Good Red Inks For Teachers Grading On Awful Paper?

[iamchum]

When marking university papers, most of them are typed printed on random 80gsm paper, I just use my scheaffer skrip red, and my bash around monteverde invincia with an M nib (cant really do F or smaller). I write pretty rapidly so not enough ink is dumped on the paper that it can really bleed through (although it doesnt really matter in my case, I suppose, it's always printed 1-sided, all part of assignment specification requirements at my uni ).

 

Honestly though... most of the kids just look at the grade and then never look at them again. How is someone supposed to improve if they don't even read what's wrong with their papers?!!! blargh... the apathy of some university kids.

Edited October 20, 2012 by iamchum

[CaptainGroovy]

My mother was a teacher during the 1960's, 1970's, and early 1980's and while she loved her fountain pen she rarely used one for grading. The main thing she used for grading was an Indelible Pencil or a Wax Pencil, red of course. She tended to use the Wax Pencils on True-False, Multiple Choice or tests that their was one correct answer per question. She used the Indelible pencil on papers, quizzes, and tests that she would be writing comments on. The only time I ever saw her use a fountain pen for grading consistently was on term papers and that was because they were typed and as a rule meant they were on FP friendly paper. Additionally I think she used the Indelible Pencil for grading was because she taught at a private school and until the mid 1970's students wrote with a fountain pen and grading with a fountain pen could cause inks to smudge etc. I realise that this post is a bit off topic but I thought I might be a some interest to some. An yes my mother was of the belief that ballpoint pens helped contributed to decline in penmanship legibility among other things.

[tripcode]

If they're anything like the stuff I used in elementary school, I'd use Nikita. My state's election information books are printed on nearly the same stuff, maybe a little finer, and Nikita's fine on that. I do use a dryish Safari, though, so if she has the Columbia coming out of her pen, she might look for a different ink.

Edited October 21, 2012 by tripcode

[XiaoMG]

My mother was a teacher during the 1960's, 1970's, and early 1980's and while she loved her fountain pen she rarely used one for grading. The main thing she used for grading was an Indelible Pencil or a Wax Pencil, red of course. She tended to use the Wax Pencils on True-False, Multiple Choice or tests that their was one correct answer per question. She used the Indelible pencil on papers, quizzes, and tests that she would be writing comments on. The only time I ever saw her use a fountain pen for grading consistently was on term papers and that was because they were typed and as a rule meant they were on FP friendly paper. Additionally I think she used the Indelible Pencil for grading was because she taught at a private school and until the mid 1970's students wrote with a fountain pen and grading with a fountain pen could cause inks to smudge etc. I realise that this post is a bit off topic but I thought I might be a some interest to some. An yes my mother was of the belief that ballpoint pens helped contributed to decline in penmanship legibility among other things.

When I don't need to make any comments, I think a wax pencil is a great way to go. It works on all standard papers, is easy to see, hard to remove, and can be used like a highlighter in some situations.

 

When I have to write commentary, I tend to stick to my ultra-fine gels and ballpoints, because they are by far the most effective at writing cleanly in small spaces on poor paper.

[Malcy]

I like using Diamine Monaco red for marking. Diamine Pumpkin is good too, it really stands out though it leaves a strange deposit around the nib.

[arantia]

I occasionally mark papers here, but the kids notebooks are usually of decent quality paper. However, I usually end up with the worksheets and they're generally on cheap copy paper. I ordered a bunch of red samples and a medium red Lamy to mark with. Teachers here use a standard red marker - everyone has exactly the same one, and they're in plentiful supply, but I just wanted to use a fountain pen with an ink close to the standard marker colour.

 

The reds I ordered were all Noodlers' - Fox, Empire Red, Nikita and Widow Maker. I haven't used Widow Maker yet though I tested it and it was too dark. Fox was lovely on the right paper, but even on the right stuff it wanted to bleed. Empire had the same issues, but the colour didn't match. So that one was out as well. Like I said, Widow Maker was too dark... but Nikita turned out to be the ideal match, at least for me. I'm happily grading with that for the time being, though I will need to order a full size bottle soon!

[bunnspecial]

At least on crappy paper, one of the best choices I've found is Pelikan Brilliant Red.

 

I'm not crazy about the color of it(I much prefer Skrip for a red ink) but the Pelikan is about the best behaved ink in my experience.

[Mr. Sweet]

I'm a teacher at a French International school in Seoul, Korea and have been happy with Noodler's Nikita. The French schools, however, use 105g paper (imported from France). If the ink starts to feather on some cheaper paper a student may bring from home, I go to my Lamy Safari with a fine nib, which seems to do the trick as long as I write quickly.

 

Good suggestions for grading in green. I may have to give that a shot. ^^

[bernardo]

Over the years I've learned that red ink is not the best choice for grading; the students feel it somewhat aggressive. It's better to use a more neutral color, like green.

 

When I have to grade homeworks or exams I use a Pelikano M. The ink brand doesn't matter, they all have performed equally well (Pelikan, Lamy, Sheaffer, Visconti).

[amberleadavis]

"If you can't grade it with Skrip Red, it's not worth grading." (Skrip can have that line.) There's some seriously awful paper that no fountain pen and ink can tame. That's when I go to my ballpoints.

 

I have to agree! My first thought was Skrip Red. My "old" bottle --- but I'm not OLD! --- is still grading/correcting/swearing on some horrible papers.

 

And Skrip Red is not the "violent" "bloody" red that traumatizes students. Drat.

Edited November 2, 2012 by amberleadavis

[lamylover]

Undoubtedly, Pelikan 4001 Red. It never bleeds and feathers on any kind of paper.I've using it for an year and on different paper. Also, it flows quite well.

[josiah]

If she corrects in red ink, make sure it has rock-solid water resistance. I recall a teacher that was infatuated with red fountain ink and it wasn't long before her students figured out they could "wash" the ink off the paper with careful soaking.

 

I'd love to have those students, if for no reason other than to congratulate them on their forgery skills, point out that some of my marks could still be visible where the nib pushed into the paper (especially with the application of a lightly-rubbed pencil), and I'd happily give them the opportunity to submit their homework to me for re-grading (after which I'd give them zeroes for cheating). I hope the teacher you knew was creative enough to make a learning experience out of the situation...

[impossiblebird]

I find Noodler's Fox Red user-friendly on some pretty awful paper; it's not too vicious a red, and waterproof, too.

[2GreyCats]

If she corrects in red ink, make sure it has rock-solid water resistance. I recall a teacher that was infatuated with red fountain ink and it wasn't long before her students figured out they could "wash" the ink off the paper with careful soaking.

 

Unfortunately almost every red out there has poor water-resistance. The only water-resistant reds that I'm aware of are:

 

1. Noodler's Fox Red

2. Platinum Pigmented Rose Red

Diamine Poppy Red isn't waterproof, but it does have some resistance. My own "spill" test, with cold leftover tea, diluted the writing on the page, but there was still enough left on the page that I could have read it if I'd had to.

[Runnin_Ute]

I have done some teaching and because I didn't have any red FP ink, I just used a Pilot G2 fountain pen. These were college students so I think the color was less of an issue.

[Jimmy Joe]

If she corrects in red ink, make sure it has rock-solid water resistance. I recall a teacher that was infatuated with red fountain ink and it wasn't long before her students figured out they could "wash" the ink off the paper with careful soaking.

Why? I'm a teacher, and I don't care if the students can change the score written on their work. It's already recorded before I hand it back, and they do not have access to the electronic gradebook. The scores and marks on their work is for their benefit, not mine or the school's.

 

And Fox Red is horrible on cheap paper. Diamine Poppy Red is what goes in my Red Pen of Justice.

[TSherbs]

Sheaffer Red. Best behaved overall on cheap paper. Brilliant red.

[adamselene]

Red ink might be ok for some kids, but for kids with learning and school problems I wouls suggest a gentler color.

 

Correct the work, not correct mistakes, is the approach.

 

My humble opinion.

[goodpens]

Diamine Poppy with a very fine nib. It flows very well in my Pilot 78g, f nib (which is not the case for other reds, like Herbin rouge caroubier) and lays down a thin, vibrant line that is still very clean even if their is some feathering on cheap paper. I was very pleased with this combo for editing on not-great paper.

Edited January 1, 2013 by goodpens

[countrydirt]

I am using Scribal Workshop's Zhulong now. It seems to work on any paper, dries quickly and is a good red color.