III.2 The grading policy is transparent and easy to understand.

◉ REQUIRED STANDARD

Expectations

    1. Review the clarity of the way you present your grading system to the students. List all the activities that will be graded and make sure they align with the outcomes. Then look to see if points or grades awarded all total to your final grading system. A rubric can be very helpful in doing this type of alignment.
    2. Your grading policy should list a grading scale/table (e.g. 90-100% = A, 80-89 = B, etc.).
    3. You grading policy should also include a list of all possible points in the course (e.g. 2 exams x 100 points = 200 points, etc.). Percentages, though not ideal, are also acceptable.
    4. In addition to these it is helpful to include a statement or rubric regarding how the student is expected to achieve a certain grade or number of points.
    5. Having such policies spelled out in your syllabus provide transparency. Not only will this help your students know what to do to achieve success in your course but will allow you to easily justify grades given to students.
    6. If applicable, provide examples/samples of qualitative assessments--e.g. reviews, papers, case studies, previous exams, etc.--and/or examples of prior student work to better clarify assessment expectations.

Examples

Sample Paper Grading Rubric

References

    • QM FIPSE rubric III.2