwriteonline.com/archive/072303ReasonBecause.htm[/help] |
|
RO |
Run-on sentence (or comma splice) [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/sentences/run-on-sentences.html[/help] |
|
RED |
There is a redundancy right here. Note that finding it might require that you read upstream. |
|
SAL |
Short of assigned length |
|
Sp |
Misspelled |
|
STR |
Strike this word |
|
TC |
Tense consistency issue (Are you drifting between past and present? [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/verbs/what-are-english-tenses-classifications.html[/help]) |
|
TIP |
Tie to (larger) point |
|
TN |
A then / than issue [help]http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/than_then.htm[/help] |
|
TRANS |
Need transition (or better transition) |
|
TTT |
A there / their / they’re issue [help]http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/there-their-they-re-practice.html[/help] |
|
TT2 |
A to / too / two issue [help]http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/too_to.htm[/help] |
|
U/M |
Honor the use/mention distinction [help]https://thereitis.org/opening/resources/usemention-distinction/ [/help] |
|
YY |
A your / you’re issue [help]http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/youre_your.htm[/help] |
|
√ |
Uh-huh: I like this! |
|
V |
Vagueness is an issue here [help]https://thereitis.org/opening/resources/a-philosophical-glossary-for-beginners/#vague[/help] |
|
W |
Poor word choice |
|
WF/PS |
Word form / part of speech error: The root of the word is correct, but the form isn’t (it’s the wrong tense or number, etc., or is a non-word – e.g., ‘conspiration’ instead of ‘conspiracy’), or the wrong part of speech (adjective, adverb, verb, etc. – e.g., ‘conspire’ instead of ‘conspiracy’).[help]http://www.atanet.org/certification/aboutexams_error.php[/help] |
|
X |
Wrong! |
|
? |
Huh? |
|
# |
Add or remove a space |
|
→ |
Indent |
|
¶ |
New paragraph [help]http://www.yourdictionary.com/paragraph[/help] |
Acknowledgment – this taxonomy of comments was inspired by Ned Markosian.