Business and Professional Communication Quarterly

January 2026

1. Jan 2026
   Nontraditional Grading at the Nexus of Business, Communication, and Composition ↗
   Michelle Cowan
   Abstract

   This article explores factors influencing classroom assessment approaches by analyzing survey data from 326 U.S. college instructors teaching business, communication, and composition. Business and communication instructors adopt nontraditional grading methods far less than composition instructors. Departmental culture and disciplinary norms are major influences, along with constraints like class size, time, and technology. The article argues that instructors can and should question departmental grading norms to develop assessment methods that enhance learning in interdisciplinary courses like business communication.

   first-year composition teacher development assessment professional writing
   doi:10.1177/23294906251399571