Excerpt from a ECO 2023 syllabus:
Grading Scale
Points Grade
92.00 and above A
91.99 to 88.00 A-
87.99 to 86.00 B+
85.99. to 82.00 B
81.99 to 78.00 B-
77.99 to 76.00 C+
75.99 to 70.00 C
69.99 to 66.67 D
66.66 and below E
A few comments on my grading scale:
First, notice that the cut-off for a D is a 66.67 not a 60.00. This, too, is unfair, so there is no need to tell me. Second, notice that there is no D+ grade nor is there a C- grade. I think this fact is obvious from looking at the grading scale but last semester I had a few students email me asking why they did not receive D+’s. My response should have been that “you did not receive a D+ for the same reason you received a D” You simply did not pay enough attention to the class” but I did not send that email. However I am now putting it on my syllabus… Third, I know that the grading scale above looks hard. But, looks can be deceiving. The grading scale I use combined with allowing you to drop a test will give an average grade this semester of about 2.85, which is above a B-. Fourth, and most important, the cut off
9
lines given above are unalterable
. If you get an 85.99, you will get a B not a B+. If this happens to you, it’s obviously unfair. And, in fact, I will grieve with you, I will rail against the total injustice of it with you, I will even raise my voice to the heavens and proclaim how unfair it is with you. But:
I WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR GRADE.
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