I have been doing this for years. I tell students if they do better on the
remaining exams, I will substitute their average for the first exam score.
I think it has been effective for students who got off to a bad start, and
if they do better on the rest of the exams, I don't think it is grade
inflation.
Sally A. Radmacher, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Missouri Western State College
4525 Downs Drive
St. Joseph, MO 64507
(816) 271-4353
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: Eastman, Mark [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2000 12:38 PM
To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
Subject: replacing 1st exam with average of remaining exams
I was intrigued with a discussion a few weeks ago regarding whether or not
to drop the lowest scoring exam of a student's battery of exams. Someone on
the list suggested replacing the first exam with the average of the
remaining exams. I would like more information on the pro and cons of this
approach.....from someone who has tried it. Philosophically I don't like
the idea of dropping the lowest exam, but I do like the motivational
benefits from having students try much harder on the remaining exams in
order to replace the low scoring first exam. This policy would be announced
after students have taken the first exam.
Mark Eastman
Diablo Valley College
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
