Grade inflation

From grade inflation is present when examinees for the same service in later years will get better grades than in previous years. The existence of the phenomenon in schools and universities is controversial.

Detectability

The existence of the phenomenon could not be sure it is scientifically demonstrated to date. Seen from statistics is simply that in some areas the average grades have improved over time. Such was, for example, the average high school grades in Baden- Württemberg in the 1970s to 2.8 and in the 1980s at 2.5. In 2008, the average was 2.32 already. On the cause of this development, however, the statistics makes no statement. The phenomenon could on the one hand to a better allocation scores for the same performance - be due, on the other hand, it is also possible that improved teaching actually led to better performance - so a note inflation.

Causes

There are also no reliable information about the causes of a possibly existing note inflation. There are numerous explanations, none of which has been scientifically proven:

Probably the most common explanation is the assumption that the central donor in schools and universities respond to the growing since the 1970s, pressure on the labor market. Teachers and professors give - we conjecture - that students and teachers always better grades to improve their chances on the labor market has become tighter. One approach, which of course can not be successful if it is practiced everywhere.

Another assumption relates to the area of the Jewish bureaucracy. According to this conjecture try educational institutions, the quality of their work through good grades to prove. Accordingly, there exists a pressure on schools and universities tend to be more and better grades to show some success against the cult and science bureaucracy can.

In part, has also been suggested that the phenomenon is caused at universities increasingly on the evaluation of events by the students. It is assumed here that professors almost buy a good assessment of their event by the students through good final grades.

Follow

The result of the note inflation is a devaluation of the note. To substantiate its demand, many universities, in addition to the high school to be able to perform proficiency testing, among other things, an allegedly existing note inflation, which means that on a high school diploma could no longer be regarded as a guarantee of the ability to study. A similar phenomenon occurs in the training market. Many training companies see in a good testimony insufficient evidence for the suitability, ability to traverse a lesson successfully. They also lead a supposedly existing note inflation as a reason for setting tests.