The effect of grade inflation on the reliability of undergraduate grade point averages at a university was examined. It was shown that there has been some decline in reliability, but this is ameliorated by the use of plus and minus attachments to grades. (JKS)

The parent/teacher conference contributes to a better understanding for both of a student's performance at school. (MM)

Investigates empirically, for a sample of university examinations in engineering, the influence of examination length on reliability and discrimination. (Author)

A search of recent literature appears to suggest that students required to take remedial-type work in college, such as reading and study skills, may be more highly motivated and perform better academically if they are working for a traditional letter grade rather than for a pass-fail type of mark. (Author)

Low-level content and cheating are two problems that are serious threats to the personalized system of instruction (PSI). The use of behavioral objectives can reduce book-boundness and consequently raise the level of course content. To prevent cheating in PSI courses, rigorous checks on proctor grading must be built into courses. (RM)

A procedure derived from classical test theory analyzes course grades and report results to assess third-year clerkships at a midwestern medical school. The procedure is sensitive to a large range of characteristics of the courses and is a promising supplement to student course evaluations in studying curriculum change. (SLD)

Explains that peer evaluation in news writing courses is an effective way to increase the amount of information provided to student writers without adding to an instructor's grading load. Suggests several feedback structures, including source questionnaires, grading grids, and directed peer evaluation guides. (MM)

The A to F grading pattern is a highly subjective practice that demands great expertise and assumes a high degree of test validity. This article discusses the merits of extra credit assignments, homework, and "pop" quizzes; outlines defensible grading procedures; and discusses common grading problems, such as using grades as weapons. (MLH)

A method for statistically removing interrater grading inconsistency as a source of bias is presented and a study using this technique is described. Assumptions, techniques, and practical considerations are also discussed. (Author/MSE)

Working parties established by the Secondary Examinations Council are devising grade-related criteria for use with the new General Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (GCSE). The aim is to produce in each subject a set of performance criteria covering GCSE grades A-G. The work of the physics group is discussed. (JN)

Essays and essay tests need to be a central feature of every class. Informing students about what is inadequate in their essays and counseling them on how to improve seem to be impossible, time-consuming tasks. The use of codes or abbreviations is described. (MLW)

Discusses the use of special portapunch cards in the testing and grading of large student populations. The cards can be processed routinely at a batch station by laboratory staff having little knowledge of computers. The system not only allows cheap and reliable marking but also can accommodate a variety of tests. (JN)

Impression marking of English Language essay and summary questions by pairs of examiners is shown, as expected, to be more reliable than single marking. Given the limited statistical information available, it is concluded that pairing of examiners can as well be done by random or quasi-random means as by attempts at calculated matching. (Editor/RK)

Describes using a literature analysis paper for grading physics students. Each student examines a physics paper from the literature, checks its accuracy and the accuracy of its references by use of the library, and applies it to answer some assigned questions. (MLH)

Reports many results of a grading study in which members of the American Society for Engineering Education scored student responses taken from college engineering test papers. The overall result was a wide variation in grades assigned. (MLH)