Explanation for Spring Grades

You will have received a checklist and a comment sheet with the 2^nd semester exam answer scores. The first score is for the multiple choice. (Remember that I use a two-digit number to reflect a letter grade; thus, a 20 is a 2.0 or a C; a 37 is a 3.7 or an A-, etc.) For a score of 0 correct on the multiple choice, I assigned a grade of 10; for 1 out of 2 correct I gave a 25; and for getting both right I gave a 40. The two essay questions had a respective point value of 65 and 60, so that the spring exam had a point total of 135. I averaged the multiple choice and essay questions to equal a total for the spring semester, and then I averaged the spring semester grade (at 40%) with the first semester grade (of 60%).

As I mentioned throughout the year, I “sweeten” the top of the curve to give more high grades than the strict mathematical score would indicate. Here is how the mathematical average of the first and second semester translates into the grade on your transcript:

15.95 – 18.29 C- (3)

18.91 – 21.34 C (15)

21.83 – 24.95 C+ (18)

25.12 – 27.64 B- (42)

27.88 – 29.90 B (23)

30.03 – 31.61 B+ (13)

31.82 – 33.78 A- (11)

33.93 – 38.56 A (9)