Tests: Grading blindly versus grading for refinement

Post Reply New Topic

In formal education generally, does the system of grading to a percentage of right answers versus wrong answers encourage the notion that one knows a subject if they get a passing grade? Having an allowance for a percentage of incorrect answers totally ignores whether the students have a conceptual understanding of the subjects attempted or not. I think the emphasis in testing ought not to be about getting a percentage of random questions answered in a timely fashion, but instead the emphasis ought to be about which answers are incorrect, how they are incorrect, and using that data for refinement of study pertaining to missing knowledge and concepts.

Some professors do just that. It depends on the nature of the course. For example, lower-level biology courses are mostly just memorization and regurgitation of some amount of trivia in a multiple-choice format. Mid-level history courses require a large number of essays and other writing assignments that emphasize understanding of the material much more than knowledge of dry facts. Math courses where you are required to show your work in completing a calculation or to present a valid proof of a given proposition give the professor more than enough basis to judge whether you know what you're doing or not, and they grade accordingly.

The higher up you go in education, the less focus there is on percentage points and letter grades. The really fun and interesting classes are the ones where no one gives a damn about what grades are being assigned because they are too engrossed in the material itself, and the prof just gives everyone a decent grade at the end because the university has to put something on our transcripts.

I pretty much agree with Orwell.

In my experience only low level science classes rely on trivial pursuit style exams.

Most of my worthwhile classes (sociology, anthropology, philosophy/ethics, history, literature) require demonstrating mastery of core concepts via extensive writing assignments and have exams that feature cause/effect short answer and essay questions.

Also, many of my instructors require students to correct answers they "got wrong" for fractional credit. This gives the students a second chance to learn the material rather than simply punishing them for failing to grasp it the first time.