Performance criteria

In the instructions for writing the performance criteria, we are asked to identify what can distinguish a high-quality examination response from a lower-quality response. There are a number of evaluative criteria that apply generally, regardless of the specific examination question. Before I provide details below for each specific question, I will now present the general criteria

An excellent exam is one that first and foremost accomplishes the following tasks: (1) reveals a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the course readings, as manifested by an explicit discussion of the readings (authors’ names, factual/theoretical details, etc.); (2) effectively synthesizes complementary ideas from diverse readings, and uses the readings cooperatively (e.g., “author1’s theory generates the hypothesis that…but author2 presents evidence that challenges author1’s hypotheses…”); (3) accomplishes the previous two tasks while always focused on the specific question that is being asked of them – viz., they must answer the question; (4) organizes the exam effectively, with clear “signposts” to guide the reader through the paper’s development; (5) writes in an intelligent and scholarly manner, i.e. does not engage in “loose or casual talk,”
but rather is always tied to the question itself and the readings and ideas from the course; (6) engages in some critical analysis, revealing the student’s ability to identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various ideas that he or she is discussing, and perhaps contribute some original insights.

Furthermore, it should be recalled that an examination for a specific course must be based overwhelmingly upon the syllabus from that course and not upon readings or knowledge that the student has garnered from any previous courses, however directly or indirectly relevant that information might be.

In my estimation, in order to receive a C grade, the student must first and foremost satisfy conditions (1) and (3) above: the student must answer the question, and do this in a manner that shows explicitly that he/she has read and understood the course readings. To the degree that this is done in a progressively less effective and less comprehensive manner, so should the grade fall into the realms of D, and E. If the exam discusses only a very narrow range of readings and reveals a superficial understanding of them, and discusses only one or a couple of central points, then an F might be considered. On the other hand, to the degree that the exam accomplishes
tasks (1) and (3) in a more thorough and sophisticated manner, and to the degree that the other criteria above are also satisfied, so should the grade enter the realms of B and A.

I emphasize the following. First and foremost, the student must demonstrate a command of the syllabus readings. The vast majority of the readings on the syllabus were discussed in course lectures and seminars in a manner intended to make them clear and accessible to the students. Furthermore, condensed versions of the lecture notes were made publicly available to the students over the student portal. Therefore, the sensors should be advised that the students are expected to make explicit references to the literature discussed. This helps to distinguish those students who have actually read and applied the readings from those students who are merely summarizing my words as drawn from the lecture notes (without necessarily having studied the readings themselves).

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