The data from a survey of high school math and science teachers show that in the district of Sanlee many of these teachers reported assigning daily homework, whereas in the district of Marlee, most science and math teachers reported assigning homework no more than two or three days per week. Despite receiving less frequent homework assignments, Marlee students earn better grades overall and are less likely to be required to repeat a year of school than are students in Sanlee. These results call into question the usefulness of frequent homework assignments. Most likely the Marlee students have more time to concentrate on individual assignments than do the Sanlee students who have homework every day. Therefore teachers in our high schools should assign homework no more than twice a week.
The memo states that teachers from Sanlee should assign less homework like teachers from Marlee do, so that their students can get better grades and receive education as scheduled. However, readers need more evidences to verify the statement.
Citing the survey from math and science teachers, the author claims that students assigned less homework have better performance. However, this assumption is unwarranted because math and science cannot represent all other subjects. While it might be true that students need more time to think over formulas and theories, it does not mean daily homework practice is not required in fields such as language or music. Lacking information of who conducted the survey and how the survey was conducted weakens the argument that the policy can be applied to all high schools.
In addition, the author states that the reason why students from Marlee not only score higher than students from Sanlee but also move on to the next grade or graduate on time is less homework. However, in order to decide this, some hard evidence needs to produce that students from both school are at similar level and both work hard on studying. Another significant factor which should not be left out is to make sure that students make good use of their free time saving from reduced homework. Even if the homework lessens, we would not expect an improved performance if students spend their time sleeping or playing games.
Consequently, it seems too hasty to draw a sweeping conclusion that less homework translates into good grades. To strengthen the argument, evidence from a solid and reliable survey of all teachers from the high school is needed. What's more, school performance of students depends on personal talent and endeavor, as teachers and assignments work in collaboration to make a good result. Therefore, we also need further information about student's background.
Comments
e-rater score report
Attribute Value Ideal
Final score: 3.5 out of 6
Category: Good Excellent
No. of Grammatical Errors: 2 2
No. of Spelling Errors: 2 2
No. of Sentences: 14 15
No. of Words: 309 350
No. of Characters: 1560 1500
No. of Different Words: 172 200
Fourth Root of Number of Words: 4.193 4.7
Average Word Length: 5.049 4.6
Word Length SD: 2.46 2.4
No. of Words greater than 5 chars: 123 100
No. of Words greater than 6 chars: 85 80
No. of Words greater than 7 chars: 65 40
No. of Words greater than 8 chars: 24 20
Use of Passive Voice (%): 0 0
Avg. Sentence Length: 22.071 21.0
Sentence Length SD: 7.75 7.5
Use of Discourse Markers (%): 0.643 0.12
Sentence-Text Coherence: 0.353 0.35
Sentence-Para Coherence: 0.557 0.50
Sentence-Sentence Coherence: 0.078 0.07
Number of Paragraphs: 4 5
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 7, column 230, Rule ID: EN_CONTRACTION_SPELLING
Message: Possible spelling mistake found
Suggestion: What's
...eachers from the high school is needed. Whats more, school performance of students de...
^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, consequently, however, if, so, then, therefore, while, in addition, such as
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 10.0 19.6327345309 51% => More to be verbs wanted.
Auxiliary verbs: 10.0 12.9520958084 77% => OK
Conjunction : 13.0 11.1786427146 116% => OK
Relative clauses : 11.0 13.6137724551 81% => OK
Pronoun: 19.0 28.8173652695 66% => OK
Preposition: 37.0 55.5748502994 67% => OK
Nominalization: 16.0 16.3942115768 98% => OK
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 1600.0 2260.96107784 71% => OK
No of words: 309.0 441.139720559 70% => More content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.17799352751 5.12650576532 101% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.1926597562 4.56307096286 92% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.55398658522 2.78398813304 92% => OK
Unique words: 175.0 204.123752495 86% => More unique words wanted.
Unique words percentage: 0.566343042071 0.468620217663 121% => OK
syllable_count: 475.2 705.55239521 67% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.5 1.59920159681 94% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 5.0 4.96107784431 101% => OK
Article: 3.0 8.76447105788 34% => OK
Subordination: 4.0 2.70958083832 148% => OK
Conjunction: 0.0 1.67365269461 0% => OK
Preposition: 3.0 4.22255489022 71% => OK
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 14.0 19.7664670659 71% => Need more sentences. Double check the format of sentences, make sure there is a space between two sentences, or have enough periods. And also check the lengths of sentences, maybe they are too long.
Sentence length: 22.0 22.8473053892 96% => OK
Sentence length SD: 38.3715056908 57.8364921388 66% => OK
Chars per sentence: 114.285714286 119.503703932 96% => OK
Words per sentence: 22.0714285714 23.324526521 95% => OK
Discourse Markers: 6.14285714286 5.70786347227 108% => OK
Paragraphs: 4.0 5.15768463074 78% => More paragraphs wanted.
Language errors: 1.0 5.25449101796 19% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 7.0 8.20758483034 85% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 3.0 6.88822355289 44% => More negative sentences wanted.
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 4.0 4.67664670659 86% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.252429559846 0.218282227539 116% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0881950949317 0.0743258471296 119% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0779312730407 0.0701772020484 111% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.168767952868 0.128457276422 131% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.046249168316 0.0628817314937 74% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 14.0 14.3799401198 97% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 57.61 48.3550499002 119% => OK
smog_index: 3.1 7.1628742515 43% => Smog_index is low.
flesch_kincaid_grade: 10.7 12.197005988 88% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.76 12.5979740519 101% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.51 8.32208582834 102% => OK
difficult_words: 74.0 98.500998004 75% => More difficult words wanted.
linsear_write_formula: 10.5 12.3882235529 85% => OK
gunning_fog: 10.8 11.1389221557 97% => OK
text_standard: 11.0 11.9071856287 92% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Rates: 50.0 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 3.0 Out of 6
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.