A number of studies have documented a trend of higher grades awarded by postsecondary institutions in both the United States and Canada over the last two decades. Grade inflation in higher education is a potentially costly problem for a variety of reasons, but little empirical research about the causes of grade inflation has been conducted. This…

There is great interest in understanding the potential of teacher incentives to improve student achievement. In fact, teacher incentives, either individual or collective, may improve student achievement if they succeed in aligning the public or social goals with the goals of the teacher. However, an approach in which reward is based on outputs can…

In the light of the uncertainty surrounding the new National Senior Certificate that was written in South African schools for the first time in 2008, this article aims to examine the new Grade 12 National Senior Certificate results quantitatively in the context of the Grade 11 application score for entry into higher education and the Grade 12…

A study of whether true grade inflation existed at a college, the scope of the problem if it existed, and what corrective steps, if any, ought to be taken was limited to the years 1979-1986. Data suggest that true grade inflation probably exists or cannot be ruled out. (MLW)

A survey of undergraduate grade point averages from 1960 to 1974 at 50 institutions indicates a steady increase during that period. If the current concern about grade inflation is sustained, more institutions will probably explore methods to extend the distinctions that record the scholastic achievement of undergraduates. (LBH)

Grade inflation is defined and the interplay between grading and evaluation are discussed. A solution to the problem of grade inflation is proposed: persuade the faculty members at a number of leading institutions to regard C+/B- as the appropriate median grade. (MLW)

McMaster University students' high school and freshman grades were compared in an examination of the possible effects of grade inflation, variability of grades between secondary schools, and appropriateness of some courses for university admission. With some qualification, high school grades remain generally reliable predictors of university…

Ten departments with high grade inflation rates during a seven-year period were compared with 10 departments within the same university displaying lower grade inflation rates. Higher grade inflation rates were related to perceived increases in the demands placed upon the academicians' role. (Author/MLW)

The purpose of this article is to deal with the following issues as they relate to educational grading policy: (1) to examine the use and misuse of grades in education; (2) to explore the use of performance based grading versus traditional grading and compare institutions using traditional grading versus those using performance based or…

The possible existence of grade inflation at the Indiana University at South Bend was examined in this research study, along with possible differences in grades received between the divisions of Education and Arts and Sciences. Questions raised by the Division of Education Ad Hoc Committee on Standards at IUSB prompted the study. The sample…

In spite of widespread concerns about low academic achievement nationally, parents generally have expressed satisfaction with their own children's achievement and schools, largely because their children's grades suggest that they are doing well. This report examines what student grades tell about achievement through the use of data from the…