Summary of Grade Inflation Gone Wild

Stuart Rojstaczer, a geophysics professor of Duke University, offers a profound

perspective about grade inflation in Grade Inflation Gone Wild, which was published

in 2009’s Christian Science Monitor. He claims that grade inflation has become a

troublesome issue currently, having huge negative effects on both schools and

students. Although it is tough to fix the problems, the universities still get a chance

and also need to put more efforts into rescuing the quality of education in the US.

The author argues that in 1960s, for the first time, grade inflation became a

national problem. It kept stable in the next ten years and then went up again in 1980s.

Neither private schools nor public schools can escape the influence of grade inflation.

In his statement, even at the present time, with an increasing number of queries about

US higher education quality, the grades continue rising. The average GPA of public

schools has reached 3.0 when that of many top schools in the state is over 3.2.

Rojstaczer provides a recent survey covered more than 30,000 freshmen in the

US. It indicates that, due to the fact that getting a B+ or better is much easier than

before, over half students waste more time on recreations like drinking rather than

learning. Such a survey adequately reflects the serious impacts of grade inflation. It

emphasizes that if this inflation continues, not only will the students get a limited

education, but they will also pick up some harmful habits.

In spite of the grim situation, the example of Princeton University mentioned in

the article shows that, in fact, there are ways around this problem. To dampen the rise

of grades, Princeton issued series of guidelines, restricting only 35 percent of the

students in the class to receive a grade of A. The impressive result demonstrates the

possibility of keeping the average of grades down to normal. So did Wellesley and

Reed get positive effects through similar efforts.

According to the successful cases, Rojstaczer concludes two main steps for the

solution of controlling grade inflation: acknowledging the existence of the problem

and bringing the adaptive policies into force. Unfortunately, he notes that few schools

have adopted Princeton’s rules because of the difficulty of implementation.

As Rojstaczer illustrates at the end of the article, ‘Making a switch will take hard

work, but the effort is worthwhile.’ It is responsible for schools to retrieve academic

rigor so that the adverse effects of grade inflation on students can be gradually

reduced. The author draws more public attention, prompting more people to be aware

of the problems caused by grade inflation. In this way, all sectors of society are able to

apply themselves to improve the education from various aspects.

Target Grammar Application Sheet (TGAS)

Assignment name: Summary
Target Grammar/Skills: Paraphrasing, collocations, signal phrases/reporting
language

Examples Explanation/ details

paraphrasing
The author argues that in 1960s, for the The original statement in the article is: ‘I
first time, grade inflation became a learned that grades started to shoot up
national problem. It kept stable in the next nationwide in the 1960s, leveled off in
ten years and then went up again in 1980s. the 1970s, and then started rising again
in the 1980s.’
 I separated the sentence into two.
In his statement, even at the present time, The original statement in the article is:
with an increasing number of queries ‘Grades continue to go up regardless of
about US higher education quality, the the quality of education. At a time
grades continue rising. The average GPA when many are raising questions about
of public schools has reached 3.0 when the quality of US higher education, the
that of many top schools in the state is average GPA at public schools is 3.0,
over 3.2. with many flagship state schools
having average GPAs higher than 3.2.’
I changed the order of ideas.
To dampen the rise of grades, Princeton The original statement in the article is:
issued series of guidelines, restricting only ‘Princeton University began to actually
35 percent of the students in the class to do something about its grade-inflation
receive a grade of A. problem. Its guidelines have the effect
of now limiting A's on average to 35
percent of students in a class.’
I combined the ideas into a whole.
collocation
The universities still get a chance and also effort (noun):
need to put more efforts into rescuing the (verb+effort) require/denote/put in/be
quality of education in the US. worth
So did Wellesley and Reed get positive (prep.+effort) with/without/through
effects through similar efforts.

According to the successful cases, existence (noun):

Rojstaczer concludes two main steps for (verb+existence) acknowledge/be aware
the solution of controlling grade inflation: of/come into/owe
acknowledging the existence of the (prep.+existence) in
problem and bringing the adaptive policies (adj.+existence)
into force. human/social/future/mere/actual

Rojstaczer implies that, such surveys reflect (verb)

adequately reflect the serious impacts of (adv.+reflect)
grade inflation. clearly/simply/merely/adequately
(verb +reflect) pause to/leave sb. to

signal phrases/ reporting language

He claims that grade inflation has become use the signal word ‘claim’( + clause) to
a troublesome issue currently, having summary the main idea of the article
huge negative effects on both schools and
students.

In spite of the grim situation, the example use the signal phrase ‘the example
 of Princeton University mentioned in the mentioned in the article’ to show more
article shows that, in fact, there are ways details of the reading
around this problem.

As Rojstaczer illustrates at the end of the use the signal word ‘illustrate’ to quote
article, ‘Making a switch will take hard an important opinion that the author
work, but the effort is worthwhile.’ mentioned

Student Error Log

Name: Genghuadong Liu

Assignment 1:
Sentences with Errors Description of Error/ Explanation and Correction
Correction Symbol Remarks
example: after the thief transitive vs. intransitive 'to rob' takes an object After the thief robbed
robbed, he ran himself verbs the woman,
away quickly
'to run' in intransitive- no
object he ran away quickly.

Stuart Rojstaczer, the the definite articles vs. a university has many Stuart Rojstaczer, a
geophysics professor of the indefinite articles professors and he is just geophysics
one of it
Duke University professor of Duke
University
he claims that informal words vs. ‘nowadays’ is a he claims that grade
nowadays grade formal words conventional that isn’t inflation has become
used in academic writing
inflation has become a a troublesome issue
troublesome issue currently

the average GPA of present simple tense vs. here should use ‘reached’ the average GPA of
present perfect tense rather than ‘reaches’
public schools has public schools has
reaches 3.0 reached 3.0

not only will the not only will: here should use parallel not only will the
students get a limited a) subject + verb structure students get a
b) subject + verb
education, but also will or not only sb.
limited education,
lead to some harmful a) verb but they will also
habits b) verb pick up some
harmful habits
to dampen the rise of singular noun vs. plural the word ‘grade’ is to dampen the rise
grade, Princeton issued noun countable of grades, Princeton
series of guidelines issued series of
guidelines
the adverse effects of word order problem the word ‘gradually’ the adverse effects
grade inflation on should put before the verb of grade inflation on
‘reduced’
students can be reduced students can be
gradually gradually reduced

it is responsible for wrong word formation the word ‘comeback’ is a it is responsible for
schools to comeback and wrong collocation noun and is not used with schools to retrieve
rigor
academic rigor academic rigor