Re: Concerned About Grades (longish-er)

[Robert A Cohen <bbq@ESU.EDU>]

I told the student that I used a C to indicate basic competency in the
course objectives*.  When the student replied that a C should represent a
level of understanding similar to the average person on the street, I
replied that I thought using C as "average" meant average relative to
others in the course.  Not surprisingly, my interpretation was met with
disbelief especially since this particular student was a graduate
student** and as such had enough experience in courses to be aware of the
norm.  A beginning student might be more easily convinced.

*Yes, I now know that most people think an A represents basic competency
in 100% of the course objectives, a B represents basic competency in 90%
of the course objectives, etc.  No wonder no one has meet minimal
competency standards - all that is required is 60%.  Oops - I didn't mean
to step on this soapbox but it was in my way...

**Although the student was a graduate student, the course was *not* a
graduate course.  It was an intro-level undergraduate course.

On Fri, 6 Oct 2000, Joel Rauber wrote:

> I've heard that one as well.  What was your response?
>
> I suppose that student would feel that the most likely legitimate grade
> distribution would've been a class GPA of 4.00
> > I once had one student argue that a C meant a level of understanding
> > similar to the *average* person on the street (i.e., someone
> > who hadn't
> > taken the course).

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| Robert Cohen               Department of Physics       |
|                            East Stroudsburg University |
| bbq@esu.edu                East Stroudsburg, PA  18301 |
| http://www.esu.edu/~bbq/   (570) 422-3428              |
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