Rethinking Exams and Letter Grades: How Much Can Teachers Delegate to Students?
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In this article we report a 3-yr study of a large-enrollment Cell Biology course focused on developing student skill in scientific reasoning and data interpretation. Specifically, the study tested the hypothesis that converting the role of exams from summative grading devices to formative tools would increase student success in acquiring those skills. Traditional midterm examinations were replaced by weekly assessments administered under test-like conditions and followed immediately by extensive self, peer, and instructor feedback. Course grades were criterion based and derived using data from the final exam. To alleviate anxiety associated with a single grading instrument, students were given the option of informing the grading process with evidence from weekly assessments. A comparative analysis was conducted to determine the impact of these design changes on both performance and measures of student affect. Results at the end of each year were used to inform modifications to the course in subsequent years. Significant improvements in student performance and attitudes were observed as refinements were implemented. The findings from this study emphasized the importance of prolonging student opportunity and motivation to improve by delaying grade decisions, providing frequent and immediate performance feedback, and designing that feedback to be maximally formative and minimally punitive.
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Evaluation of students in the service of learning-generally including a mechanism for feedback without grade assignment-can serve to enhance learning and motivation.
“Evaluation of students in the service of learning—generally including a mechanism for feedback without grade assignment—can serve to enhance learning and motivation (Butler and Nisan, 1986; Crooks, 1988; Kitchen et al., 2006).”
From Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently) (2014) · cites this paper as Kitchen et al., 2006
Kitchen et al. (2006) provide an example of a high-enrollment college biology class that was redesigned to maximize feedback and minimize the impact of grades.
“Kitchen et al. (2006) additionally provide an example of a high-enrollment college biology class that was redesigned to “maximize feedback and minimize the impact of grades.””
From Teaching More by Grading Less (or Differently) (2014) · cites this paper as Kitchen et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Kitchen, E., King, S. H., Robison, D. F., Sudweeks, R. R., Bradshaw, W. S., & Bell, J. D.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- Physiology and Developmental Biology, and
- Departments of *Microbiology and Molecular Biology,
- Venue
- CBE—Life Sciences Education
- Published
- 2006-09
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 270-280
- ISSN
- 1931-7913 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2096381086
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 4.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- CBE—Life Sciences Education (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Student Assessment and Feedback
- Social Sciences › Education › Science Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovative Teaching Methods
- Keywords
- formative assessment, summative assessment, mid-term examination, weekly assessment, self-assessment, peer feedback, instructor feedback, scientific reasoning, data interpretation, student motivation, student anxiety, large-enrollment courses, cell biology education, course design
- MeSH terms
- Attitude, Curriculum, Demography, Educational Measurement, Faculty, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Students
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