History of Grading Systems Letter grades were first used in the United States in the last part of the

19th century. Both colleges and high schools began replacing other forms of assessment with letter and percentage grades in the early 20th century. While grading systems appear to be fairly standardized in the U.S., debates about grade inflation and the utility of grades for fostering student learning continue. Before Grades Universities have always evaluated students, but the modern grading system did not always exist. In fact, in the 18th century, there was no standardized means of evaluating students, and certainly no means by which student performance at one institution could be easily compared with student performance somewhere else. One of the first instances of an attempt to evaluate students systematically appeared in the diary of Ezra Stiles, who was president of Yale University in the 18th century. In 1785, he divided students who were present for an examination into four ranks or grades: optimi, second optimi, inferiores and pejores--Latin terms indicating relative quality, best, worse and worst. The First Grades It was also at Yale University that a system resembling our current grading system was first used. In the first quarter of the 19th century, Yale kept student information in what it called a Book of Averages; this book also sometimes discussed rules and procedures for setting down exam results. The book mentioned the practice of recording an average of each student's marks--a procedure still used in figuring course grades--and also mentioned marking on a 4-point scale. While there is no mention this early of the letter grades we know today, the 4-point scale is probably the precursor of today's grade point average. Numerical scales also were used elsewhere, but they varied by institution. College of William & Mary used a 4-point scale, with 1 as the best and 4 as the worst. Harvard College used both a 20-point and a 100point scale. Yale apparently experimented briefly with a 9-point scale before returning to the 4-point scale. Letter Grades In the last half of the 19th century, colleges continued to experiment with various scales for evaluating students and also for grouping and classifying them. Some systems functioned by evaluating students individually. For example, the University of Michigan's marking system in 1895 provided students with one of five marks on exams: passed, incomplete, not passed, conditional or absent. Other systems were attempts to rank or order the entire student body, or all students in a class, by placing them into categories, divisions or percentages, such as Harvard's 1877

system that placed students in one of six "divisions" using a grading scale of 100-Division I was students earning 90 to 100 on the evaluation scale. These systems might not have averaged student performance to create comparative ranks, what we call grading on a curve. It was in 1897 at Mount Holyoke College that letter grades tied to a numerical or percentage scale were first used. The college awarded students in percentages 95 to 100 an A, 85 to 94 a B, 76 to 84 a C, 75 a D--the lowest passing grade--and anything below 75 an E, which indicated a failing grade. Our modern F grade was not used, but this system was Alternative Grading System: Using a Pass/Fail Final

An alternative grading system using a pass/fail final holds benefits for students and teachers. Whats a Pass/Fail Final? An alternative grading system that has caught on in many school districs is the administration of pass/fail final exams. In fact, proficiency exams, administered in most states, uses a pass/fail alternative grading system to determine whether or not a student graduates. A Pass/fail final is just as it sounds. It is an assessment in which students either pass or fail, and they are awarded either a P for a passing score or a F for a failing score. The Benefits for Students With final averages on the line, students come into exams with a lot of frustration and test anxiety. Many students know that they have to do well to improve their averages or just to maintain their averages. Using this type of assessment, students feel less frustration and know that their exam has little, if any, bearing on their grade as long as their work is satisfactory.

Students typically have to demonstrate knowledge of the skills that were taught during the semester, so it is a fairly comprehensive assessment. As students have studied the concepts over the course of nine or eighteen weeks, they have confidence in their abilities, and since grades are not really a factor, they bring a level of confidence into the testing situation. The exam is pretty laid back as students have little to worry about and do not have to stress out over a 100 question true/false test, etc. Example

Besides easing the anxiety that students feel, teachers find that they have more time on their hands as grading this type of assessment goes fairly quickly. Teachers tend to set up a rubric and grade according to that rubric. Students are given the assignment to write an expository essay in which they must explain how to peel an orange. As long as students make an attempt, tell how to peel an orange, and use correct punctuation, there is no reason why the student should not do well. My rubric states that if students make more than three major punctuation errors, then they receive a failing grade. I give students the highest possible failing grade, which is a 64/F. Pros & Cons of a Pass/Fail Grading System Competition to get into college and graduate schools has never been tougher. High school students know that grades can keep them out of a good college. College students need top grades to get into medical school or law school. Should all that attention be focused on grade point average, or should grades be pass or fail? Pros According to Virtual Mentor, a publication of the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics, a pass/fail grading system has several advantages. First, students don't have to worry about their grades, because most students will pass. Students can concentrate on learning. Next, eliminating letter grades eliminates competition among students for grades. Finally, for graduate students, letter grades may be more of a reflection of the quality of a student's undergraduate or high school education than a reflection of the student's effort, ability and potential. Some schools are better than others at preparing students to succeed on the next level. Cons On the other hand, a pass/fail grading system also has its disadvantages. Students who exert extraordinary effort and achieve extraordinary results get the same grade as someone who barely scraped by, so what will motivate those students to do their best? Another concern with the pass/fail system is that it may not serve students who are struggling at the low end of the pass range. In a traditional grading system, those students may be identified and offered help.

The Advantages of a Pass/Fail Grading System

A pass/fail grading system is one in which the student receives either a passing grade or a failing grade rather than a more accurate ranking of success. Any student that does work above a failing level--defined by either the school or the instructor--will pass the class. This type of grading system has been shown to have several advantages. Less Stress Students in a traditional grading system often feel stress to do exceptionally well on tests, papers and other assignments. When they receive only a pass or fail grade, they do not have to worry about a grade point average, which causes less perceived stress, according to a study by the Mayo Clinic. Improved Mood Less stress means that students under a pass/fail system have an improved mood. However, the study shows that this is only a slight difference from students under traditional grading systems. Group Cohesion Under a pass/fail system, students do not see other students as competition. Competition among students--especially in cases where students are graded on a curve based on other students' performance--makes students less likely to work together. In a pass/fail system, students can freely work with other students. More Academic Risks Some students will avoid classes that they may not excel in because they are afraid that a bad grade will negatively affect their grade point average. Under a pass/fail system, students feel safer trying new things and may be more willing to take academic risks. Fairness While some subjects, such as math and science, have objective grading systems, others are more subjective. There is no standard way to judge an art project or an English paper, for example. Under a pass/fail system students know that if they complete the work in a satisfactory manner, they can pass the class. The Disadvantages of School Without Grades

Many students may complain about grades, but despite different experiments in alternative and non-traditional schools, one thing is always necessary for ensuring progress in school: A reliable and standardized grading system. Most agree that grades should be a required part of any successful education system, and many factors demonstrate the disadvantages of not implementing grades in school. Inability to Track your Progress Grades usually reflect how you are faring in your studies. Low grades may discourage you, yet at the same time they can propel you to put more effort in studies. Higher grades give satisfaction and are a good sign that you are progressing well and should keep it up that way. Without grades, you would have little idea about the ups and downs in your studies and would have no standardized way of gauging your results compared to others. No Recognized and Objective Achievements If you receive a good grade, you may want to brag about it. The good grade is an objective reward for hard work because it directly reflects the efforts that you have put in your studies. Your parents or relatives can check your report cards and statements to ensure that you are making the best out of your education. Without grades, you would have nothing to show when it comes to your progress and successful endeavors, and nobody would find out about your failings. Lack of Motivation and Competitiveness Since grades show your progress and good grades are something you can be proud of, they also increase your motivation and competitiveness. Good grades are reinforced positively by your surroundings and make you work hard for them because of their esteemed value and importance. In addition, you will benefit from a little healthy competition with your friends and siblings to see who gets the highest grades. Yet take away the incentives of grades, and you will lack the motivation, competitiveness and even desire to excel. Measures for Success and Evaluation Whether it is at school, college or work, you will have to face evaluation. It is a necessary part of the process of separating the "wheat from the chaff," whether you are applying for university admission or companies. By being evaluated in the school setting, you can learn to enhance your performance skills and prepare to provide successful results in your future professional life.