Department of Political Science | University of Massachusetts Amherst
DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Graders
A Grader is a 20 hour per week position for 19 weeks. For the 2019-2020 academic year the Fall
appointment begins September 3, 2019 and ends January 11, 2020, and the Spring appointment
begins January 12, 2020 and ends May 23, 2020. This position requires that you fulfill the
following primary responsibilities. Remember that fulfilling your responsibilities is vital to
attaining the instructor’s teaching goals and to your own development as a future teacher.
Key Responsibilities
1. Meet with the instructor and other graders as indicated by instructor, and work together
as a team.
2. Provide your faculty instructor and fellow graders with your contact information, and
indicate your preferred mode of communication (email, cellphone, landline, etc.) in the
event of an emergency.
3. Attend each lecture session of class. If you cannot attend on a specific day because of
compelling circumstances (such as illness or personal emergency), inform the instructor
in advance and make arrangements to get catch up on missed material.
4. Grade and provide feedback on the written assignments submitted by assigned students.
Grading and feedback should follow the guidelines provided by the instructor and general
good pedagogical practices.
5. Answer or redirect student questions and email queries in a timely fashion.
6. Maintain attendance/participation and assignment grade records for your assigned
students.
7. Hold office hours for three hours each week unless otherwise indicated by your faculty
instructor. Coordinate the timing of your office hours with your faculty instructor and
fellow graders.
8. Be available to help run in-class or special out-of-class sessions during the semester.
9. Be available, as needed, to assist in administrative and logistical tasks of the course such
as photocopying handouts, picking up exam books and pencils, and placing books/videos
on library reserves.
10. Voice questions or concerns regarding your responsibilities or the course immediately to
instructor.
11. Contact the Graduate Program Director immediately if an unresolvable conflict arises
between you and your instructor, or if the instructor places responsibilities on you that are
clearly in excess of those laid out in this description.
12. If any additional duties are required beyond the 19 weeks of the assistantship, it is the
responsibility of the instructor.
13. Please contact the Graduate Program Director if any issues arise related to your job
responsibilities.