PHILOSOPHY

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OF GRADING

Prepared by: Michelle Gravito

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 A grade represents the extent to which the

intended learning outcomes have been achieved
 Grading and scoring are not the same.
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 Scoring (using a rubric) involves assigning an objective
description to a student’s performance
 Grading involves a value judgment; the same score can be
assigned different grades based on a number of factors
 Two different teachers might assign different grades to the
same scores in different classrooms
 One teacher might assign a score one grade at the beginning
of a term when the students are just learning, and a lower
grade at the end of the term when students are expected to
know much more.
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Definition of Grading
 Grades in the realm of education are standardized
measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a
subject area.
 Grades can be assigned in letters (for example, A, B, C, D,
or E, or F), as a range (for example 4.0–1.0), as a number
out of a possible total (for example out of 20 or 100), as
descriptors (excellent, great satisfactory, needs
improvement), in percentages, or, as is common in some
post-secondary institutions in some countries, as a Grade
Point Average (GPA).
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Types of Grading
 1.Absolute
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-Criterion-/task-referencing
 based on a defined
set of standards when evaluating a student’s
performance
 Advantages Disadvantages

No reference to the performance Performance standards are

of others difficult to specify and justify, as
they may vary unintentionally due
to variations in test difficulty,
student ability, and instructional
effectiveness

All students can obtain high May be subject to rater’s

grades subjectivity
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2.Relative

- Norm-/group-referencing: based on how a

student’s performance compared to others
in a group/class
 Advantages Disadvantages

Easy to interpret as it describes a Provides inconsistent

rank in a group interpretation as the meaning of a
grade varies with the ability of the
student group

Can discriminate among levels of Can be assigned without using a

student performance clear reference to specific student
performance
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3. Self-referencing

 Growth-/change-based: based on the teacher’s/rater’s

perspectives of improvement, growth, or change that a
particular student has performed in comparison with
his/her prior learning.
 Advantages Disadvantages

Reduces competition among May allow a student not to achieve

student as it may induce motivation the learning targets
in learning

Increases teacher’s autonomy in Relies on teacher’s judgment

assessment
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Philosophy of Grading
Gronlund (1998), a widely respected educational assessment
specialist, gave the following advice:

Grades should represent the extent to which the

intended learning outcomes were achieved by students.
They should not be contaminated by student effort,
tardiness, misbehaviour, and other extraneous factors.... if
they are permitted to become part of the grade, the
meaning of the grade as an indicator of achievement is lost.
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Some Principles and Guidelines

for Grading
and Evaluation
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Principles
 Grading is not necessarily based on a universally accepted
scale.

 Grading is sometimes subjective and context-dependant.

 Grades may not “mean” the same thing to all people.

 Alternatives to letter or numerical grades are highly

desirable as additional indicators of achievement.
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Guidelines
1.Develop an informed, comprehensive personal philosophy
of grading that is consistent with your philosophy of
teaching and evaluation.

2.Design tests that conform to appropriate institutional and

cultural expectations of the difficulty that students should
experience.
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3.Select appropriate criteria for grading and their relative

weighting in calculating grades.

4.Communicate criteria for grading to students at the

beginning of the course and at subsequent grading periods
(mid-term, final)

5.Triangulate formal graded evaluations with alternatives

that are more formative and that give more wash back.