An English composition teacher compares instructions in a tap-dancing class to learning the basic skills of writing. (PBS)

A defense is presented for allowing all students a reasonable chance to make an "A," based on the belief that competition often works to the detriment of many students. (DS)

More than 700 five-minute timed writings were administered to over 350 postsecondary keyboarding students to determine the gross words a minute achieved and errors not corrected. The data were used to establish grading standards for speed and accuracy. (JOW)

Presents an English teacher's irreverent look at grades and grading. Argues that learning must somehow be linked to a product, which must be measured or graded to gauge the worth of the product according to the merit it deserves. (RS)

Just as students are being held accountable with standardized testing, schools in many states are being judged by scores on these tests. This article discusses evaluation variables and factors that influence how well children perform on tests, explains school assessment, then focuses on Indiana, where there has been public argument about the…

Shows how to assure fairness in grading essay exams by having students place a code number instead of their names on their essays. Notes that student reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Argues that the approach can be used in a wide variety of educational circumstances. (RS)

Examines the application of the spreadsheet program Lotus 1-2-3 to design a computerized gradebook that saves time in assessing students' strengths and weaknesses in a proficiency-oriented foreign language classroom. Sample entries are shown in text and Appendices. (Author/LMO)

Examines current grading practices of business communication instructors in four-year colleges and universities. (MM)

Identifies counterproductive grading policies and practices, such as varying grading scales; worshipping averages; using zeros indiscriminantly; following the assign, test, grade, and teach pattern; failing to match testing to teaching; ambushing students; grading first efforts; establishing inconsistent criteria; and failing to recognize…

Argues, from the point of view of an undergraduate engineering student, that making the pass/fail grading system mandatory for college freshman composition students will help them achieve the goal of learning to write. (SR)

Discusses the professionally based "performance review" used to assess students' journalistic potential and ability in the Capital News Service program at Michigan State School of Journalism. Includes the performance review itself, which evaluates accuracy, communication skills, reporting, and writing. (SR)

Presents a literature review on the effect of pass/fail grading for clinical courses on students' motivation and learning and discusses a survey of all National League for Nursing accredited graduate programs on its effect on a baccalaureate student's subsequent admission to graduate school. (JOW)

Discusses some of the problems of current grading practices and offers suggestions for change, including a few suggestions for dealing with the grading dilemma in literature-based reading programs. (MG)

Discusses grading the high school newspaper production class. Focuses, in this first of two articles, on a system of assigning points for the many tasks that merely need completion (rather than quality effort). Includes a grade form to keep track of such tasks and a statement about overall grading practices for students and their parents. (SR)