The Case Against Giving Students a "Zero"

The always informative StopHomework blog has a very interesting (and mathematically accurate) article today entitled The Case Against the Zero. 

The posting highlights a short paper written by Douglas B. Reeves, the chairman and founder of the Center for Performance Assessment, in which he makes the following important point:

But the common use of the zero today is based not on a four-point scale but on a 100- point scale. This defies logic and mathematical accuracy. On a 100-point scale, the interval between numerical and letter grades is typically 10 points, with the break points at 90, 80, 70, and so on. But when the grade of zero is applied to a 100-point scale, the interval between the D and F is not 10 points but 60 points. Most state standards in mathematics require that fifth-grade students understand the principles of ratios -- for example, A is to B as 4 is to 3; D is to F as 1 is to zero. Yet the persistence of the zero on a 100-point scale indicates that many people with advanced degrees, including those with more background in mathematics than the typical teacher, have not applied the ratio standard to their own professional practices. To insist on the use of a zero on a 100-point scale is to assert that work that is not turned in deserves a penalty that is many times more severe than that assessed for work that is done wretchedly and is worth a D. Readers were asked earlier how many points would be awarded to a student who failed to turn in work on a grading scale of 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, but I'll bet not a single person arrived at the answer "minus 6." Yet that is precisely the logic that is employed when the zero is awarded on a 100- point scale.

Thoughts?

Comments

[scott]

the entire premise of the article is based on the idea that a=4, b=3, c=2, d=1, f=0 grading scale is meaningful. it is not. the author has confused the grade point average scale with a grading scale. yes a student who recieves straight "b"'s will have earned a grade point average of 3.0. however a student who within a given class consistently scores 80% on assignments will not recieve a 3.0 grade for the class. rather that student will receive a grade of 3.2 (80% of the Maximum 4.0) assigning a student 3.0 is the equivalent of 75% or a "C" grade. the 4.0 grade point average scale is intended to an approximation of the students overall achievement and not a guage of the students achievement whithin a given class.

[Lisa]

I am glad to see this article. I saw my son's usual "A" plummet to a "D" with just one forgotten math assignment. It was nearly impossible to recover from.

[Cindy]

As a teacher I am running into this article and proponenets of it. I would really like to see some research regarding whether grading with a fifty percent F has made a difference with students. Does anyone have any research to go on?