Dear Tipsters,
I would not argue that the student should be given an A- in the circumstances
presented, particularly when 90% is the cutoff.
However, the case raises interesting questions about the precision of our
grading. If I had a final grade of 88.61% I would automatically round it to
89%, just as a grade of 88.31% would become 88. Because we actually give
percentage grades at our institution, I am not faced with the issue of granting
an A- or a B. However, when someone obtains 49.61, I am faced with the question
of whether to pass the student.
In these circumstances, and indeed whenever the final percentage is above 48, I
do review the components of the mark, particularly because the maximum
percentage based on multiple choice in my courses is 18%. At the end of the
course, the part of the student's work that I usually have to hand is the final
examination. I look over that to see how I allocated points.
The general question is this:
When we calculate a final percentage grade, how reliable is it? Another way of
putting this is: What is the standard error of measurement?
Sincerely,
Stuart
______________________________________________
Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D.,
Department of Psychology,
Bishop's University,
2600 College Street,
Sherbrooke,
Québec J1M 0C8,
Canada.
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Phone: (819)822-9600, Extension 2402
Fax: (819)822-9661
Bishop's Psychology Department Web Page:
http/:www.ubishops.ca/ccc/dev/soc/psy
__________________________________
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