Question

In our Eco 207 class, we have a policy that says we take the best three out of four of your exam grades and count then toward your overall course grade. In other words, we drop the lowest score. (below, assume that the professor’s goals are to have the students work hard all semester long, and obtain good grades)

a. What part of this policy provides a positive incentive to do well?

b. What is problematic about this policy from the perspective of students? Professors?

Now imagine an alternative policy. Instead of dropping the lowest exam grade, we drop the highest exam score.

c. What part of this policy provides a positive incentive to do well?

d. What is problematic about this policy from the perspective of students? Professors? (in your answers above, assume that the median exam grade for the course always corresponds to a B-).

Answer 1

1. Best three out of four provide a positive incentive to students in the following way:-

a.i)Four exams means covering a greater portion of the syllabus.Now in that pressurised position if they are given this policy of taking the best three exam marks out of four than they will have atleast ease themselves and will work hard to achieve   very good marks and competition among students will also be high because each time they need to prove themselves and get a very good marks.

ii.Again in many cases student are unable to attend all the exams due to different reasons.In that case they can atleast skip one exam and work hard in other exams to get a good percentage.Because teacher will take the marks of three exams.

b.i)The problem about this policy from the view point of student is that they have to give four exams in which syllabus will be more ,they have to study more.Everything is more from there part.Moreover exams will be through out the year.Students will not get much relaxation which is not good from their view point.

ii)Professors also have to complete a greater portion of the syllabus even if it is best out of three .The workload will be more due to four exams.Corrections will be more.Everything will be more on their part.

c.It will be a positive incentive for those students who just want to pass somehow because for them they have no intention to score a very good marks.So if the highest mark paper the teacher omit also they will not bother much about it.

d.i)The problem about the policy of dropping the highest exam score is that student will not get any motivation to study hard as there will be no reward for that.Lack of awareness will be there to get good marks.

ii)Even for teachers also there will be lack of motivation to complete the syllabus or to work hard for the students.Competition among students will be less as no one will study hard to score a very good mark.This policy will not work for teachers as well as students.