Find something positive to say. Certainly, you need to point out weaknesses and flaws, but concentrating solely on the negative can be deflating, and, in some instances, actually harmful. A “good point” here or a “nice touch” there can give many students some needed encouragement.

Respond like a “reader,” not a writing cop. Try asking a few questions, e.g., “How does this fit in with your overall argument?” or “Are you saying / implying that. . .” or “Can you elaborate on this point?” These kinds of questions carry with them the recognition of a teacher / student dialogue, and are much more conducive to learning than comments like “weak” or “lacks focus.”

A word or two about grammar: if you are evaluating and grading texts in a “writing-to-learn” context (where writing is primarily a vehicle for learning content), then you may want to mark grammatical errors sparingly and only if they seriously mar the writing. Many studies in the field of composition have shown that marking all the grammatical errors in a student’s paper has little effect on their subsequent performance. However, if you are more concerned about the polished quality of your students’ texts and preparing your students for the demands of the workplace, or academia, then you will need to pay serious attention to grammatical and mechanical problems by pointing them out in the marginal notes and / or the end note. If texts are seriously flawed, you may want to recommend a good style and grammar handbook — the Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers or The St. Martin’s Handbook, for example — or recommend that students with major problems drop in at the Writing Center in Strickler Hall.