At my university, the undergraduate catalog defines grades this way:
A -- excellent
B -- good
C -- average
D -- barely passed
F -- failed
I -- incomplete
So, "C" is "average," eh? To check this definition I downloaded
all grades for undergraduate courses for the just completed semester. Here is
the distribution of final grades:
A -- 38%
B -- 30%
C -- 18%
D -- 7%
F -- 7%
I-- 1%
Mode = A, Mean = B, Median = B.
I have proposed that the catalog be updated to read this way:
A - Average
B - Barely average
C - Could have been average if the student had attended class, read the book,
completed the assignments, etc.
D - did worse than Dubya
F - Failed, but if the student begs enough for post hoc extra credit, this can
be changed.
I - I am still trying to decide whether to give the student an A after e put so
much effort into persuading me it is not e's that e did not get an A and that I
would be responsible for ruining e's life if I gave any grade other than an A.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Christopher D. Green [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 12:16 PM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)
Subject: Re: [tips] lazy American students
Nicely stated, Chris.
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