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Grading and Grade Inflation at Georgia Tech

Grading and Grade Inflation at Georgia Tech. Preliminary Report to the Academic Senate April 22, 2003. Grade Inflation Defined. The upward shift in the grade point average (GPA) of students over an extended period of time without a corresponding increase in student achievement.

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Grading and Grade Inflation at Georgia Tech

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  1. Grading and Grade Inflation at Georgia Tech Preliminary Report to the Academic Senate April 22, 2003

  2. Grade Inflation Defined The upward shift in the grade point average (GPA) of students over an extended period of time without a corresponding increase in student achievement. Goldman, L. 1985. “The Betrayal of the Gatekeepers: Grade Inflation.” Journal of General Education 37 (2): 97-121

  3. Methodology • Extensive study of literature • Survey of peers and other institutions of higher education • Statistical analysis of Georgia Tech data • Focus on undergraduate level only • Historic perspective • In-depth study of last 10 years by department

  4. CalTech Carnegie-Mellon Cornell Johns Hopkins MIT Northwestern Stanford NC State Penn State Purdue Georgia Tech’s Peer Institutions • Texas A & M • UC-Berkeley • UCLA • Florida • Illinois-Urbana • Michigan • Minnesota • Texas • Washington • Virginia Tech

  5. Other Institutions Reviewed • University of Arizona • University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill • Harvard University • Louisiana State University • Hood College

  6. Peer Review • Surveyed 10 peers for recent grade inflation studies at their own institutions • Compiled grading definitions, including the use of plus/minus systems, at all 20 peers • Review of grade inflation studies at other institutions, most notably UNC-Chapel Hill and Harvard

  7. Of the 10 Peers Surveyed… • Five had conducted studies on grading and grade inflation • These five “studies” ranged from the effects of a plus/minus grading system to charts showing SAT score plotted against GPA • Interesting responses from Berkeley and MIT regarding need to do such studies

  8. Grade Definitions at Peers • Most use 4.0 scale • Standard: A = Excellent, B=Good, C=Satisfactory, D=Poor/Passing, F=Failure • CalTech and MIT use Pass/Fail in freshman year • 14 peers use some form of plus/minus grading system

  9. Cause for Alarm? • At Princeton, the median GPA for the class of 1973 was 3.09; in 2000 it was 3.36 • At Dartmouth, the average GPA has risen from 2.70 to 3.33 from 1967 to 2001 • At Harvard, over the last three years, more than 50% of the grades awarded have been A’s • At Georgia Tech, the average overall GPA in Fall 1985 was 2.59; last Fall, it was 2.86

  10. Georgia Tech GPA

  11. GT vs. Other Institutions

  12. Harvard’s Solution: Policy Change • 15-point grading scale became the more common 4-point scale • Honor degrees will be awarded to a limited percentage of each graduating class (20% summa cum laude and magna cum laude combined and 50% overall)

  13. Where Does Georgia Tech Stand: Student Expectations

  14. Input Dynamics: High School GPA and Admissions Index

  15. Incoming Student Performance

  16. Impact of Instructor Tenure Status

  17. ALL UG COURSES

  18. External HSGPA SAT Admission Index Proportion of Women Internal: Variations by Dept. Presence of Grade Deflation in Some Units Impact of Instructors’ Tenure Status Sources of Grade Inflation

  19. Implications REPUTATION OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

  20. Mitigation • Adoption of more clear and specific grade definitions • Adoption of a plus/minus grading system • Establishment of a University/Institute average GPA • Expanded transcript data • Changes to student honors • Broad dissemination of grading definitions and policies • Training for teaching assistants, adjunct faculty, and tenure-track faculty • Self-calibration of grade distributions • External calibration of grade distributions • External enforcement of grade distributions • Standardized testing • Changes to student course evaluations

  21. Report Outline • Scope and Definitions • Grading at Georgia Tech • Opinions • Analysis of Peer Institutions • Discussion • Sources • Implications • Remedies • Conclusions and Bibliography

  22. Conclusions? • Statistically, there is grade inflation • Peer comparison does not indicate cause for alarm • Quality of incoming students is increasing • Lower level courses: quality of student experience • Impact of tenure status of the instructors • Non-uniform departmental distribution

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