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Summary of Grading Scale Investigation:
According to a survey of the American Association of Universities (AAU), 84% of universities use a form of +/- grades in their undergraduate program. Among these universities are top schools such as California Institute of Technology, Emory, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, University of Michigan, and Washington University in St. Louis. (See AAU Survey)
+/- Grade Study from Western Kentucky University:
Studies have been performed by other institutions that offer additional information. One comprehensive study from Western Kentucky University goes through the advantages, disadvantages, and myths of a plus/minus grading system. Key points mentioned in the article include:
- Benefits to +/- grades include a more accurate reflection of student achievement, more informative feedback, more incentive to students to produce quality work, and a greater competitive edge concerning graduate school admission.
- Drawbacks include the possibilities of a slight decrease in average GPA (this concern is addressed later in the study), and greater clerical error in recording grades.
- The article also provides information on why an A+ should be assigned a value of 4.3 or 4.333 but the cumulative GPA be capped at 4.0.
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Case Western Student Government Academic Affairs Committee Study:
Data collected from 12 classes at Case Western Reserve University over the past few years was analyzed to see the effect of a +/- grading scale on the university GPA. The average GPA for these classes dropped by slightly less than a tenth of a point (0.07-0.09). It is important to remember that this analysis was performed by a student, without additional information from faculty beyond final semester average grades. In all but 3 of the classes, the professors did not assign the grades with the +/- system in mind. Therefore, we have limited information on the effect this may have on the faculty approach to grading. Given the option of +/- grading, faculty might have made different distinctions for grades, to balance the amount of pluses and minuses assigned. (See Effect on University and Conversion Guideline)
Possible Grading Scales:
Of the 84% of AAU schools who use +/- grades, five different types of grading scales were used. Method 2 was found to have the least negative effect on the average university GPA. Method 2 assigns plusses at +0.3 and minuses at -0.3 (i.e. B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7). More schools, however, assign pluses and minutes on increments of 0.333 (i.e. B+=3.333, B=3.0, B-=2.667). Many schools either do not have an A+ grade or have the label but calculate an A+ as 4.0. Some schools (such as California Institute of Technology and Cornell) do count an A+ as 4.333. The advantage to this method is it balances the negative impact of an A-. (See Grading Scales)
One of the myths concerning +/- grading is the ability of faculty to accurately and precisely assess student performance to within 3 percentage points. Wake Forest University addressed this concern in their investigation of +/- grades.
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