Re: Caught Cheating

[David Campbell]

Grading on a point basis instead of a curve makes excellent sense where cheating is a result of competition, and this concept can be presented to the students in such as way as to discourage cheating.  (Although cheating will still be done by those who are too lazy or limited in time to prepare their own work.)  But still one needs to establish the point totals needed to earn each possible grade, and this has to come from some sort of normative data--essentially a curve based on initial classes.  To arbitrarilly use 90%=A, 80%=B, etc., or some similar set of criteria, would ignore relevant factors like difficulty of the testing material and degree of preparation provided by the instructor. Incidently, note that Turnitin.com doesn't catch everything, and it can be foiled by changing words so no string of copied material exceeds 7 words. --Dave Rick Adams wrote:          One point that was clear, however (and one I've been arguing for years), is that grading on a curve is a bad idea. It encourages students to compete instead of cooperate and, if they know some of the students in the class are cheating, they have much more incentive to do so themselves since it will allow them to remain competitive. Any instructor can grade on a straight point value basis--and by doing so he or she can encourage students to work together to improve all their grades instead of working against each other in an attempt to improve only their own.   Comments?   Rick ___________________________________________________________________ David E. Campbell, Ph.D.        [EMAIL PROTECTED] Department of Psychology        Phone: 707-826-3721 Humboldt State University       FAX:   707-826-4993 Arcata, CA  95521-8299          www.humboldt.edu/~campbell/psyc.htm --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]