What's in a Grade? A Professor's Guide to Adjusting Scores on Student Assessments
Abstract
Grades serve many important purposes, and educators agree it is important to assign them accurately and fairly. Interviews with 100 professors across a broad range of academic disciplines at a mid-sized state college revealed little consensus on whether, when, or how to adjust scores when assigning grades. Their responses informed a review of reasons to adjust scores under certain circumstances as well as concerns about doing so. The authors review the characteristics of many score adjustment methods, including both quantitative and qualitative techniques. Professors are encouraged to consider when score adjustments may be warranted and to thoughtfully select methods that help to achieve their grading goals.
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