Evaluation of handwriting is most effective when it includes self-evaluation, peer evaluation, and teacher evaluation. Obviously, evaluation is preferred to grading in virtually all instances. It is important to determine those factors of legible handwriting which are to be evaluated. In manuscript writing, size refers to the relationship in height of the letters to each other and to the writing space. In early elementary grades, writing is usually done on paper with wide rulings.
Tall letters touch the headline.
In later grades, the width of the lines is reduced. In grades 5 and above, the proportion of the letters does not change, but it is reduced further to fit the smaller writing space, the tall letters no longer touch the headline, and the writing paper does not have descended spaces. To evaluate alignment, a light line may be drawn horizontally along the tops of the tall letters, another line along the tops of the middle letters, and a third line along the tops of the short letters. In evaluating manuscript writing, each of these strokes should be examined carefully. When correct letter models are in view of the student, self-evaluation is most easily performed.