QUALITY
I’d like to preface my argument by stating that I do not believe that anyone should fail a class despite handing in work. However, I do believe that our current class system has gone too far away from the traditional grading system, and that grades should be based on effort rather than purely completion.
To me, the argument is simple — if you put in more hours, do more research and create a more in-depth and insightful assignment than a peer who barely tries and spends five minutes on the same assignment, why should you receive the same grade?
At Ramapo, I’ve had professors who grade off quality and ones who grade off completion, and I always find that being challenged to put more effort into an assignment is not only more rewarding, but leaves me better informed and knowledgeable on the subject.
It’s my opinion that quality-based grading encourages genuine learning and promotes growth opposed to encouraging minimal effort and inhibiting critical thinking, which is a core aspect of the Ramapo experience.
Oftentimes I find that professors who opt for completion-based grading lack meaningful feedback of assignments, as those classes tailor themselves for the bare minimum of effort from both the student and teacher. It’s almost as if neither party wants to be involved at that point — and if that’s the case, what’s the point of pursuing a degree?
I do understand that certain circumstances can present themselves that make it difficult for some students to produce the same amount of effort as others. However, effort does not mean perfection. Quality-based grading encourages the development of students no matter their situation, and rewards improvement throughout the semester rather than setting a baseline of what is acceptable and leaving it at that.
It’s time more professors adopt quality-based grading rather than completion-based grading. If every assignment counts the same no matter the effort, why should grades exist in the first place?
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
COMPLETION
My stance on completion-based grading stands for most college assignments. In my own classes, I can say that 80% of my work is just busy work — whether it be practice on what we talked about in class or annotations for reading — I find it strange that any of this work be graded on quality when it is most likely just there to fulfill the homework portion of my grade as listed on the syllabus.
There are some assignments that take a lot of effort, time and research. Certain essays or labs, for example, should be graded on quality based on the fact that a lot of effort goes into them.
However, there are so many factors that play into stress as a college student, and sometimes it becomes difficult to even keep up with completing assignments. For little assignments, it seems unnecessary to add another layer of stress to make sure the work is perfect.
I think there is a hesitation to completion-based grading because there is fear that students will just rattle off answers and not engage and learn from the material they are studying and doing work for. I disagree with this though, as I believe that when you pile up assignments for students regardless of whether it’s graded on quality or completion, you’re going to get the same quality: the only difference is how it affects the student’s grade.
If assignments were graded on completion, it would reduce students’ stress and give them an opportunity to produce good quality work while they are in a healthy mindset and not under pressure.
oparisi@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Andy Barbour, Pexels
