ABSTRACT
Grading policies deserve attention because grades are important to students. The weights given to various course requirements should reflect course goals and the difficulty level and effort required by the requirements. Weights frequently are indicated by the points assigned to each requirement, with course grades based on point totals. Curve grading is a matter of applying intuitively derived cut-points to a distribution of scores. Although easy to use, curve grading makes grade progress difficult to assess and places students in competition for grades, thus discouraging cooperative learning. The assumptions underlying curve grading in a course are questionable. Criterion-based grading requires instructors to announce grade criteria in advance and then assess performance in accordance with the stated plan. Criteria can be set with varying degrees of formality but should reflect the instructor's beliefs about the performance levels appropriate for different grades. Extra-credit opportunities are at the instructor's discretion, if allowed, they must be equally available to all students.
