Re: [Phys-L] ungrading

[bernard cleyet <bernard@cleyet.org>]

I can’t believe this passed me.  I was the advanced lab mgr. at an institution that had narrative grading, only.  Finally, when the number of students became unwieldy, by an ~ 2:1 margin grades (0=>4.0) were instituted.  

My excuse:  age.    

https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/UC-Santa-Cruz-To-Start-Using-Letter-Grades-2773570.php <https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/UC-Santa-Cruz-To-Start-Using-Letter-Grades-2773570.php>  

> On 2022/Apr/01, at 23:55, John Denker via Phys-l <phys-l@mail.phys-l.org> wrote:
>
> On 3/31/22 12:50 PM, Todd Pedlar wrote:
>
> > works a lot better in the humanities than I can ever imagine it
> > working in any scientific field...
>
> It works better than you might imagine.
>
> At Caltech:
>  a) Every course for the student's first two terms is
>    automatically pass/fail.
>  b) For each term thereafter, the student can pick two
>    elective courses and have them graded pass/fail. This
>    applies only to electives, i.e. courses that aren't
>    specifically required for the major.
>  c) Some other courses, including some of the most advanced
>    courses, are designated pass/fail by the instructor.
much cut
> [I am replying to a message that came to me via two different
> listservs. I'm not sure what is the proper etiquette in this
> situation. For now, I'm not gonna lose sleep over it.]
> ____________________________________________

Unusual for me to  post on PHYSLRNR.  I thought rather appropriate though.  

bc   ….    born the day before Guernica was bombed, which led to the Fascist victory.   


BTW:   When I attended UCSB  (BA and MA), I don’t remember there being pass/fail.  Also I don’t see the point of grad. student grades.  
I was immediately admitted to Keele only on the recommendation of the  two faculty members for whom I'd done research.  When I arrived, I discovered they used a text written by one of them!