Enrollment patterns and academic performance as a function of registration under a pass-fail grading system

Abstract

An experimental “pass-fail” grading system was examined to determine if interdisciplinary exploration was encouraged by modifying the competitive aspects of grading and to examine the performance of students enrolling in pass-fail courses in the light of their past achievement and the performance of classmates. Results of the study suggest that the pass-fail grading situation encouraged study across a wider area of subjects, but also was associated with lower achievement as reflected by a familiar grading scheme. A review of the literature indicated that a need for valid evaluation of student progress is acknowledged by virtually all writers, but that numerous arguments attack the manner in which grades are assigned and used and attack the lack of knowledge about the psychometric attributes of traditional grading arrangements.