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From: mwm@ea.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Grade Scales?
Message-ID: <2100001@ea.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 24-Sep-84 16:32:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: ea.2100001
Posted: Mon Sep 24 16:32:00 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Sep-84 05:46:43 EDT
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Nf-From: ea!mwm    Sep 24 15:32:00 1984

Moved from net.flame(.tepid):

/***** ea:net.flame / cbnap!adm /  5:36 pm  Sep 21, 1984 */
Taking a freshman physics course at Purdue, I recieved 35% on the first test.
When the curve for this exam was posted, this turned out to be a "C". This
was typical of many tests for that course not only for our group of freshman,
but it had been true for years before I got there, and not only for that
course, but others as well (although somewhat less dramatic). I've also talked
with other students from other schools and this, by no means, is limited to
Purdue but is an affliction that hits many school (most of them I hear about
are big name schools, but that could be just because they are more visible).
In my mind, their is no excuse for this. No matter what can be said about the
students not working hard enough (etc.) with scores this dramatic some blame
*must* be put on the administration. Is it that the kids aren't learning the
material, or are the tests bad? Hard to tell I guess, but in a situation such
as that, I would feel the same way about cheating as those interviewed did!

		Sometimes I'm just clearing my throat...


                Craig Votava
                AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus

                ...ihnp4!cbnap!cmv
/* ---------- */

That brings up a whole different kettle of fish: The grading scale used
by schools. CalTech was similar to Purdue. Here at Oklahoma University,
it's closer to the "cannonical" curve:

	A	90-100
	B	80-90
	C	70-80
	D	65-70
	F	<70

This seems somewhat silly. If 90% of your students do reasonably well
(C or better), you've just crammed 90% of the data into 30% of the scale.
You've got lots of accuracy for people with F's, and very little for the
best. Something like Purdue's scale would make more sense (lots of accuracy
for the very best) for a "good" school. Even better, something like:

	A	80-100
	B	60-80
	C	40-60
	D	20-40
	F	0-20

Would seem to give you the same accuracy for all types of students.

Comments, anyone?