Tentative grade distribution based on term work.

The following is a very rough guide for information only.

I will not make final grade assignments till after the final exam marks are in.

My ultimate curve will be NO WORSE than the one given below. It may be somewhat better (for students).

You can expect that weighted percentages for the final will be somewhat lower and more spread out than the assignment and quiz grades. This is by design. The quizzes and assignments are designed as learning tools as much as they are tools of assessment. The final exam is a workout. Grades will be strongly based on relative performance after all the information is in. There will be some consideration of absolute grades and with more specific information about grades from recent sections of Ling 205 as well as the information below. (This is what will likely make my final ÔcurveÕ somewhat more generous).

 

The numbers below are based on students with no missing assignments or quizzes (whether excused or otherwise).

The table goes from lowest scores to highest scores from left to right, then from top to bottom.

 

 

The %Rank is the relative rank from lowest to highest in class

The %Score  is the weighted percentage score of quizes and assignments.

 

% Rank, %Score

 1.59  59.99;    3.17  60.55;    4.76  64.70;    6.35  77.27;    7.94  78.06; 

  9.52  78.81;   11.11  79.96;   12.70  82.75;   14.29  84.78;   15.87  85.53; 

 17.46  86.38;   19.05  87.81;   20.63  88.27;   22.22  88.72;   23.81  89.41; 

 25.40  89.77;   26.98  90.13;   28.57  90.26;   30.16  90.31;   31.75  90.33; 

 33.33  91.38;   34.92  92.12;   36.51  92.25;   38.10  92.64;   39.68  92.70; 

 41.27  92.80;   42.86  93.44;   44.44  93.55;   46.03  93.60;   47.62  93.64; 

 49.21  94.03;   50.79  94.06;   52.38  94.10;   53.97  94.43;   55.56  94.47; 

 57.14  94.57;   58.73  94.67;   60.32  94.94;   61.90  95.27;   63.49  95.69; 

 65.08  95.71;   66.67  95.73;   68.25  95.76;   69.84  95.86;   71.43  96.30; 

 73.02  96.37;   74.60  96.42;   76.19  96.52;   77.78  96.59;   79.37  96.63; 

 80.95  96.66;   82.54  96.73;   84.13  96.99;   85.71  97.22;   87.30  97.28; 

 88.89  97.38;   90.48  97.68;   92.06  97.71;   93.65  97.78;   95.24  97.85; 

 96.83  98.19;   98.41  98.94;  100.00  99.52;

 

To use this table, you need to calculate your %Score and find the %Rank to the left of it it.

 

To determine your %Score do the following

First, determine your Assignment percentage:

Divide the raw score from each assignment (A1 to A5)  by the maximum score for that assignment and multiply by 100.

The maximum scores for A1 to A5 were 57 , 102,    143,     37,     45

Average the 5 percentages from the assignments.

 

Second, determine your Quiz percentage. Divide the raw score from each quiz (Q1 to Q5)  by the maximum score for that assignment and multiply by 100.

The maximum scores for Q1 to Q5 were     57   143   105   102   120

Average the 5 percentages from the quizzes.

 

Third, multiply the your assignment average percentage by 5 and multiply your quiz average percentage t by 7. Divide the sum by 13. (This is because the assignments were worth 5% of the total grade each and the quizzes were worth 7% each, following the weighting in the syllabus).

 

HereÕs an example.  ( the Ô*Õ below means Òmultiply byÓ)
Student X had assignment raw scores of:

 A1= 52, A2=93, A3=130, A4=36, A5=44.

The maximum scores were: 

 57 ,     102,        143,       37,       45

So student XÕs assignment raw percentages were      

 100*52/57 , 100*93/102, 100*130/143, 100*36/37, 100*44/45

or in percentages

91.23 %        91.18%         90.91%        97.30%        97.78 %

Student XÕs average assignment percentage is  (91.23 + 91.18+ 90.91+97.30+  97.78)/5  = 93.68%


Student XÕs raw quiz scores were

 Q1= 51, Q2=133, Q3=97, Q4=98, Q5=105

The maximum quiz scores were

57,          143,         105,        102,          120

So student XÕs assignment raw percentages were      

100*51/57, 100*133/143, 100*97/105, 100*98/102, 100*105/120

or in percentages

89.47%,          93.01%,         92.38 % ,       96.08% ,        87.50%

Adding those five numbers and dividing by 5 gives us

Student XÕs average quiz percentage = 91.69%

 

Now the total %Score is calculated as

(5 *  average assignment percentage + 7 * average quiz percentage)/ 12

= (5*93.68% + 7* 91.69%) / 12 = 92.52 %

 

Looking at the table below, student XÕs relative rank would be between about 36.5% and 38.1%. LetÕs call it 37%; that is, about 37% of the class had scores at or below student XÕs scores.

(This is not a set of scores from a real student, if it were, it would match one of the listed %Score  almost exactly)

 

 

 

Rough guide to an approximate grade so far:

If I were to rank according to a strict curve based on third year distributions and I had only the information so far available,  the cutoffs for grades would be approximately as follows:

Student X had a %Rank of about  37% , putting student X right on the border between a B- and a B.  (Probably I would give student X a B).

 

Grade

Percentage of students with this grade

High %Rank cutoff for this grade

F

1

1.00

D

1

2.00

D+

2

4.00

C-

4

8.00

C

6

14.00

C+

9

23.00

B-

14

37.00

B

18

55.00

B+

16

71.00

A-

14

85.00

A

9

94.00

A+

6

100.00

 

 

The third year distribution is based on the  table labeled ÒDistribution of Grades in Undergraduate CoursesÓ on the University of Alberta web page: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/gfcpolicymanual/policymanualsection61-6.cfm)

It is reproduced here below. My second column above is just the 3rd year course column turned upside down.