Re: when is a C not a C

[dennis roberts]

from the students' perspective ... i think it is important for the instructor to set the targets ... ie, discuss the grading scale ... and, what one has to do to EARN various grades

now, whatever this scale happens to be .. and where the cut points have been defined ... we do need to make it clear that there MAY BE some adjustment to these IF the instructor thinks that it is the proper thing to do at the end of the term (that is ... the cuts could be make lower ... i doubt you will get away with "raising" them! )

but, for us to think that these cut points have any "truth" to them in terms of what A is and what B is ... etc. ... is sheer folly

yes, we decide them but ... in the final analysis ... these points are A) convenient for us and B) essentially arbitrary

if we had to elaborate on the behavioral differences between a student who got a B ... say, from a student who got a C ... we would be very hard pressed to do it



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dennis roberts, educational psychology, penn state university
208 cedar, AC 8148632401, mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://roberts.ed.psu.edu/users/droberts/drober~1.htm
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