Could your tests withstand a grade appeal?

by Kelly Beischel PhD, RN, CNE

A faculty member contacted me recently.

She is facing the nightmare so many of us in academia fear.
A student is appealing her final grade. Yikes!

You may be surprised to hear that this student failed 3 of her 4 course tests. But, that is not what she is contesting. Rather, the student is appealing because “the tests in this faculty member’s course were unfair in comparison to other courses.”  “The tests were too hard.”

And now the faculty member must defend her tests before the grade appeal panel.

Seeking advice, this faculty member asked me about what she should prepare for her meeting with the grade appeal panel.

This is what I told her:

1. Bring copies of your syllabus to demonstrate how the policies of the course, including testing, are clearly laid out.
2. Be prepared to defend the reliability and validity of the course tests.
3. Bring copies of your course tests and all of the corresponding test analyses provided by the test analysis software.
4. Bring copies of your test item blueprints.
5. Be prepared to cite best evidence literature that indicates the tests were reliable and valid.

Do you agree?

If you were this faculty member, could you provide the grade appeal panel the evidence that indicates your tests are reliable and valid?

Likewise, administrators, do you ever have students in your school who pass their courses and fail the HESI or NCLEX? 

Imagine, having an irate father on the phone, upset that his child passed your program yet failed the final high stakes exit exam or the licensure exam. Could you demonstrate that the tests being administered to the students in your school are reliable and valid?

I often receive looks of horror when I ask faculty members and administrators these two questions.

And unfortunately, the answer I often receive is no.

How can this be?

Because, unless you or your team studied test item writing and analysis in college or attended a test item writing and analysis workshop, you may not know how to conduct a test analysis to determine test effectiveness.

Like the faculty member who contacted me,

• you may not have been taught how to determine whether the test items discriminate between high scorers and low scorers
• whether the
• nor how to determine the reliability and validity of the test.

If this is your story, thoughts about appearing before a grade appeal panel may spark a sense of alarm.

Test Analysis Infographic

To this end …

I created a test analysis infographic for you that illustrates the basics of test analysis.  

Even if you know how to conduct a test analysis, you too will love this infographic Because who doesn’t like a visual reminder about the parameters and important elements to examine when conducting a test analysis? 

You can click here for a printable 8 x 11 version that can be hung by your desk or placed in the front of a binder for easy access as you conduct your test analysis. 

If you discover that the test is not reliable or valid, all is not lost. Determine which factors may have contributed to the instability of the exam and make the necessary improvements.

The knowledge that your test is effective is worth the effort.
The sleep you’ll get the night before appearing in front of the grade appeal panel? Priceless.

Let me know your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.
Or email me at [email protected] with questions.