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Re: Use of exams.



On Thu, 5 Dec 1996, Richard W. Tarara wrote:

Does anyone else see this as excessive pandering to students--regardless of
the test outcomes?

From: Jim Diamond <jimd@calvin.linfield.edu>
all of my students about this option, and about 1/3 of our general
~~~~~~~~~~~
chemistry class elects to do this.

Rick,

You shouldn't have hit the flame button so fast. I certainly don't see
this as pandering, since I'm the instructor. We're not a large
institution, and we don't have major logistic problems dealing with
relatively small numbers of students in a flexible manner. I should have
been clearer in my language: about 1/3 of the class elects to take a test
under different circumstances over the course of the semester; on any on
test it has ranged from about 1/10 to 1/8 of the class. I should add that
this group of students includes athletes doing makeup exams (about 40% of
our students are in some sports), and students who have been sick. I want
to repeat my central point, however. Circumstances don't change exam
grades significantly.

Best Wishes,
Jim Diamond, chairman Chemistry Department Linfield College
jimd@calvin.linfield.edu McMinnville OR 97128 (503)-434-2471