The author proposes self-efficacy theory as a framework for interpreting the relationship between the grading standards of teachers and the grades students actually achieve. (Author/MT)

Several changes in assessment of students in Great Britain are being considered, including establishing a common system of examining at 16-plus and moving toward specifying criteria for the award of grades. Issues related to these trends (including the demise of the General Certificate of Secondary Education--GCSE) are examined. (JN)

Proposes that in-depth assessment of student writing is the best and most effective way of grading papers and determining student needs. Includes a sample assessment scale. (CRH)

Physical educators must analyze their purposes behind grading students. Suggestions to consider when formulating a grading strategy are offered. (DF)

Describes two approaches to grading news stories in a news writing course, in which grading and penalties were lenient in the first half of the course, and more strict in the second half. Discusses a survey of students' attitudes indicating that the moderated grading made the course less intimidating. (HTH)

A computer program in BASIC developed to assist in grading college English compositions is discussed and presented. The program allows rapid recording and printing of instructor comments, providing more praise and feedback than otherwise feasible. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the program to their own needs and preferences. (MSE)

Reports the results of a study to determine grading criteria and evaluative standards used by a select group of business communication instructors. (AEA)

After a frustrating time trying to explain general class participation grades to students, the author developed a form designed to mitigate some of those difficulties. (Author/RK)

Grade inflation has commanded increasing attention in the academic world in recent years, with administrators, faculty, and academic analysts unable to agree on whether grade inflation actually exists or is a myth to be debunked. This Digest reviews research in support of and against the existence of grade inflation. A statistical analysis report…

Few educators receive any formal training in assigning marks to students' work or in grading students' performance and achievement. As a result, when required to do so, most simply reflect back on what was done to them and then, based on those experiences, try to develop policies and practices that they believe are fair, equitable, defensible, and…

This paper discusses approaches to grading students that are being used or could be used in state universities in East Africa. Grade assignment usually means that some kind of comparison is being made, whether with other students or established standards or based on improvement and ability. For the most part, university regulations encourage and…

Standard-setting research has yielded a rich array of more than 50 standard-setting procedures, but practitioners are likely to be confused about which to use. By synthesizing the accumulated research on standard setting and progress monitoring, this study developed a three-dimensional taxonomy for conceptualizing and operationalizing the various…

This monograph summarizes the research and provides practical advice on how to structure collaborative writing for students in the higher education classroom. The monograph begins with compelling pedagogical support for collaborative writing projects based on the research that has emerged in cognitive and learning theory over the last 30 years.…

The implementation of a plus/minus system of grading to replace the traditional A through F grading system for graduate students was studied at a midsize Midwestern university. Decimal equivalents were established to enable the computation of grade point averages (GPAs) that reflected the dispersion of grades through the plus/minus system. A…

What do grades mean? Is there a commonly understood and acceptable definition for what a grade stands? The current grading system is approximately 100 years old. In the 1700s, students were given feedback but not grades. In 1780, Yale University began using a 4.0 system that is similar to the current system. In the 1830s, Harvard University…