AN OBJECTIVE METHOD OF EVALUATING STUDENT GRADES STEPHEN P. MARION Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York
M w m o m for the proper evaluation of students' grades have always received serbus consideration, In chemistry this problem is a difficult one because so many diverse phases of a student's activities must be homogenized into a single mark. An example of a common dificulty from the student viewpoint is to compare a grade of eight received on a recitation quiz with the same grade received on a laboratory report. Are these reallv eauivalent in a final determination of the term grade? As an aid in the objective evaluation of chemistry grades the author has found the following score sheets particularly suitable. The principal feature of this device is that every phase of the student's activities is A
Brooklyn College Department of Chemistry GENERAL CHEMISTRY SCORE SHEET Name:-
Secoitn:
marked on an absolute rather than on a relative basis. For example, a t Brooklyn College the grade is determined by the following: recitation, 40 per cent; laboratory work, 30 per cent; mid-term examination, 10 per cent; and the final examination, 20 per cent. To facilitate the proper awarding of credit for each part, the student is given a copy of the general chemistry score sheet on which he keeps a progressive record of his scholastic rating. As can be seen from this sheet, on an absolute basis a weekly quiz is worth three credits, a laboratory report two credits, while the midterm is worth ten credits and the final examination twenty credits. To avoid the criticism that this method of marking is too mechanical and does not provide for any instructor's estimate of a student's abilities, provision is made for ten credits for oral responses andfive credits for
Brooklyn College Department of Chemistry RECITATION: Ten weekly quizzes excluding the mid-term, QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS SCORE SHEET 6nsl examination, or laboratory quiz will he given. Each quiz will be marked on the basis that a perfect paper is worth 3 creditb. Name: SectionQuiz 2Quiz 3Quiz L Quiz 5 Quiz 1LABORATORY PORTION: In order to pass the course it is Quiz 6Quiz 7Quia 8Quiz 0Quiz 10necessary to earn at least 24 of a possible 40 credits in this portion .. I.AROll4TOKY: T.nhorarory rcporrs are Jue one wrek after of the work. prrfmnxnce of the exp~rirnmr. The highcrr po~iitlegrade on (a) Group 1 unknbwn. A perfect unany report is 2. known receives 3 you g o t (b) Group 2 unknown. A perfect unReport 1Report L Report 3Report L known receives 7 you g o t Report 5Report 6 _ Report 7Report 8( 0 ) Group 3 unknown. A perfect unReport 0Report 10Report 11Report 12known receives , 7 you g o t Only the ten highest reports will be coqted. Thus an ab(d) Group 4-5. A perfeot unknown re- sence from the laboratory on one or two occasions will incur no ceives 4 you g o t C severe penalty. (e) General unknown. A perfect unknown receives 10 you g o t SUMMARY: Weekly quizzes. Tots1 for (0 Simple substances. 3 unknowns a t 3 the term 30 You goteach 9 you gotLaboratory Reports. Ten .Vole: In gcncral Myo iis dedurtwl from the unknown mark for at 2 each 20 You g o t earh metal incorrcctly inserted or omitted. Mid-term examination worth 10 Y o u g o t THEORETICAL PORTION: This portion, totalling 60 credits Laboratory quiz. Total value 5 Y o u g o t from which it is necessary to earn a t least 38 credits to paas, in divided thus: Laboratory technique. Total ~ossible 5 You n o t (g) First examination. Perfect score is 10 you g o t Instruct&'s evaluation (h) Second examination. Perfect score is 15 you g o t 10 You g o t from oral responses ~ (i) Third examination. Perfect score is 15 you gotFinal Examination 20 Estimated(j) Final examination. Perfect Bcore is 20 you g o t (~timated) Grand T o t L GRADE: Add the partials ss shown in the summary column. You can then estimate your grade on the following scale adopted By college regulation your grade is governed by the per cent you by the college: earn accordii to the following schedule: 9 0 t o 100 A 90 to 100yo A 80to 90 B 80 to 90% B 70 to 80 C 70 to SOY0 C 60 to 70 D 60 to 70% D below 60 is failing below 60% is failing
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MAY. 1947
lahoratory technique. It is not intended that these score sheets he adopted as presented for all courses or all instructors. The actual credits for the various activities can he varied to suit individual needs. In the analytical lahoratory this device finds use. Razely are the unknowns given to the student of the same degree of difficulty, so that a final laboratory grade obtained by averaging the various .unknown marks is somewhat unbalanced. By this method each unknown is given credit value directly dependent upon the time involved and the degree of chemical difficulty. The find laboratory grade is obtained by adding the values together.
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There are other advantages to the use of score sheets. The student has a tangible record of what he has been doing. He realizes that laboratory work does not consist entirely of writing laboratory reports, and he appreciates the relative values of the components of the course and so can efficiently distribute his energies. From the instructor's viewpoint it is an advantage for him to get a correct student grade by merely totalling the partials given during the term. It is not necessary to average each phase of the work and then average the diverse groups for a final mark. Both students and instructors have a clearer understanding on how the final mark will he determined.
