Describes the individualized, self-paced format for math instruction provided at Pima Community College's Math Center as an alternative to the traditional lecture method. Examines course offerings, as well as registration, attendance, and grading procedures. Discusses staff organization at the center and the problems of using student tutors. (JP)

Admission policies and academic standards are seen as two problem areas. The changes in admission policies and educational standards are examined and their impact upon each other is discussed along with the meaning of standards, adaptive instruction, academic placement and exemption, testing and grading practices, program assessment, etc. (MLW)

A study investigated use of homework assignments in lieu of course examinations in a pharmacy course on over-the-counter drugs. Teachers read homework and commented on it without grading, and students predicted their grades based on the comments; an overall feedback sheet was also provided to students. Students felt this a good alternative to…

This elementary physical education teacher developed a student evaluation system by rewriting the curriculum, producing a series of grade-specific objectives to guide her teaching, matching learning activities, creating rubrics for the objectives which she and the students could use, and generating computerized, personalized grade reports for each…

Discusses a comparative study of regulations for assessment of achievement and grading in German secondary schools. Results reveal schools provide alternatives to traditional grading and take into account interdisciplinary or special learning achievements and social behavior. Summarizes major results. Discusses problems in the basic conception and…

Describes how technical writing teachers, by using a system of peer critiques, self evaluation, and portfolio grading, can use process activities (student literacy autobiographies, interviews with professional writers, and writing peer groups) to extend the range of activities in technical writing courses. (MM)

The process of assigning grades to students is analyzed, and a specific approach to grading is recommended that distinguishes between minimal and developmental objectives. Criterion-referenced and norm-referenced concepts are used in the approach, which is best suited for secondary school or college. (SLD)

A comparison of the French language proficiency of high school students taking the Advanced Placement (AP) Examination for French against college students in their sixth semester of French study found that the college students did slightly less well than the high school students. AP grading standards were more stringent than those used by college…

One college teacher's approach to the problem of student procrastination in research paper writing has been to implement a liberal policy concerning deadlines that includes incentives for early submission of work, such as more extensive feedback and options for rewriting. The policy has had modest success and is appreciated by students for…

College grades do not reflect many of the skills most relevant to jobs, contributing to discontinuity between higher education and the world of work. Ability tests, bio-data, work samples, and job analyses are job selection strategies that make the most explicit use of material associated with a college education. (MSE)

Discusses the use of holistic scoring in the introductory college psychology course. Presents data showing the reliability, validity, and efficiency of the holistic scoring of students' written work by teaching assistants. Argues that holistic scoring is a high quality, low cost approach to scoring written work in large classes. (SG)

This paper assists teachers in developing grading practices that communicate students' achievements to their parents effectively and fairly. A teacher's personal grading philosophy must be considered in developing a personal plan. Procedural steps in establishing a plan are outlined, and the features of several common methods are compared. (SLD)

Uses handwriting samples of 12 undergraduates to explore whether teachers give higher marks to students' work in good handwriting and whether the students' gender may be surmised by their handwriting. Results show grading is not influenced by handwriting quality and finds no effect of gender attribution on grades assigned. (NL)

Proposes that science students keep thinking journals of their reading of their science textbooks as a method of increasing students' critical thinking skills. Discusses strategies to initiate the practice, effective use of time, sample student entries, and the use of class discussions to process the writing. (MDH)

Research in the area of grade adjustment methods from the last 27 years is reviewed in the context of admissions selection and of prediction of student performance in college. Contemporary grade adjustment methods can often produce indexes of academic performance with greater reliability than that found with grade point average. (SLD)