Five approaches to grading student tests are described and their advantages and limitations are examined. It is suggested that the fifth approach, which takes into account the general ability level of the class and applies predetermined percentages to determine the number of students receiving each grade, is the most rational approach. (JMD)

Contract grading is seen as a way to enable instructors to assign written work and respond to it helpfully so that their students will learn from the experience. Experiences with contract grading in a sophomore literature class are described. (MLW)

Focuses on the influence of examiners' level of experience and professional background on grades given in oral and written undergraduate examinations in psychology. Level of experience was found to have no significant effect. Clinical psychologists gave more laudabilis grades on oral exams and academic psychologists on essay exams. (JD)

Reports on a beginning-of-the-semester assignment in which students wrote questions to their instructor to determine his views about writing. Questions asked fell into four categories: (1) personal, not English related; (2) personal, English related; (3) English, what the teacher would accept; and (4) English, grading standards. (38 questions and…

Use of choice-weighted scores as a basis for assigning grades in college courses was investigated. Reliability and validity indices offer little to recommend either type of choice-weighted scoring over number-right scoring. The potential for choice-weighted scoring to enhance the teaching/testing process is discussed. (Author/GK)

The article contrasts North American and Soviet views and approaches to student evaluations, especially in the area of testing differences in academic achievement. It provides a brief summary of Soviet schooling and evaluative procedures. (Author/SB)

A high school writing teacher provides insights about her grading procedures by "writing letters" to typical students in various grade categories. (RL)

The design and development of a student produced, three credit/no credit televised course on human sexuality at Michigan State University is reviewed. The need for the course, its structure, and student reaction are presented. (RAO)

Describes undergraduate teaching assistant (TA) system designed to maintain high standards of grading by TAs and to assure students and colleagues that TA grading is consistent and fair. A description of TA training and monitoring and data on TA performance are presented. (Author/KC)

Some causes for reliability problems in tutor-marked assignments are discussed: factors relating to the questions such as ambiguous, overloaded, hidden agenda, and unrealistic questions; variations caused by differing tutor notes; and students not answering the question, scales and standards, rounding and partial scores, and bonus marks. (JMF)

Essay assignments provide a major portion of students' grades in most Open University curricula. The main educational objectives of essay questions are relevance and the ability to argue a thesis in the light of the course material. (JMF)

Explains a flexible two-part grading scheme which attempts to mix the best of both the descriptive and analytical treatments of an introductory astronomy course, to allow for differences in the academic backgrounds of the students. (GA)

This year's survey of freshmen entering college shows that their high school grades are higher than ever. There is at least indirect evidence that competence in basic academic skills is on the decline. There appears to be a trend of students selecting fields less demanding of basic academic skills. (BB)

Twelve issues are identified to be considered in planning external degrees. (MM)

Describes a chemistry course for electrical engineers that uses oral assessment as a terminal assessment method. (MLH)