Everything You Need to Know About Specifications Grading
Higher education evaluation is in serious need of change. What does Specifications Grading bring to the table?
By Morgan Shelley
Evaluation is complicated.
Instructor markings can pass or fail a student. They can clear the path to a degree or discourage students who already feel they do not belong in college for many reasons. Some grading systems are controversial, anxiety-inducing and complex—having an unempathetic professor often makes matters worse. Requiring students to be present in class by a specific time to gain participation points or setting the percentage bar so high that students must get interstellar marks on every assignment to get anything more than a C—a letter that does not reflect them or their life circumstances—might not be the best approach to grading. Traditional evaluation systems have long been criticized for their inflexibility, contributions to student burnout and failure to support student learning. Is Specifications Grading a solution to this ongoing dilemma?
Student enjoying a beverage and using their laptop while sitting on the ground. Credit: Ponomariova Maria from Pixabay
The Basics
Specifications Grading is a pass/fail evaluation system that assigns students a particular letter grade based on the number of modules and assignments they successfully complete. The system was introduced in “Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time” by Linda B. Nilson nearly a decade ago and has gained popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifications Grading is different from point-based or percentage-based grading systems, which focus heavily on numbers, but the one thing they have in common is letter grades. It is one of many evaluation systems utilized worldwide in higher education systems.
Instructor and Student Opinions
“What appealed the most to me about Specs Grading is that it’s a win-win for both instructors and students,” says Holman Tse, assistant professor of language studies in the department of literature, language and writing. “For instructors, it simplifies the grading process. For students, it makes grading clearer and more transparent.” Tse (he/him) has taught undergraduate courses since 2012 and has previously utilized Specifications Grading. When asked if he anticipated any challenges with the system for his students, Tse replies, “You really need to have a good sense of what the student learning outcomes of a course are supposed to be. Without that, it can be difficult to set up Specs Grading in a way that makes sense.”
Specifications Grading, like any evaluation system, looks different depending on the instructor utilizing it and the subject matter being presented in a course. Another unique aspect of the system, which can also vary depending on the instructor, is the ability to resubmit assignments.
Natalie Nemes ‘24 (English, she/her) has three courses that are utilizing Specifications Grading for the first time this semester, two of them with Tse. “Besides rewarding students who turn in mediocre work with the same grade as those who turn in exemplary work, Specs Grading also sometimes forces students to turn in every single low-stakes assignment to obtain a passing grade,” she responds when asked about possible negatives of Specifications Grading. The number of modules and assignments students are required to complete successfully is high, even for an average C marking. Nemes does not think Specifications Grading encourages student learning, but she finds it “encouraging that more professors are taking mental health into account when constructing their courses.”
Emma Seehafer ‘24 (History, English minor, she/her) is also encountering Specifications Grading for the first time this semester. For her, it’s business as usual. “I don’t believe anything has changed for me, but I appreciate that assignments are evaluated pass/fail since it makes everyday work less onerous,” she responds when asked how she feels about Specifications Grading so far. Seehafer also notes that while the evaluation system is more flexible and can be helpful for students with different circumstances, “students can end up pushing work off because of different assignment setups and then have a lot of stress later on.” Because Specifications Grading is a pass/fail grading system, students typically do not receive markings unless they attempt an assignment. This can create the illusion that certain assignments are optional when in reality, they are not.
The Future of Higher Education Evaluation Systems
The world is changing and our systems need to change with it. “I think there are many ways to successfully organize a course and a grading system, so I would never say that I think everyone should adopt Specifications Grading,” says Kristen Lillvis, division chair of arts and humanities. Lillvis (she/they) has been teaching for 15 years. They believe evaluation systems are not one-size-fits-all, and she wishes Specifications Grading was an option during her college experience. “I think it would have helped me focus less on getting a certain grade and more on learning key skills and creating my own pathway through a course,” Lillvis says.
Specifications Grading can give higher education students agency, something we usually have restricted access to, but it is not without flaws. Our instructors and advisors determine many aspects of our experience. This reality—and the standard of letter grades—will likely not change any time soon. Everyone interviewed for this article was hesitant to say all St. Kate’s instructors should utilize Specifications Grading and this notifies me that there is much more work to be done. Letter grades are imperfect. Some believe Specifications Grading is the ideal solution to traditional evaluation system flaws because it utilizes a different grading approach, but the outcome of that approach is still a letter that does not tell the whole story. “If we want to discuss real alternative systems, we could talk about narrative evaluations, rubrics appearing on transcripts, or replacing traditional letter grades of ABCDF with adjectives like excellent, good, poor or even honors, pass, fail,” responds Tse when asked what he thought of the future of higher education grading systems.
The United States education system is long overdue for a makeover. Specifications Grading is an imperfect response to a broken system, not a solution to outdated traditions. At the same time, it is a step in the right direction that asks us to consider the brutal expectations that have been maintained for students throughout history.
