Bell curve?

[BigAl]

Is there something like this in uni when finding the passing grade?

[pi]

Sometimes they scale exams and the such, but pass is 50.

[slothpomba]

Usually no.

It's different from VCE. There is usually no scaling. You get what mark you get regardless of how others perform.

[FlorianK]

Usually no.

It's different from VCE. There is usually no scaling. You get what mark you get regardless of how others perform.

Isn't subject scaling unique to vce? or are there other countries that have it?

[slothpomba]

Isn't subject scaling unique to vce? or are there other countries that have it?

No idea but he seems to have gone to school in Australia so thats all that really matters to his question

[Fyrefly]

Sometimes they scale exams and the such, but pass is 50.

Getting a 49 would really suck.

[domislong]

I've been told by lecturers that  most unit coordinators/head markers look at the higher end of each bracket (48-9, 59, 69, 79 etc.) and have the power to bump up that student's mark to the next rank. This choice is usually based on attendance/participation, at least in most science units I've taken.

Never received an exact 50 before but I've certainly had a couple of 70s and 80s that should have been lower.

[JinXi]

I've been told by lecturers that  most unit coordinators/head markers look at the higher end of each bracket (48-9, 59, 69, 79 etc.) and have the power to bump up that student's mark to the next rank. This choice is usually based on attendance/participation, at least in most science units I've taken.

Never received an exact 50 before but I've certainly had a couple of 70s and 80s that should have been lower.

Someone I know got two 69's, one 78 and one 79 last semester. I don't think they bump students mark up unless its 49. Also scaling probably applies to everyone or it wouldn't be fair.

Incase you're curious I asked my supervisor (Coordinator for ASP2011 in 2012 - Heath Jones) how he scaled the unit. He told me that he scaled the unit up 12%*(100-your mark). This means that if you get 50, a bonus 0.12*(100-50)=6 marks are awarded, while if you get a 90, a bonus 0.12*(100-90)=1.2=1 mark was awarded. He also said that it's up to the unit coordinator as to how they scale each unit so I don't think they have a standardized scaling system in uni. I know that many of the coordinators in the mathematical science department uses the bell curve for scalling.

[slothpomba]

I've been told by lecturers that  most unit coordinators/head markers look at the higher end of each bracket (48-9, 59, 69, 79 etc.) and have the power to bump up that student's mark to the next rank. This choice is usually based on attendance/participation, at least in most science units I've taken.

Never received an exact 50 before but I've certainly had a couple of 70s and 80s that should have been lower.

I think ive heard about attendance and bumping units once or twice. I don't really think its for every bracket though. I only think its for 48-49. Remember, the unit co-ordinates look bad and have to fill in reports and answer to committees and stuff if over a certain percent fail.

That and they're mostly nice people, i'm sure they realise how sucky it would be to fail by 1%.

[kiraxxx]

I know for Psychology at Clayton, they do a bell curve!

[iamtom]

Getting a 49 would really suck.

It does.

A lot.

[nacho]

Sometimes they will scale you up/down so that they have the ideal number of students getting HD's, i've been told (this might only be for law subjects though)