LLMGrader

LLMGrader is an AI-based assistant designed to support instructors in grading written response questions. It enables scalable assessment of higher-order thinking while preserving instructor oversight, academic judgment, and data privacy.

The Challenge of Written Response Assessment

Written response questions are widely recognized as one of the most effective methods for evaluating student understanding, reasoning, and synthesis. However, their use is often constrained by practical limitations.

They require significant time and effort to grade consistently.
Large class sizes make manual grading difficult to scale.
As a result, instructors may rely on multiple-choice or true/false questions despite their limitations.

LLMGrader as an Instructional Assistant

LLMGrader is designed to function as a teaching assistant, not as a replacement for instructor judgment. It assists with initial grading and feedback generation while keeping the instructor fully in control of final outcomes.

All grades and feedback are reviewable and editable.
Instructors define the grading context, rubric, and expectations.
The system supports pedagogical goals rather than automating them away.

How It Works

1. Instructor Input

The instructor provides contextual information, including the question, a reference solution, grading rubric, and point allocation.

2. Automated Analysis

Student responses are evaluated using a large language model guided strictly by the provided rubric and instructional context.

3. Review & Adjustment

Instructors review generated grades and feedback, making adjustments as needed before finalizing results.

4. Export & Integration

Final grades and feedback can be exported for upload into learning management systems.

Key Features

Support for written response quizzes and exams

Automated grading aligned to instructor-defined rubrics

Individualized student feedback generation

CSV export for LMS grade upload

Analysis of common student misconceptions and strengths

No limits on number of students or questions

Privacy, Cost, and Deployment

LLMGrader is designed with institutional constraints and privacy requirements in mind.

Can be deployed locally or within a university network.
No student data or assessment content needs to leave institutional systems.
Compatible with open-source language models.
No per-student or per-use costs.

Instructional Insights

Beyond grading, LLMGrader provides aggregate analysis of student responses, helping instructors identify common misunderstandings, recurring themes, and areas of strong comprehension.