De finition
Ty pe s of
grading
frame w ork
GRADING De fining grade
boundarie s
Guide line for
e ffe ctive & fair
grading
DEFINITION
A grade represents the extent to which the
intended learning outcomes have been achieved
Grading and scoring are not the same
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.
TYPES OF GRADING (1)
1. Absolute
Criterion-/task-referencing based on a defined set of
standards when evaluating a student’s performance
Advantages Disadvantages
No reference to the Performance standards are difficult to specify and
performance of others 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 subjectivity
grades
TYPES OF GRADING (2)
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 Provides inconsistent interpretation as the
describes a rank in a group meaning of a grade varies with the ability of the
student group
Can discriminate among Can be assigned without using a clear reference
levels of student to specific student performance
performance
TYPES OF GRADING (3)
2. 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 the
student as it may induce motivation learning targets
in learning
Increases teacher’s autonomy in Relies on teacher’s judgment
assessment
GRADING USING FIXED-PERCENTAGE
METHOD
1. Give a percentage correct score for each student
for each task
2. Multiply each task’s percentage by its
corresponding weight and add these products
together
3. Divide the sum of products by the sum of weights
to get a composite percentage score
4. Translate this final score to letter grade
Relationship between percentage correct and letter
grade is arbitrary follow school policy
This method may encourage us to focus more on
the task difficulty than on the intended learning
outcomes.
GRADING USING TOTAL POINTS
METHOD
1. Assign a maximum point value for each task
2. Sum these maximum points
3. Use the maximum possible total values to set the
letter-grade boundaries
4. Translate this final score to a letter grade
Easy to adjust or give “extra credits” to an
assessment task to increase scores of students
with low performance
GRADING USING RUBRIC METHOD* (1)
Assign an ordered number to each level of rubrics.
Higher number represents a higher complexity
Summing across components
Calculate the sum or the average of the numbers,
or use fixed percentage method
Care is needed to avoid grade distortion (e.g. 3 on a 4-point
rubric is 75%; converting this to a grade of C may not make
sense)
* As modified from Nitko & Brookhart (2007, Chapter 15). For further reference,
please consult this book.
GUIDELINE FOR EFFECTIVE &
FAIR GRADING* (1)
1. Inform scoring/grading procedures to students at
the beginning of instruction
To better inform expectations of students
To motivate student’s learning and promote student’s critical
thinking
2. Base grades on student achievement of the
intended learning outcomes, not other factors
Other factors such as student’s tardiness, misbehavior, effort,
etc. should be reported separately, if needed
3. Use a wide variety of valid assessment data
Using several different assessment tasks can provide good
validity evidence to justify the meaning of the grade given
* As modified from Waugh & Gronlund (2013, pp. 200-201)
GUIDELINE FOR EFFECTIVE &
FAIR GRADING* (2)
4. When combining scores for grading, use a proper
weighting technique
Consider the spread/variability of the scores from a
particular test/assessment task when defining weights
5. Select an appropriate frame of reference for
grading
Use of Learning Progression Map as the standards of
reference
Give examples of standards
For conventional classroom assessment,
Use absolute grading for pass/fail (P/F) decision when the
minimum standards of achievement have been set
Use relative grading to assign a grade above P/F level to describe
how a student has achieved the intended outcomes with higher
degree of cognitive skills
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Ebel , R . L ., & Fri sbi e, D. A. (1991) . Essen ti a l s of edu ca ti on a l mea su remen t.
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Ni tko, A. J ., & Brookh a rt, S . (2007) . Edu ca ti on a l a ssessmen t of stu den ts.
Upper S a ddl e R i v er, NJ : Pea rson Edu ca ti on , In c.
McMi l l a n , J . H. (2007) . Classroom assessment. Principles and practice for
effective standard-based instruction (4th ed.) . Boston : Pea rson - Al l y n &
Ba con .
Poph a m, W. J . (2014) . Classroom assessment: What teachers needs to
know . S a n Fra n ci sco, CA: Pea rson
R u ssel l , M. K., & Ai ra si a n , P. W. (2012) . Classroom assessment: Concepts
and applications . New York, NY : McG ra w-Hi l l .
Wa u gh , C. K., & G ron l u n d. (2013) . Assessmen t of stu den t a ch i ev emen t (10 t h
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