Grading subjectively

One of the most challenging issues in teaching English/Language Arts is the requirement of grading subjectively. In other words, there is not always a right or wrong answer, and often times final evaluations are based on the teacher's idea of what is acceptable/unacceptable. Subjectivity in grading was one reason I chose to focus my action research on modeling as a teaching technique. As English educators we do not always have a rubric to follow word-for-word, so in order for students to understand expectations we must provide them with explicit instruction.
This week the seniors are giving speeches on their author papers which they wrote in October. I was a bit nervous about grading the speeches because I was not sure what to expect. The last time I saw students of that age present to the class I was a peer, not a teacher. However, I was extremely pleased with the students presentations. They were very well-spoken and well-prepared. My host teacher developed a rubric for grading purposes. This was a great way of developing a score for the speech, but she and I both agreed that if we felt a student deserved a different grade we would make the necessary changes.