cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) (03/11/88)
In article <Mar.10.00.57.36.1988.22898@topaz.rutgers.edu>, mlevine@topaz.rutgers.edu (Mike Levine) writes: (Much omitted) > 10. Explain to the students that the test was intentionally > designed to be impossible to pass, but after the curve, a 45% would be > equivalent to a C. I always have 45% a C, especially in service courses. I also tell the students in advance that this will be the case, and that concepts will be graded as far more important than manipulations and regurgitation. However, I do not consider that as designing the test to be impossible or even difficult to pass, and I _never_ grade on a curve. -- Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907 Phone: (317)494-6054 hrubin@l.cc.purdue.edu (ARPA or UUCP) or hrubin@purccvm.bitnet
ram@lscvax.UUCP (Ric Messier) (03/14/88)
In article <706@l.cc.purdue.edu> cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes: >I always have 45% a C, especially in service courses. >pass, and I _never_ grade on a curve. > >-- >Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907 Not grade on a curve but set a C equal to 45%. Maybe I'm not a teacher but I could have SWORN that that is what a curve really is. I think I learned that in Statistics class. -- - Kilroy ram@lscvax.UUCP 'Just what cowpatch is Lyndonville, Vermont in anyway?' *** Can't deal, &CRASH
reggie@pdn.UUCP (George W. Leach) (03/15/88)
In article <706@l.cc.purdue.edu> cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes: >I always have 45% a C, especially in service courses. I also tell the students >in advance that this will be the case, and that concepts will be graded as far >more important than manipulations and regurgitation. However, I do not >consider that as designing the test to be impossible or even difficult to >pass, and I _never_ grade on a curve. Designing tests is not a trivial process. The choice of the number and types of questions/problems must accurately reflect those concepts that the students should have retained from the course. At the same time, one must strive to keep the time required to complete the test within a reasonable range. Estimating how time consuming various problems will be for a student is *NOT* easy when viewed from an instructor's vantage. That is why I always was willing to to use a curve. I am human and do make mistakes. Just ask the people who took the first test I designed :-) However, over time one starts to realize what is and is not reasonable in designing test questions/problems. Once I attained this level of insight, I found that I never had to grade on a curve. The average grade would work out to %75 (a middle C). -- George W. Leach Paradyne Corporation {gatech,rutgers,attmail}!codas!pdn!reggie Mail stop LF-207 Phone: (813) 530-2376 P.O. Box 2826 Largo, FL 34649-2826
tlh@cs.purdue.EDU (Thomas L. Hausmann) (03/15/88)
I always thought a curve was the intersection of surfaces.., But seriously, when someone gives a satisfactory definition of just what they mean by a curve, then we can *really* know what it is to grade on a curve. -Tom
jra1_c47@ur-tut.UUCP (Jem Radlow) (03/15/88)
In article <706@l.cc.purdue.edu> cik@l.cc.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin) writes: >In article <Mar.10.00.57.36.1988.22898@topaz.rutgers.edu>, mlevine@topaz.rutgers.edu (Mike Levine) writes: >I always have 45% a C, especially in service courses... 45%?? a 'C'?!? Hey, how'd you like to come over here and teach our Real Analysis course? No Experience Necessary. Just Give Us Those A's. -- Jem Radlow Damn cockroaches.
jfc@athena.mit.edu (John F Carr) (03/16/88)
In article <3530@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> tlh@cs.purdue.EDU (Thomas L. Hausmann) writes: >But seriously, when someone gives a satisfactory definition of just >what they mean by a curve, then we can *really* know what it is to >grade on a curve. The universal definition of a curve by students is, "a method of grading which gives me a grade higher than I deserve or would have otherwise been able to get (as long as we keep Joe Nerd from messing up the curve by getting too good a grade)." John Carr "No one wants to make a terrible choice jfc@Athena.MIT.EDU On the price of being free"
gll2139@ritcv.UUCP (Gerard L. Lanois) (03/17/88)
In article <3766@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> jfc@athena.mit.edu (John F Carr) writes: >In article <3530@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> tlh@cs.purdue.EDU (Thomas L. Hausmann) writes: > >>But seriously, when someone gives a satisfactory definition of just >>what they mean by a curve, then we can *really* know what it is to >>grade on a curve. > >The universal definition of a curve by students is, "a method of grading >which gives me a grade higher than I deserve or would have otherwise >been able to get (as long as we keep Joe Nerd from messing up the curve >by getting too good a grade)." And as long as we talk Joe Dunce out of dropping the class, so that he holds up the _low_ end of the curve. Very effective. Not that I've ever done this before (Ahem). ============================================================ = Gerard L. Lanois - Rochester INSTITUTION of Technology = = ...!rutgers!rochester!ritcv!gll2139 = = gll2139@ritvax.BITNET PO Box 20246, Rochester, NY = = gll2139@ritcv.UUCP 14602 = ============================================================
pjh@mccc.UUCP (Peter J. Holsberg) (03/18/88)
|In article <3766@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> jfc@athena.mit.edu (John F Carr) writes: |>In article <3530@medusa.cs.purdue.edu> tlh@cs.purdue.EDU (Thomas L. Hausmann) writes: |> |>>But seriously, when someone gives a satisfactory definition of just |>>what they mean by a curve, then we can *really* know what it is to |>>grade on a curve. |> Here's my $0.02 worth. When a test has been graded, I plot the results on a piece of graph paper. For an "average" class & test, the median group of grades is a C. Then I look for clusters of grades that can be designated A, A/B, B, B/C, C, C/D, D, and F. However if the median is too high, I go with straight percentages. Sure would be nice if I knew how to write a test with some statistical validity. I'm awed by folks who have so much trust in their ability to do so, that they can say that 89 is a B and 90 is an A. I'm sure that the noise level in my tests is around 3-6 points! -- Peter Holsberg UUCP: {rutgers!}princeton!mccc!pjh Technology Division CompuServe: 70240,334 Mercer College GEnie: PJHOLSBERG Trenton, NJ 08690 Voice: 1-609-586-4800