The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time appears in first-year writing and introductory literature courses because it is accessible, short, and full of questions about perception and communication. Professors use it to teach close reading, argument, and research skills at the same time. The challenge is that large sections generate far more writing than one instructor can respond to thoughtfully.

A typical course might assign a short reflection, a close reading essay, and a longer researched argument tied to the novel. College students often bring stronger vocabulary than high schoolers but weaker habits of revision and evidence use. Feedback should therefore concentrate on argument structure and the integration of sources rather than basic sentence repair.

Professors also face a wider range of preparation within a single section. Some students have written extensively about literature, while others are encountering academic argument for the first time. A rubric that clearly describes each level of performance helps instructors respond fairly to both groups without lowering expectations.

Choose Assignments That Support Grading

Assignment design affects how efficiently you can grade. A prompt that asks students to analyze a single passage in detail produces essays that are easier to compare than one that invites any reading of the entire book. Focused prompts also reduce the temptation to summarize, since the scope is narrow.

• A close reading assignment based on one chapter or passage
• A short argument essay on how the novel represents perception or communication
• A research-supported essay that engages at least two scholarly or critical sources
• A reflective piece that asks students to describe their revision choices
• A low-stakes discussion post that previews the thesis of a larger essay

Coordinate Standards Across Sections

Many first-year programs share a syllabus across multiple instructors and teaching assistants. Without calibration, the same essay can receive different grades depending on who reads it. Norming sessions, where graders score sample essays on the novel and discuss differences, are one of the most effective ways to keep standards aligned.

Shared rubrics and a bank of annotated sample papers make that calibration easier to maintain throughout the semester. When new instructors join, those materials help them understand the program's expectations quickly. Students also benefit, because their grades reflect the course standard rather than a single grader's habits.

Give Feedback That Prepares Students for Revision

College writing instruction depends on revision, and feedback should be written with that in mind. Comments should identify the most important change a student could make, such as sharpening the thesis or reorganizing the argument, instead of marking every minor issue. A student who understands the priority is more likely to make meaningful changes.

Consider separating feedback on ideas from feedback on editing. Early drafts benefit from comments on argument and evidence, while later drafts can address style and mechanics. This staging prevents students from polishing sentences that might be cut entirely during revision.

Use Technology to Sustain Quality at Scale

When a professor has one hundred or more students across sections, thoughtful feedback on every draft is a serious time commitment. Rubric-aligned AI tools can produce a first round of comments that identify strengths, gaps, and next steps, which the instructor can refine. That approach protects time for office hours and conferences, where deeper conversations happen.

Institutions should also consider clear policies about how such tools are used, and communicate them to students. Transparency builds trust and clarifies that the instructor remains responsible for evaluation. Used thoughtfully, the technology supports good teaching rather than replacing it.