Classroom Contribution: What Do Students Perceive as Fair Assessment?

Assigning a grade to students' class contribution may be 1 of the most controversial and difficult challenges that instructors face. The authors examine the perceived fairness of class contribution grading methods from the perspective of the performance appraisal literature. In 2 scenario studies based on actual grading techniques, the authors examined perceptions of fair assessment. Participants were undergraduate students from 2 universities. A theoretical model of procedural justice provided the background. Results indicate that 3 objective aspects of grading--explicitness of grading criteria, frequency of feedback, and proactiveness of instructor techniques--affect perceived fairness. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.)