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Bell Curve Grading

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Bell Curve Scoring Whenever you hear the phrase “graded on a curve” the class splits into two types of people: the confident and the terribly stressed. In my school, there is an established grading scale meaning whatever score an individual gets on an assignment is comparable to a rubric and gets a score based on his sole abilities. Grading on a curve is a bit different. This grading method calculates the average grade and determines how each student compared to the average. Bell curve grading doesn’t measure how much of the material a student retained, per say, but instead, how much more (or less) they knew than their classmates. Bell curve grading is the most competitive type of assessing; each student must not be concerned with doing his …show more content…

No large standardized test in the United States to my recollection uses a curve for grading: not the SAT, ACT, AP exams, nor even state-level tests, such as an SOL. There are many different factors to consider in grading, and the primary one should not be comparative performance. Just because a large majority performed the same does not mean it is average; I am enrolled in higher level classes at my high school and it is expected for my entire class to score above averagely. That would not be possible on a bell curve. This brings up the point of “fairness.” I personally believe bell curves are not fair. Fair should be considered as having the ability to have your own abilities showcased and assessed without interference from outside sources. The bell curve grading is completely conditional and will hoist or hurt a person’s grade based on the pettiest of things. Also, this is not fair if we are comparing between classes. Let’s say there is an extremely smart person in a Stat class at Mountain View. This genius, Bailey, always brought Veronica’s grades down in the bell curve. Now we are in the exact same Stat curriculum class but in Stafford High School; there is a student, Michelle. Michelle performs the exact same as Veronica, but doesn’t have a genius like Bailey in her class, so Michelle’s grade will appear higher. No matter what you definition of “fair” is, that certainly isn’t it. Grades should be given …show more content…

They are “unfair”, unjustly subjective, and just a bad tool in general to measure anyone’s abilities. I see their necessity in the face of extremely difficult tests in which the professor expects everyone to fail on a regular grading scale; however, in day-to-day, averagely difficult assignments, this is too extreme and harsh of a method of grading. There are many greater ways to help a student’s grade, such as raising every student’s grade by the top score’s difference from 100. Another viable option is to take everyone’s scores out of the highest score. Both of these and many more are safer and more beneficial alternatives and still show how people relatively scored among one another. Bell curve grading seems terrible; I am glad none of my teachers employ

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