Grading papers is not why most people become university instructors. Reading ideas? Yes. Responding to arguments? Absolutely. Renaming files, merging documents, and copying the same feedback 47 times? Not so much.
This guide exists because grading has quietly become one of the most inefficient parts of academic work—not because it’s intellectually difficult, but because it’s structurally outdated.
Why Grading Feels So Heavy
Faculty workload research consistently shows that assessment tasks cluster around fixed deadlines, creating intense bursts of cognitive and emotional labor (O’Meara et al., 2018). In other words, grading is stressful not only because of volume, but because of timing.
Add to that poorly named files, multiple drafts, rubric documents, and LMS exports, and you get a process that burns energy on mechanics rather than judgment.
What “Automating Grading” Actually Means
Automation does not mean replacing evaluation with algorithms. It means removing the parts of grading that don’t require academic expertise.
Good automation handles:
- Batch document handling
- Consistent feedback insertion
- File organization and output
- Repetitive formatting tasks
What remains is the work only humans should do: reading, interpreting, responding.
The Hidden Cost of Manual Work
Manual grading doesn’t just take time—it drains decision-making capacity. Research in cognitive psychology shows that repeated low-level decisions degrade judgment quality over time (Baumeister et al., 1998).
This explains why the last ten papers often feel harder than the first ten, even when the quality is the same.
A Practical Automation Workflow
A sustainable grading workflow typically includes:
- Standardized input files
- Reusable feedback components
- Automatic merging of student work and instructor comments
- Clear output naming and storage
This is the workflow that led to building DocMerge—a small tool designed to remove friction, not redesign pedagogy.
Why Small Tools Matter More Than Big Systems
Learning management systems are powerful, but often rigid. What professors usually need is not another platform, but a sharper tool for one narrow pain point.
DocMerge was built around a single question: “Why am I doing this part by hand?”
What You Get Back
When document handling is automated, instructors consistently report:
- Faster grading cycles
- More consistent feedback
- Less end-of-term burnout
- More energy for students
Automation doesn’t make grading impersonal. It makes it humane.
Final Thought
If grading has ever made you think, “This part shouldn’t be this hard,” you’re right. Tools won’t fix education—but the right ones can quietly give you your time back.
You can explore DocMerge here:
https://pera-pera.org/apps/docmerge/
References
O’Meara, K., Griffin, K. A., Nyunt, G., & Robinson, T. (2018). Sense of belonging and faculty work-life balance. The Review of Higher Education, 41(4), 495–521. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2018.0023
Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252–1265. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252