Psy 423.  Community Psychology
Spring 2004

General Guidelines for Evaluation [Grading] Contracts

The contract should contain a preface or introduction indicating how your academic and personal goals relate to the Mission & Goals of the class, which is about the psychology of creating intentional community, and how your own goals and priorities inform the specifics of your Evaluation Contract.

The contract should be clearly divided into four sections:

  • Self-Evaluation
  • Concepts & Theory
  • Class Evaluation
  • Service-Learning Contract

    • Each section should spell out the criteria for obtaining a letter grade for that section and the weight (percentage of the total grade) that will be assigned to that section.

    Criteria for letter grades should be spelled out clearly.  See the class handout on “rubrics” and the discussion in Godolphin & Warmoth on “criteria referenced grading.”

    The overall course grade which you wish to achieve should be indicated.

    Guidelines for individual sections of the Evaluation Contract:

    Self-Evaluation:

  • The basis of the self-evaluation should be clearly spelled out.
  • Criteria for A-C grades should be clearly defined.

    • Concepts & Theory:

  • The basis for documenting your mastery of concepts and theory should be clearly defined (writings, presentation, etc.)
  • The role of the instructor in the evaluation of the mastery of concepts and theory should be spelled out.
  • Criteria for A-C grades should be clearly defined.

    • Class Evaluation:

  • The criteria for this component of the overall grade have yet to be fully developed by the class.  However, you can indicate the weight you wish to assign to the class evaluation in calculating your overall grade.
  • Evaluation for this component of the class will include student presentations to the class.  Your presentation may be addressed to your overall learning experience in the class, or it may focus on a particular topic of interest.

    • Service-Learning Contract:

  • Evaluation of this component will be in terms of the satisfactory completion of your Service-Learning Contract.
  • Your Grading Contract should indicate the weight to be given to the service-learning component, and if that contract has not spelled out the basis for A-C grades, this should be included in your Grading Contract.