posted
Because if you draw 2 curves on an "E" it becomes a "B."
Most of the kids I know learned that one in elementary school.. just find the same color ink pen that the teacher uses, draw very carefully, and voila! Your parents think you're fairly smart!
"F" is a little harder... but they should really use "X" or something.
------------------ You're just JEALOUS because the little voices talk to ME!
posted
It still makes more sense to use percentages for everything, if you ask me. Much more precise. And easier to understand...
------------------ Garak: "I do apologize. You must be incensed. In fact, if I were in your shoes, I'd... grab a bottle of champagne and shoot me." (DS9: "Our Man Bashir")
posted
Don't overcomplicate things where complication's not required.
All we're really interested in whe we hear someone's grade is:
Did they pass or fail?
Did they do really well or did they just make it?
the ABCDF scale gives us five coarse gradations between "very well done" and "dolt". If you want finer gradations, you can add a "plus" or "minus" to the letter grade to get (potentially)fifteen gradations ("F+" and "F-" seem particularly meaningless to me. Actually there's 13 useful gradations. If you're superstitious, stay home.)
<Reality=Skewed>The letter grade system does not allow for fine graduation because (and this is not expressly stated in the system, but only implied) teachers are, on average, DOLTS! You don't want to give some martinet too much room to maneuver, so why bother giving them a precision instrument (a percentage scale) when they will wield it as a sledge hammer? Better to give them the "sort 'em into 5 boxes" system we have today. They already have too many opportunities to scar these kids. Let's draw the line with reason.</Reality>
--Baloo
------------------ I prefer the company of those who aim low and overshoot the mark to those who aim at heaven and shoot their fellow man in the head. www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/
posted
Hi, Ed! My name is Christopher. My favorite subject is recess.
::trips over his left foot::
------------------ "Some people call me the Space Cowboy. Yeah! Some call me the Gangster of Love. Some people call me Maurice. Whoo hoo! 'Cause I speak of the Pompatus of Love!" - Steve Miller Band's The Joker
------------------ "Don't call me at work again. Oh no, the boss still hates me. I'm just tired and I don't love you anymore, and there's a restaurant we should check out where the other nightmare people like to go...I mean nice people, baby wait, I didn't mean to say nightmare." -- They Might Be Giants
Orion Syndicate
He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!
Member # 25
posted
The points system here is different. Here's the college 'A' Levels table.
A: 10 B: 8 C: 6 D: 4 E: 2
If you do an 'AS' Level which is worth half an 'A' Level, you just halve the points - not very complicated, and it works.
BTW Yes, passes in college only go as far as an E. After that, you have an N or a U which are both fails, but N is a narrow fail and U is Ungraded, in other words, a pitiful attempt.
------------------ The public is wonderfully tolerant - it forgives everything except Genius.
posted
well, as far as a 4. scale goes, which is what UNM uses, you know what bites? a 3.9=B+ or maybe just a B. i dunno. least i think it does. pleh. that stinks.
------------------ Clones are People Two
"The Force is like duct tape: it has a dark side and a light side, and it holds the universe together" ([[[[[[*]}�������������������������
posted
I think most UK universities use that grading system don't they Orion. Mine does. And I've got my first exam tomorrow. Behavioural Neuroscience. Now, if I only knew more about sleep. Mmm, sweet sweet sleep.
------------------ 'You want the moon on a stick, don't you?' -Richard Herring
posted
You can pass with a 40!? I wouldn't let anyone with less than half the knowledge of a procedure to operate on me!
------------------ Garak: "I do apologize. You must be incensed. In fact, if I were in your shoes, I'd... grab a bottle of champagne and shoot me." (DS9: "Our Man Bashir")
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