Of the Training of Black Men presents Du Bois's case for the value of a broad higher education, including the liberal arts, as a foundation for leadership and civic life. Teachers often use it to prompt argumentative essays about the purpose of education, connecting a century-old text to ongoing debates about curriculum, access, and opportunity. Grading these essays calls for criteria that reward reasoning, evidence, and fair treatment of opposing views.

The first task for graders is to determine whether the student has taken a clear position. Prompts might ask whether schools should prioritize job training or broad intellectual development, using Du Bois as a reference point. A strong essay states its position, supports it with reasons, and uses the text to illuminate rather than merely decorate the argument.

Students sometimes misuse the text by claiming that Du Bois opposed all vocational training, when his argument is more nuanced. Accuracy in representing the author's position is a reasonable expectation, and graders should flag oversimplifications. A comment asking where in the chapter the student found the claim encourages careful reading.

Reward Engagement With Counterarguments

A hallmark of strong argumentative writing is the ability to acknowledge and respond to opposing views. Essays on education benefit especially from this practice because reasonable people disagree about priorities and tradeoffs. Graders should look for a paragraph that fairly presents the strongest opposing argument and answers it with evidence.

• States a clear position on the purpose of education in the thesis
• Represents Du Bois's views accurately and with textual support
• Includes a counterargument and responds to it thoughtfully
• Supports claims with evidence beyond personal opinion
• Connects the historical argument to a present-day educational question

Evaluate Use of Evidence Beyond the Text

To connect the chapter to current debates, students may bring in outside evidence such as graduation statistics, funding comparisons, or examples from their own schools. Graders should assess whether this evidence is credible and relevant, and whether it is explained. Anecdotes can add color, but they rarely carry an argument on their own.

Feedback can encourage students to pair personal experience with broader evidence. A comment such as "how might you show that your school's experience reflects a larger pattern?" prompts them to look for supporting data. This habit strengthens both the argument and the student's research skills.

Keep Scoring Fair Across Different Viewpoints

Educational policy is a contested topic, and students will hold different views. Rubrics should reward the quality of reasoning rather than agreement with the teacher's opinions. Making this principle explicit in advance reassures students that they can argue honestly.

Consistent application of the rubric across essays is essential to maintain trust. AI-assisted grading tools that evaluate each essay against the same criteria can support this goal. Teachers should still read the results with attention to context and nuance.

Close With Revision and Reflection

Argumentative essays benefit from revision, particularly when students receive targeted feedback on counterarguments and evidence. A second draft often shows a more balanced and persuasive treatment of the issue. Teachers can require a brief note explaining the changes made in response to feedback.

Reflection after the final draft can help students recognize how their thinking evolved. Some may discover that engaging seriously with the opposing view changed their position in subtle ways. That kind of intellectual growth is a valuable outcome of the assignment and worth acknowledging.