For various reasons, the need to adjust raw examination scores may exist. Thus, the following adjustments may be allowed:
1. Curves: To correct for examination difficulty, a professor may need to add a constant value (i.e., a curve) to raw examination values. The following are guidelines regarding curving: A curve can only be applied in consultation with the Dean of Basic Sciences. A rationale basis must be provided to justify the application of a curve. With the goal of having a mean exam score of 75% with results falling along a normal distribution as described previously, the possibility of curving will be entertained only if: 1) the class average is less than 75% and/or 2) if more than 16% of students in the class fail an exam.
2. Deleting & Re-Grading of Questions: The goal is to avoid the need to delete or to re-grade exam questions. Nonetheless, the following are guidelines for the rare occasion when these practices may be deemed necessary:
i) General:
In order to delete or to re-grade an exam question, the Course Director must first consult with the Dean of Basic Sciences.
ii) Deleting Questions:
Questions should not be deleted because a question was difficult, since this practice results in inequities to students’ grades. Specifically, students who actually answered the deleted (―difficult) question correctly get penalized compared to students who got the question wrong. Application of a curve is a more equitable method to deal with difficult questions.
In the case of a flawed question, then the question may need to be eliminated. When an exam question is deleted the exam question no longer exists— a student cannot get the item right or wrong. A NEW exam has been created. The grades must be calculated on the basis of this NEW exam.
Students must be advised that the grades that are displayed on the computer monitor immediately after the exam are raw results. The final official results will be announced during the next class session.
iii) Re-grading Questions:
An alternative approach to deleting a flawed question would be to give students credit for the flawed item. For example, if a question had two right answers, then a professor could give credit to those students who put either of the two choices.
This re-grading of a question would circumvent the need to actually eliminate the question—the exam would still be scored out of the same number of original questions.
Adjustments for unusually High Exam Averages: Exam averages that are unusually high may indicate that the exam was not of sufficient difficulty to meaningfully assess the students’ mastery of a subject