Title: Grade inflation in the US higher educational environment: a faculty perception study

Authors: Kristie Ogilvie; Matthew Jelavic

Addresses: College of Business and Public Administration, California State University San Bernardino, Jack Brown Hall, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA ' Faculty of Business and Information Technology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: This paper reports an extensive review of the literature in relation to grade inflation from the 1970s to the present. With a decade-by-decade look, a review of whether grade inflation exists begins the foundation for the furthering of the discussion to the possible root causes behind the phenomenon. Additional discussion is focused on the effects of grade inflation on students and faculty; and on potential solutions by institutions. Subsequently, an empirical study was conducted that tests the leading theories as to the rationale of such a phenomenon. Finally, some conclusions are presented based on the results of this study.

Keywords: grade inflation; pedagogy; academic rigour; faculty evaluations; grade policies; faculty perceptions; USA; United States; higher education; universities; student grades; California State University; San Bernardino; CSUSB; education management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2013.056642

International Journal of Management in Education, 2013 Vol.7 No.4, pp.406 - 416

Published online: 13 Sep 2014 *

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