Legal Research and Writing Grade Distribution? Forum

[All Due Respect]

Here are score breakdowns on the final memo, which accounts for 80% of the final grade:

Range: 19.5-60.5
Median: 44.5
Mean: 40.71

Given that the median has been said to be a B+, what do you think the numerical range for a given letter grade will be? (i.e. 20-30 = C; 31-40 = B; 41-50 = B+; etc.)

The professor gave us our score and the above info on range, median and mean, but no indication of what our actual letter grade is. Anyone willing to take a guess?

[arklaw13]

probably need another data point to make an accurate guess

[All Due Respect]

probably need another data point to make an accurate guess

Thanks for looking out for my statistical validity, but I don't have any other data. Anyone else have any insight?

[arklaw13]

probably need another data point to make an accurate guess

Thanks for looking out for my statistical validity, but I don't have any other data. Anyone else have any insight?

I don't think my legal writing professor curved until the end of the course. We had numerical scores on assignments like you have as well. At the end she applied the curve based on our point totals from various assignments, professionalism, etc.

So it's possible that you won't have a letter grade that will fit accurately onto your memo score if your professor didn't have the curve in mind when designing the rubric.

[Johann]

If median is a B+ you can prolly start there. ?? - 44.5 = B. Probably somewhere around 25-28 depending on your school and how generous curve is. 44.5 - something like 55 is B+. and then the top 15% will get an A so like 2 students wherever those scores are.

[All Due Respect]

I was under the impression that the median was a B+ and therefore not many students fall above or below. If true, it begs the question, how much higher or lower must one score to do so?

[AreJay711]

I was under the impression that the median was a B+ and therefore not many students fall above or below. If true, it begs the question, how much higher or lower must one score to do so?

It depends on the professors grading scheme and the standard deviation of scores. This uncertainty is why you need to cultivate relationships with senior students in law school. By leveraging their experience, you can maximize your study effort into the classes where you are most likely to realize gains / least likely to wind up in the median tranche. Instead of spinning your wheels in a class for no reward (or avoidance of failure), you could be capturing crucial GPA points that will be vital to your career and, honestly, your happiness. Acquainting yourself with the faculty and administration, on a personal level, outside of the strictures of the classroom, can also provide much-needed insight.

You obviously haven't put in the requisite groundwork this semester. You're going to need to do better next semester. As someone involved in hiring 1L interns, your lack of preparation speaks poorly to your ability to exercise the requisite diligence we'd want to see. Or . . . you know, just put your best, chill the fuck out, and wait for your grade to come out getting all neurotic about shit you can't change.

[All Due Respect]

I was under the impression that the median was a B+ and therefore not many students fall above or below. If true, it begs the question, how much higher or lower must one score to do so?

It depends on the professors grading scheme and the standard deviation of scores. This uncertainty is why you need to cultivate relationships with senior students in law school. By leveraging their experience, you can maximize your study effort into the classes where you are most likely to realize gains / least likely to wind up in the median tranche. Instead of spinning your wheels in a class for no reward (or avoidance of failure), you could be capturing crucial GPA points that will be vital to your career and, honestly, your happiness. Acquainting yourself with the faculty and administration, on a personal level, outside of the strictures of the classroom, can also provide much-needed insight.

You obviously haven't put in the requisite groundwork this semester. You're going to need to do better next semester. As someone involved in hiring 1L interns, your lack of preparation speaks poorly to your ability to exercise the requisite diligence we'd want to see. Or . . . you know, just put your best, chill the fuck out, and wait for your grade to come out getting all neurotic about shit you can't change.

Fuck you. You can stick that internship right up your ass you blowhard clown. 99.99% of the shit on here is neurotic banter. I was just looking for some lighthearted speculation. Now that you've set me straight you can go back to giving some crusty old partner a handjob in order to maintain your lofty position entertaining prospective summer interns. Congrats.

[pom fig]

Whoa.

[Nebby]

All Due Respect, with all due respect, you're an idiot.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I was under the impression that the median was a B+ and therefore not many students fall above or below. If true, it begs the question, how much higher or lower must one score to do so?

What the median grade is doesn't tell you anything about how many people fall above/below that median.