Essay Grading Goes Digital.

The Irvine, Calif, students discovered that if they just included predictable words, phrases, or features in their paper, the computer would view it favorably regardless of the quality of the work. The Criterion Online Writing Evaluation Program, a product of the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, N.J., helps Thornton supplement her writing instruction and monitor students' work without adding to her grading burden. Some experts worry that the products' capabilities are overstated, and they warn that the potential for misuse is great. According to at least one recent study, middle and high school students are encountering fewer and fewer writing requirements in school just as the business world is demanding more such skills from job candidates.