High school and college grades are suggested to have the nature of ordinal scales rather than interval scales; hence the median is the appropriate and preferred average, rather than the mean. The use of a median grade point average has some of the major advantages of pass-fail grading. Assuming grades to be ordinal rather than interval data…

The effect on passing scores of providing judges with pass/fail data for the various possible cut-off score levels was studied. Passing scores produced by individual judges using a modified version of the procedure of W. H. Angoff (1971) were compared with the same judges' passing scores as revised after considering information on the number of…

A central problem for the user of domain-referenced tests in instruction is deciding who has passed and who has failed. Two procedures were presented and discussed. The first, employing classical test theory, was found to be more useful for larger domains and where the passing standard is 70 percent or less. The sampling procedure suggested by…

This report of the Undergraduate Committee, Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Dakota, to the University Curriculum Committee recommends the continued use of a system for reporting student progress according to three categories: CR for credit received, CD for credit deferred, and CW for credit withdrawn. After a discussion of…

Procedures for establishing the cutoff scores for the occupational competency exams administered to individuals graduating from Pennsylvania vocational teacher education programs were reviewed. A total of 595 National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Exams administered in 43 occupations or trades at three colleges between the…

This volume is introduced by Sid Simon's discussion of the "Wad-Ja-Get?" syndrome--society's obsession with grades--and where it has led. Simon also explains each author's strong identification with the grading issue, and presents seven major questions that the authors, in the book, attempt to answer. His overview provides a perspective for…

This paper describes a group dynamics course designed to integrate academic and experiential learning. The technique used to accomplish this integration was a two week wilderness experience, followed by a seminar in group dynamics during the normal academic term. Four reasons for the wilderness experience are discussed: (1) shared experience among…