Actual Grade Research Articles

A comparison of grading rubrics for professional seminars given by doctor of pharmacy candidates

ObjectiveTo compare a numeric grade-based rubric, previously developed by the Auburn University, Harrison School of Pharmacy for assessing fourth-year Doctor of Pharmacy student professional seminar presentations, to a newly developed pass/fail rubric. MethodsA research group was assembled for this study that consisted of five faculty members and the school's assessment director. The research group reviewed a random sampling of 25% (n = 32) of the 2011 graduating class's seminar presentations using the newly developed pass/fail rubric. Of those selected, the seminar presentation was viewed via digital or DVD recordings and graded by three members of the research group. These assessments were then compared to the actual grade received with the old, numeric-based rubric in 2010–2011. The Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test for paired comparisons was employed to compare the scores with the old and new grading rubrics. ResultsNone of the students in the sample failed the professional seminar with utilization of the old, numeric-based rubric. However, the failure rate increased significantly [65.6% (n = 21), p<0.001] with utilization of the new pass/fail rubric. Overall, the strongest performance categories with the new rubric were Delivery (34% received highest distinction and 6% failed) and Printed and Audiovisual Materials (28% received highest distinction and 9% failed). The weakest areas of performance with the new rubric were Summary (50% failure) and Seminar Content (44% failure). ConclusionsUtilization of the new pass/fail rubric provides a more rigorous system of grading student presentations than the old numeric-based rubric.

Motivation and Vision: An Analysis of Future L2 Self Images, Sensory Styles, and Imagery Capacity Across Two Target Languages

Recent theorizing on second language (L2) motivation has proposed viewing motivation as a function of the language learners’ vision of their desired future language selves. This would suggest that the intensity of motivation is partly dependent on the learners’ capability to generate mental imagery. In order to test this hypothesis, this study investigates whether learner characteristics are related to sensory and imagery aspects with indices of the strength of the learners’ future L2 self‐guides (ideal and ought‐to L2 selves) and how these variables are linked to learning achievement in two target languages, English and Mandarin, assessed both by self‐report and objective measures. One hundred seventy‐two Year 8 Chinese students (ages 13–15) completed a questionnaire survey, and the results reveal several significant associations between the future self‐guides and intended effort and actual grades, including a consistently positive relationship between the ideal self and the criterion measures. The findings also confirm the multisensory dimension of future self‐guides, suggesting the importance of a broad imagery capacity (including both visual and auditory components) in the development of individuals’ future self‐identities. Finally, the ideal‐self images associated with different languages were shown to form distinct L2‐specific visions, which has various implications for future research with regard to the potential positive or negative interaction of these self images.

Illusions of a Good Grade

This study assessed the relationships among the accuracy of grade predictions, actual grades, self-enhancement bias, and attributions about academic performance. As a group, students anticipated higher grades than were earned. Individual differences in self-enhancement bias were measured using the discrepancy between anticipated and attained grades. This self-enhancement bias was negatively correlated with effort attributions and positively correlated with luck attributions. Students with higher American college testing (ACT) scores made more accurate predictions of their actual grades, demonstrating less self-enhancement bias. Students with the highest risk of performing poorly in class (lower ACT scores) were at greatest risk of overestimating grades, assumed external attributions for grade attainment, and were less likely to adopt positive learning strategies. Implications for teaching are discussed.

Professor–Student Rapport Scale

Rapport between students and teachers leads to numerous positive student outcomes, including attitudes toward the teacher and course, student motivation, and perceived learning. The recent development of a Professor–Student Rapport scale offers assessment of this construct. However, a Cronbach’s α of .96 indicated item redundancy, and the 34-item scale is unwieldy in a survey-heavy culture. In addition, the most valuable outcome of student learning is actual grades, which remained to be assessed. In the current study, we relied on principal component analysis to reduce the number of items on the Professor–Student Rapport scale and examine predictive power of fewer items. We measured traditional student outcomes such as attitudes, motivation, and perceived learning. We also assessed end-of-semester grades to remove any potential student bias in learning or grade reporting. Six rapport items concerning student engagement and enjoyment of a course predicted all student outcomes, including course grades.

Why Do Standardized Tests Underpredict Women’s Academic Performance? The Role of Conscientiousness

Women typically earn higher grades than men, even though they tend to score lower than men on the SAT, a pattern known as the female underprediction effect (FUE). In three samples, we tested our hypothesis that gender differences in Conscientiousness can explain this effect. Within each sample, we created a regression-based measure of under (vs. over) prediction, which reflects the extent to which an individual student’s actual grade point average (GPA) exceeded (or fell below) the GPA predicted by his or her SAT score. Significant gender differences in this measure documented the presence of the FUE. Next, we demonstrated that Conscientiousness significantly mediated the link between gender and underprediction. Specifically, women were higher in Conscientiousness, and students who were more conscientious earned grades that were higher than their SAT scores would predict. Thus, our expectation that Conscientiousness is a partial explanation for the FUE was confirmed.

Application of matter element analysis in weather forecasting

Matter element analysis is an emerging mathematical method that can resolve various actual problems in the objective world and has therefore been widely applied in many fields. However, no study to date has examined the use of matter element analysis to forecast change trends in weather. Prior predictors are used to conduct calculations, thus enabling the matter analysis to have a predictive function. By repeatedly adjusting the grade division value (classical domain and joint domain) of each factor, the fitting rate of the calculation grade of the meteorological element to the actual grade was maximized, resulting in more accurate results. This article discusses the method, steps and applications of matter element analysis and demonstrates matter element analysis as a new and efficient way to forecast future weather conditions. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society

Application of Extension Theory Based on Optimal Combination Weighting Method in Risk Assessment on Geological Hazards

Risk assessment on geological hazards and zoning is the foundation of geological hazards prevention. To solve the problem of uncertainty and incompatibility between quantitative and qualitative indicators, and the deficiencies of the indexes weight method, this paper establishes the model for risk assessment on geological hazards binding the extension theory with the optimal combination weighting method. With the matter-element model of the extension theory, the weight coefficients are calculated by using the optimal combination weighting method that can effectively use the experience of expert judgement and accurately reflect the utility value of the data, and can properly resolve the problem of weight allocation. Then, through calculating the correlation function value and relational degree, determine the actual geological hazard grades of study area. Finally, this paper applies this model in Hanyin County of Shannxi Province and gets the predicting results compared with AHP method and entropy method, and the results conform to the fact. It is proved that extension theory based on optimal combination weighting method is quite effective and available in risk assessment on geological hazards.

Students’ Expectations About Their Grades Versus Course Expectations From Them

The paper presents a research study on the reasons for mismatch between students’ grade expectations and the actual grades they were awarded in the “Ethics” course at an engineering education institution in India. The paper also outlines how this event created the social and political stigmas among the authorities to opt for the re-evaluation of students’ answer sheets. After receiving the re-evaluated grade sheet from the re-evaluator, some meager and minor discrepancies were noticed which were liable to question, suspicion, and hence not impeccable. But by overlooking the reasons for trifling discrepancies authorities considered the re-evaluated grade sheet as the final one. In this context, the study examined the reliability and viability of criteria-based grading against norm-based grading model with the plausible impacts of authoritarian intervention in distorting the course instructor’s grade sheet, and its implications on quality retention in higher education.

Computer-Managed Instruction (CMI)-Based Online Forums

A CMI-based online forum is designed to address the need for a system to manage students' online participation. The proposed system may reduce the time required to manage online participation. The system was evaluated by a total of 64 students enrolled in an academic semester. The evaluation has two objectives. The first was to determine the usability of the forum software. The students' responses were positive for most of the questions asked, which indicated that the students may have minimal difficulty in using the CMI-based online forum. The second was to measure the accuracy of the assessment formula. The evaluation results showed that the performance indicator (PI) score generated by the assessment formula was highly correlated with the actual grades. This study suggests that CMI-based forum software could be employed to assist online facilitators in managing learners' participation in online discussions.

How minimal grade goals and self-control capacity interact in predicting test grades

The present research examined the prediction of school students' grades in an upcoming math test via their minimal grade goals (i.e., the minimum grade in an upcoming test one would be satisfied with). Due to its significance for initiating and maintaining goal-directed behavior, self-control capacity was expected to moderate the relation between students' minimal grade goals and their actual grades. Self-control capacity was defined as the dispositional capacity to override or alter one's dominant response tendencies. Prior to a scheduled math test, 172 vocational track students indicated their minimal grade goal for the test and completed a measure of self-control capacity. The test grade was assessed at a second time of measurement. As expected, minimal grade goals more strongly predicted the actual test grades the higher the students' self-control capacity. Implications can be seen in terms of optimizing the prediction and advancement of academic performance.

Gender and confidence: are women underconfident?

Previous research finds that schoolgirls tend to be underconfident with respect to their mathematics performance, while schoolboys tend to be overconfident. We asked Swedish university students (aged 18–35) what grade they thought they would get in a macroeconomics exam 1 week later. These results were compared with their actual grade and we find no evidence of men being overconfident, but women are underconfident about their test performance. These results suggest that the findings that schoolgirls are underconfident about their math performance also carry over to grown-up women studying macroeconomics.

Change Trend of Water Resources Using Matter Analysis

ABSTRACT Many countries currently face pressures and risks associated with scarce water resources. By using grey correlation analysis, we can choose physical factors with close relationships to water resources. In this article, we used physical factors as possible predictors and thus endowed matter analysis with a forecast function, which represents a novel application. By repeatedly adjusting grade division values (classical domain and joint domain) of each factor, it is possible to determine the maximum fit between the calculated grade and the actual grade of annual runoff. Results presented here indicate that this method is suitable for forecasting changing annual runoff trends in drainage basins. By focusing on forecasts of changing trends relating to water resources, we have set up a preliminary calculation system based on matter analysis. It is expected that this application will become more sensitive, resulting in improved performance in terms of trend forecasts of water resources using matter analysis.

The Relationship between Frustration Intolerance and Academic Achievement in College

Traditional measures of predicting academic achievement in college such as high school grades and standardized test scores account for approximately 25% of the difference between predicted and actual grade point average (GPA). Researchers have also examined the relationship between psychological factors and academic self-efficacy which may account for up to 14% of the variance in college students’ GPA. The present study involving 105 undergraduate students was interested in the relationship between frustration intolerance and academic achievement. Subjects were given the Frustration Discomfort Scale (FDS) which consists of 28 items divided into four subscales: a) discomfort intolerance, b) entitlement, c) emotional intolerance, and d) achievement frustration. Results indicated that the FDS was statistically significant at the .000 level and accounted for 23% of the variance when predicting overall college GPA.

Pre Enrolment and Post Enrolment Predictors of Academic Success in Business Economics

Aim: To investigate the impact of pre enrolment (CAO points, socioeconomic factors) and post enrolment (attendance at lectures/tutorials, hours worked, hours study, etc) factors on academic success during the 2009-10 academic year for 380 students of business economics. The hypothesis that a particular dominant intelligence was correlated with academic success was also considered. Data and Methods: Academic success was subjective to the individual and was determined by comparing their expected grade to their actual grade in their end of year exam. Both qualitative and quantitative data were elucidated from questionnaire responses, and attendance was established from sign-in at lectures/tutorials. Examination results were extracted from the university's examination system. The dominant intelligence was determined from responses to an online multiple intelligences (MI) questionnaire based on Howard Gardner's Theory. Results: Multivariate regression was used to establish the relationship between the predictors and the outcomes as measured by exam results. The investigation of MI established that three main intelligences dominated; interpersonal, logical-mathematical, and musical. Interpersonal intelligence was found to have a positive influence on academic success. CAO points were generally found to be positively related to exam marks and academic success. Attendance at lectures was a significant predictor of academic success and a positively correlated with examination mark. Commerce students felt that lecture attendance was the significant factor, whereas BIS students attributed success to their own self-discipline and effort but attributed failure to quality of teaching. Conclusions: The findings provide a basis for helping lectures reflect on their expectations about students and to be better informed about methods that facilitate learning. They provide a source for helping students to reflect on their perceptions and expectations of university study so that they can gain more control over their learning, and therefore they can approach their studies in a way that will maximise success.

The Quality Assessment of Student Learning Based on Cloud Model

In traditional tutoring system, the quality assessment of student learning is identified by hard division regardless of the uncertainty of results. In the paper, Cloud M odel T heory was applied to build student model in Intelligent Tutoring System. And a quality assessment approach of student learning based on cloud m odel was proposed. S tudents’ test score s are regarded as cloud drop let s, and data is discret ized according to contribution of the cloud concept in the research . Further more , cloud transform algorithm is introduced to compute membership cloud. Finally, maximum determination algorithm is used to obtain more actual grade division of learning quality. Experimental results show that membership concept can reflect not only t he mastery level of knowledge points but also the stability and psychology in the process of student learning . The study will help improve the efficiency of Intelligent Tutoring System.

Assessing maths literacy skills in type 1 diabetic children and their caregivers

AbstractBackground: It is essential that children have adequate numeracy and literacy skills in order to manage their diabetes effectively. The objective was to undertake a pilot study to assess the level of numeracy skills in type 1 diabetic children and their caregivers, and to ascertain if there was a deficit in these skills. This cross-sectional descriptive study comprised 53 children and 37 primary caregivers, who attended the paediatric diabetic clinics at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospitals from March to September 2009.Method: The participants were interviewed and completed a diabetes mathematical questionnaire. Patient records were accessed.Results: The mean age of the children was 12.92 ± 2.96 years. The children and the caregivers performed poorly in the applied maths section, and had lower “functional” grades (grades achieved on testing) compared to their actual grades. An inverse relationship was also found between the HbA1c levels and numer...

How Task Experience Influences Students' Performance Expectancies: The Role of Certainty

The importance of performance expectancies for predicting behavior has long been highlighted in research on expectancy-value models. These models do not take into account that expectancies may vary in terms of their certainty. The study tested the following predictions: task experience leads to a higher certainty of expectancies; certainty and mean expectancies are empirically distinguishable; and expectancies held with high certainty are more accurate for predicting performance. 273 Grade 8 students reported their performance expectancy and the certainty of expectation with regard to a mathematics examination immediately before and after the examination. Actual grades on the examination were also assessed. The results supported the predictions: there was an increase in certainty between the two times of measurement; expectancies and certainty were unrelated at both times of measurement; and for students initially reporting higher certainty, the accuracy of the performance expectancy (i.e., the relation between expectancy and performance) was higher than for students reporting lower certainty. Given lower certainty, the accuracy increased after the students had experience with the examination. The data indicate that it may be useful to include certainty as an additional variable in expectancy-value models.

How Much is That Exam Grade Really Worth? An Estimation of Student Risk Aversion to Their Unknown Final College Course Grades

This study created an experimental design with which students can empirically assess their risk behavior with respect to exam grades within an expected utility framework. Specifically, the authors analyzed students’ risk preferences associated with taking exams and earning a “risky” unknown grade versus not taking exams and instead obtaining a “sure” grade. Students have grade-choice decisions in nonhypothetical situations that impact their actual exam grades. Estimates indicate that the more risk-averse a student is, the more willing he or she is to accept a lower certain grade and not take an exam than to run the risk of actually taking it. We believe that this experimental setup and its binding results make it an easy but effective way of teaching the obtuse concept of risk aversion.

Preference-based maintenance planning for deteriorating bridges under multi-objective optimisation framework

A new preference-based method is presented to determine optimal schedule of maintenance actions for deteriorating bridges. The maintenance planning of deteriorating bridges is formulated as a multi-objective optimisation problem involving the maintenance cost as well as the condition grades of the bridge deck, girder and pier. The maintenance cost corresponds to life-cycle maintenance cost that is defined as the sum of the total expenses caused by the maintenance interventions during the life span of the bridge. The condition grades of the bridge components are characterised by time-dependent performance profiles that have been constructed by statistical regression with the actual condition grade data of bridges in Korea. To effectively address the multi-objective optimisation problem, a genetic algorithm is adopted as a numerical searching technique of multiple optimal solutions. As for the explored optimal solutions, a preference-based decision making process is then introduced to select reasonable maintenance scenario that most fits the designer's preference while balancing the mutually conflicting design objectives. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified numerically on a typical pre-stressed concrete girder bridge. The numerical results demonstrate that the optimal maintenance scenario determined by the proposed method can be a well-balanced maintenance strategy in terms of cost and bridge performances.

Gender and overconfidence: are girls really overconfident?

Previous research finds that people are overconfident and that men are more overconfident than women. Using a very precise confidence measure, this article shows, however, that whereas boys are overconfident, girls are actually underconfident regarding their mathematics performance. We conducted a survey where 14-year-old high school students were asked what grade they thought they would get in a mathematics test a week later. These results were then compared with their actual grade. Boys were overconfident about their grades, whereas girls were underconfident.