Simple Specifications Grading
Sylvia Carlisle · PRIMUS · 2019
Specifications grading is a version of mastery grading distinguished by giving students clear specifications that their work must meet, and grading most things pass/fail based on those specifications. Mastery grading systems can get quite elaborate, with hierarchies of objectives and various systems for rewriting and retesting. In this article I present and discuss the results of two relatively simple implementations of specs grading, one in a differential equations course, and one in a discrete math course that includes an introduction to proof writing. I highlight several novel aspects of my systems: a buy-in activity, a “catch-up” quiz, and an oral quiz option.