Re: Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
Good point in general. In this particular case, however, Iowa requires too semesters of rhetoric for everyone. That means that they have something like 200 sections of rhetoric per year, so if the classes has even the same percentage of student complaints as normal undergraduate classes the department would be swamed with complaints. Of course in an environment in which the students had to make a real case for their complaints instead of the instructors having to "disprove" the complaints much of the cost of complaints would be shifted to the students. Complaints without a solid prima facie basis would get dismissed out of hand. David Levenstam In a message dated 1/14/03 5:35:18 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > >Also consider the possibility that many departments get budgets based on >enrollments - and tough grades scare students away! Fabio > >On Tue, 14 Jan 2003 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> In the Rhetoric Department at Iowa instructors who tried to actually >teach >> writing and therefore generated many student complaints were offered >out of >> their contracts--that is, forced out--because the chair and assistant >chair >> didn't want to deal with student complaints. >> >> In a message dated 1/14/03 2:17:30 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> >> > >> >Has anybody tested the hypothesis that professors assign easy grades >> >because it sucks up too much time? >> > >> >Consider the costs of tough grading - spending more time correcting >> >papers, extra time spent arguing grades with students and the extra >effort >> >it takes to design challenging tests and assignments. >> > >> >Fabio >> >
Re: Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
> Has anybody tested the hypothesis that professors > assign easy grades > because it sucks up too much time? Hi, I am intersted in a related question. Are grades of new and/or 'experimental' classes intentionally inflated? New classes often suffer from poor attendance and an initial bout of 'inflation' may be a good way to get more students to enroll. Thanks Arham __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Re: Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
Also consider the possibility that many departments get budgets based on enrollments - and tough grades scare students away! Fabio On Tue, 14 Jan 2003 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > In the Rhetoric Department at Iowa instructors who tried to actually teach > writing and therefore generated many student complaints were offered out of > their contracts--that is, forced out--because the chair and assistant chair > didn't want to deal with student complaints. > > In a message dated 1/14/03 2:17:30 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > > >Has anybody tested the hypothesis that professors assign easy grades > >because it sucks up too much time? > > > >Consider the costs of tough grading - spending more time correcting > >papers, extra time spent arguing grades with students and the extra effort > >it takes to design challenging tests and assignments. > > > >Fabio >
Re: Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
> begin with? Why did grade inflation begin to occur > when it did (the 1960s??)? I doubt it was because > grading time increased? Actually, grading time increased around the 1960's - larger class sizes. Per student it's less but many more students. Also, it's my impression research requirements for tenure increasred around that time. So the cost of time went up at that time. Fabio
Re: Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
In the Rhetoric Department at Iowa instructors who tried to actually teach writing and therefore generated many student complaints were offered out of their contracts--that is, forced out--because the chair and assistant chair didn't want to deal with student complaints. In a message dated 1/14/03 2:17:30 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > >Has anybody tested the hypothesis that professors assign easy grades >because it sucks up too much time? > >Consider the costs of tough grading - spending more time correcting >papers, extra time spent arguing grades with students and the extra effort >it takes to design challenging tests and assignments. > >Fabio
Re: Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
If that were the case, why werent grades easy to begin with? Why did grade inflation begin to occur when it did (the 1960s??)? I doubt it was because grading time increased? Grading can take a lot of time, but at research universities, faculty often dont do their own grading. Multiple choice exams (or having fewer exams or graded assignments) can also save time, without necessitating grade inflation. Seth Giertz --- fabio guillermo rojas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Has anybody tested the hypothesis that professors > assign easy grades > because it sucks up too much time? > > Consider the costs of tough grading - spending more > time correcting > papers, extra time spent arguing grades with > students and the extra effort > it takes to design challenging tests and > assignments. > > Fabio > > > __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Grade inflation - an easy explanation?
Has anybody tested the hypothesis that professors assign easy grades because it sucks up too much time? Consider the costs of tough grading - spending more time correcting papers, extra time spent arguing grades with students and the extra effort it takes to design challenging tests and assignments. Fabio
