I turned in my grades today with an hour to spare. I'm satisfied with my grades, but I do have a nagging concern about a problem that I had not encountered before. What do other graders do when a student has read the question wrong? The incorrect reading goes to a basic fact and so leads to a completely different (wrong) answer. (Assuming a corporation is publicly held rather than closely held, for example.) Does the answer get zero points, half points?
I was tempted to grade the answer as written in terms of how the student responded to the mistaken question because I want a student's grade to accurately reflect that student's knowledge of the material. However, that could lead to students making up their own questions to match the topics that they focused on when studying. Oops, I didn't study the Model Business Corporations Act, but I studied the Delaware statute. Maybe that's how I'll answer the question.
Anyway, just wondering.
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1. Posted by Eric on May 17, 2005 @ 7:21 | Permalink
Maybe not a perfect fit for comparison, but what would happen if they filed a brief in court that completely missed the issue? How about filing a complaint naming the wrong cause of action (I recognize that they may be allowed to amend the complaint)?
It's better that the student learn the lesson now than when they're playing with a client's future and/or when malpractice is potentially on the table.
2. Posted by Larry on May 17, 2005 @ 9:25 | Permalink
I don't know whether zero points should be awarded, but I agree that substantial points should be dropped. Reading comprehension is a basic skill that anyone in law school should have mastered already. I think some slight slack should be allowed because, unlike a filing with a court, there isn't a ridiculously short time limit attached to the writing of the brief/complaint.
3. Posted by Eric Goldman on May 17, 2005 @ 10:37 | Permalink
How far did the misdirected exams go down the stairs? Eric.
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