diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/css/combinedopenended/display.scss b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/css/combinedopenended/display.scss
index 8c6fc24420..2b107122dc 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/css/combinedopenended/display.scss
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/css/combinedopenended/display.scss
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ section.combined-open-ended {
   .result-container
   {
       float:left;
-      width: 93%;
+      width: 100%;
       position:relative;
   }
   h4
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ section.combined-open-ended-status {
    }
 
    .statusitem-current {
-     background-color: #cdc;
-     color: #2C2C2C;
+     background-color: #d4d4d4;
+     color: #222;
   }
 
     span {
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ section.combined-open-ended-status {
 div.result-container {
 
  .evaluation {
+
         p {
             margin-bottom: 1px;
         }
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ div.result-container {
     }
 
     .evaluation-response {
+        margin-bottom: 10px;
         header {
             text-align: right;
             a {
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ div.result-container {
     }
 
      .external-grader-message {
+         margin-bottom: 5px;
         section {
           padding-left: 20px;
           background-color: #FAFAFA;
@@ -247,7 +250,7 @@ div.result-container, section.open-ended-child {
                 margin:2px;
                 position: relative;
                 padding: 15px 15px 25px 15px;
-                width: 150px;
+                width: 145px;
                 height:100%;
                 display: inline-block;
                 min-height: 50px;
@@ -469,7 +472,6 @@ section.open-ended-child {
 
       p {
         line-height: 20px;
-        text-transform: capitalize;
         margin-bottom: 0;
         float: left;
       }
diff --git a/lms/static/sass/course/_staff_grading.scss b/lms/static/sass/course/_staff_grading.scss
index 213387b070..db5a25d581 100644
--- a/lms/static/sass/course/_staff_grading.scss
+++ b/lms/static/sass/course/_staff_grading.scss
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ div.peer-grading{
             margin: 0px;
             background: #eee;
             height: 10em;
+            width:48%;
             h3
             {
                 text-align:center;
@@ -138,12 +139,10 @@ div.peer-grading{
         .calibration-panel
         {
             float:left;
-            width:48%;
         }
         .grading-panel
         {
             float:right;
-            width: 48%;
         }
         .current-state
         {
diff --git a/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html b/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html
index 63111704ae..41d6d7e834 100644
--- a/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html
+++ b/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
             % if status['state'] == 'initial':
                 <span class="unanswered" id="status"></span>
             % elif status['state'] in ['done', 'post_assessment'] and status['correct'] == 'correct':
-                <span class="correct" id="status"></span>
+                <span class="correct" id="status"></span> 
             % elif status['state'] in ['done', 'post_assessment'] and status['correct'] == 'incorrect':
-                <span class="incorrect" id="status"></span>
+                <span class="incorrect" id="status"></span> 
             % elif status['state'] == 'assessing':
                 <span class="grading" id="status"></span>
             % endif
diff --git a/lms/templates/open_ended.html b/lms/templates/open_ended.html
index cda3282a45..f01bf64304 100644
--- a/lms/templates/open_ended.html
+++ b/lms/templates/open_ended.html
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
     % if state == 'initial':
       <span class="unanswered" style="display:inline-block;" id="status_${id}">Unanswered</span>
     % elif state in ['done', 'post_assessment'] and correct == 'correct':
-      <span class="correct" id="status_${id}">Correct</span>
+    <span class="correct" id="status_${id}">Correct</span> <p>Correct</p>
     % elif state in ['done', 'post_assessment'] and correct == 'incorrect':
-      <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}">Incorrect</span>
+    <span class="incorrect" id="status_${id}">Incorrect</span> <p>This submission has been assessed as incorrect. </p>
     % elif state == 'assessing':
       <span class="grading" id="status_${id}">Submitted for grading</span>
     % endif
diff --git a/lms/templates/open_ended_rubric.html b/lms/templates/open_ended_rubric.html
index 3ad5f64958..8d40c7d2b8 100644
--- a/lms/templates/open_ended_rubric.html
+++ b/lms/templates/open_ended_rubric.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <form class="rubric-template" id="inputtype_${id}">
     <h3>Rubric</h3>
     % if view_only and has_score:
-    <p>This is the rubric that was used to grade your submission.The highlighted selection matches how the grader feels you performed in each category.</p>
+    <p>This is the rubric that was used to grade your submission. The highlighted selection matches how the grader feels you performed in each category.</p>
     % elif view_only:
     <p>Use the below rubric to rate this submission.</p>
     % else:
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
                 <% option = category['options'][j] %>
             <td>
                 % if view_only:
-                    ## if this is the selected rubric block, show it
+                    ## if this is the selected rubric block, show it highlighted
                     % if option['selected']:
                         <div class="view-only selected-grade">
                     % else: