Exam Preparation and Grades:
A System for Addressing Questions, Challenges and
Problems
Presented
at HAPS Calgary meeting - June 2004
This is an outline
Go to a
complete discussion
My situation at Salisbury University, Maryland
Four-year liberal arts undergraduate institution
~ 6,800
(A few
master's degree programs - not in sciences)
Courses I
teach
** BIOL215 =
A&P I (BIOL216 = A&P II)
Lecture and Laboratory
Enrollments (96/lecture section, 24/lab section)
Student types
** Nursing
** Physical Education
** Athletic training
** Biology (pre-professional)
Respiratory Therapy
Medical Technology
UMES students
Biology of
Human Aging (General Education)
Pathophysiology (Nursing)
Vertebrate
Embryology (Biology)
Others -
sporadically
Familiar faculty self-questions ?
"How do I make different but
equivalent exams for all my sections?"
"What level of achievement earns
a grade of A, of B, etc.?"
"What can I do about poor
questions I asked?"
"What about make-up exams?"
Familiar student questions ?
"Do you grade on a curve?"
"What is my average?"
"Can I still get a B?"
"What must I get to pass?"
"What do I need on the final to get an A?"
My system for questions, challenges and problems with exams.
Adaptability
Flexibility
Clarity of results
Works for anything graded
(e.g., exams, reports,
presentations)
Go to a
complete discussion
Creating and grading exams -
First exam
Go to a
complete discussion
1. Make up the first exam
a. Write all possible
questions or use a test bank.
b. Assign appropriate point
values for each question.
(use whole numbers and multiple points)
c. Decide whether to reveal
point values on exam.
d. Establish time limit for
test (e.g., 50 minutes).
e. Estimate time students would
actually need.
f. Add or delete questions or
points to adjust exam value and length.
2. Give the exam, noting any peculiarities
3. Grade the first exam.
a. Give points earned.
b. Adjust possible points or
expected answers.
c. Regrade questions where the
possible points or the expected answers have been adjusted.
4. Add points earned; record in grade book.
5. Determine total possible points on exam.
6. Make bar graph showing grades in ranges.
7. Determine minimum points for letter grades.
8. Create grade conversion table.
9. Show students bar graph and conversion table.
Explain
meaning before returning papers.
Second
exam
Go to a
complete discussion
1. Make up the second exam.
2. Give the exam, noting any peculiarities
3. Grade the second exam
4. Use the same steps as for the first exam.
5. Create a grade conversion table.
6. Show students the bar graph and conversion table.
Explain meaning before returning papers.
Third exam, etc.
1. Make up and give the third and subsequent exams.
2. Grade the third and subsequent exams. Update grade
conversion table.
Creating
and grading make-up exams
1. Create and give a make-up exam
» Use the same steps as for the second exam.
» Determine the maximum possible points on the
make-up exam
2. Grade a make-up exam
» If make-up exam is considered equivalent to
the original exam
» » Determine percent of the
total points possible the student earned
» » Use percent to calculate
equivalent points on original exam
» If make-up exam is not equivalent to the
original exam
» » Use your judgment to
determine the student’s equivalent points for the original exam.
3. Record equivalent points.
Changing effect or weight of an exam
» Example:
Decrease effect of class-wide poor performance first exam
» Example: Increase effect of exam
because subsequent exams covered less material
Go to a
complete discussion
1. Decide how much adjustment should be
made = "value (4)".
2. Multiply point values grade cut-offs and grade 100 by
value (4).
3. Create revised grade conversion table
4. Multiply students’ points value (4). Record and use new
point values.
5. Calculate student exam averages using the revised
conversion table and revised student points.
Calculating exam average grade –
Go to a
complete discussion
1. Add points earned on exams.
2. Use conversion table.
Predicting what is needed
on future exams to achieve certain
average exams –
Go to a
complete discussion
1. Calculate student’s point total.
2. Estimate final maximum possible points.
3. Estimate number of points needed to achieve desired exam
average
4. Estimate upcoming exam points student must earn to get
total points needed.
Calculating final grades -
1. For each student, add up points
earned.
2. Use grade conversion table to determine numerical
grades and letter grades on standard grade scale.
3. Use average for exams with other graded component
to determine final grade.
Additional strategies using spreadsheets
by Richard Zach
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~rzach/teaching/grades.html
Augustine G.
DiGiovanna
Salisbury University, Maryland
© Copyright 2020: Augustine G. DiGiovanna, Ph.D.,
Salisbury, Maryland
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