Do it right or no credit. Let us please get into the real world.
I think that this criterion is totally unrealistic ... in every discipline. What comes to mind immediately is a term paper students have to write ... and the perception of the instructor as to how good it is. Are you suggesting that if the instructor feels the paper is not perfect ... then, the student should get no credit for their work? I don't see how such a position is tenable.
Even in statistics courses, let's say that a student on a test must work a simple correlation problem AND, in fact, makes a small error which leads to the wrong answer (though the answer is plausible). Maybe this is something that takes 10 minutes of the test time. Yes, the goal of the instructor is that the student is able to work the problem correctly and obtain the correct answer. But, learning (hmm ... reluctantly using a Skinnerian analogy) is a series of successive approximations to the correct knowledge ... you can't expect the first time around ... for everyone to get everything perfect. BUT, the work they have done that is good ... should be rewarded ... and feedback should be given that can assist the student towards the penultimate goal.
I just don't see how any humane teacher can adopt the attitude that you either get it right ... or, you don't get any recognition or credit for the work that you did. This approach can't possibly offer any motivation to most students who .. quite naturally ... struggle from day to day with all the work and requirements that are "imposed" on them from the school system.
NO introductory statistics course I am familiar with has anything to do with life threatening exercises that students have to work and learn with ... not at this level ... so, to treat the work that they turn in and do ... more or less in that light seems totally inappropriate.
Dr. Robert C. Knodt 4949 Samish Way, #31 Bellingham, WA 98229 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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