Describes the inadequacies of the present grading system and offers a new model, based upon intrinsic rather than extrinsic evaluation. Attempts to root this intrinsic evaluation system in a standard which is more clearcut than the letter-grade model and therefore less subject to grade inflation. (Editor/RK)

Investigated how different strategies for grading online discussions influenced both the discussions and sense of classroom community in 18 graduate-level courses delivered at a distance. Found that there were significantly more discussions per student per week and higher levels of sense of community in courses where discussions were a graded…

Samples from 17 reflective journals of nursing students were evaluated by 6 faculty. Results indicate a lack of consistency in grading reflective writing, lack of consensus regarding evaluation, and differences among faculty regarding their view of such exercises. (Contains 26 references.) (JOW)

The study analyzed subjective grades, clerkship examination scores, and National Board of Medical Examiners, Part I scores of 537 third year medical students. Findings indicated that students' scores on clerkship examinations improved as the academic year progressed but that clerkship site (community-affiliated hospital or medical center hospital)…

Examines the Working Party on English Literature's report on the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). Concludes that the report attempts both to validate and challenge some basic GCSE assumptions, and that its total rejection of criterion-referencing constitutes a much-needed stand against GCSE grading practices. (MM)

Data from questionnaires completed by 2,202 public school physical education teachers in 6 states was analyzed to determine the extent to which evaluation practices are being utilized in public school physical education programs and to identify the various types of grading procedures most commonly used. (IAH)

Because the new General Educational Development Test emphasizes essay writing, the author presents ideas for teaching and evaluating essays, teaching critical thinking and reasoning skills, and using the concept of teacher-as-learner as an effective role model. (SK)

Offers a comprehensive evaluation/grading scheme that can handle the four domains of discipline-based art education, outlining an approach for each. Addresses both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced goals, and methods for assessment. (LS)

In the educational economics literature, input substitutions have been identified as the major difficulty in assessing school and teacher effectiveness. This paper uses Correa and Gruver's teacher-student interaction model to enhance the econometric specification of students' academic achievement equations by introducing a teacher grading…

Discusses issues surrounding whether classes in newspaper design should include computer instruction. Describes a graduate course in journalism which incorporates computer training. Discusses course structure, the knowledge applied, learning through practice, and grading. (SR)

Some teachers justify group grading for cooperative projects using specious arguments that invoke real-world comparison, employment skills, motivation, teacher workload, and credit for teamwork. This article argues that group grades are blatantly unfair, invalidate report cards, undermine motivation, convey the wrong message, violate individual…

Grading should be used to support learning and encourage student success. Under proposed guidelines, teachers should limit the valued attributes to achievement, sample student performance, grade in pencil, relate grading procedures to intended outcomes, crunch numbers carefully, use absolute grading distribution standards, use quality assessment…

Considers the problems with ranking students' written work and some of the benefits of evaluating. Argues that teachers should do less ranking and more evaluation. Discusses the limits of evaluation. Asks teachers to foster a "liking" for their students' writing. (HB)

Comparative grading persists because society continues to value its selective function--allocation of scarce educational and economic resources to the most educable students. There is an unspoken consensus that grades are necessary to motivate students to learn. Educators should tap middle schoolers' internal and inherent motivators instead.…

Discusses the use of grading forms developed to spell out the responsibilities of the editor in chief, page editors, business manager, and photographers. Provides forms to grade news stories and editorials. (RS)