/Office of the Provost
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Assessment Redefined: Approaches to Ungrading

Alternative grading offers a replacement to the traditional assessment by emphasizing student growth and engagement. Assessment approaches like contracting grading, ungrading, and specification grading shift the focus from scores to authentic learning. These methods prioritize feedback, reflection, and real-world application. 

There are many types of innovative assessments, including: 

  • Contract Grading:  Students and instructors collaboratively establish the criteria required to earn specific grades. 
  • Specification Grading ("Specs Grading"): Students are assessed based on clearly defined standards or specifications. 
  • Ungrading: Removes traditional grades and emphasizes detailed feedback. 

Alternative Grading Approach

Contract grading is a collaborative assessment method where students earn their final grade by fulfilling the terms of a mutually agreed-upon contract between the student and instructor, established at the start of the course. This contract outlines exactly what students must complete and to what standard to achieve a specific grade. 

How Contract Grading Works

  • Transparent Expectations: Each grade level (A, B, C) is tied to a clear set of tasks and performance criteria. 
  • Student Ownership: By choosing the grade they aim for and understanding the work it entails, students take greater responsibility of their learning. 
  • Mastery Over Points: The focus shifts from accumulating points to demonstrating consistent effort, engagement, and improvement. 

Additional Resources

Specifications grading, often called "spec grading," is a student-centered assessment approach designed to promote mastery of clearly defined learning outcomes. Instead of using partial credit or traditional point systems, this method relies on a pass/fail evaluation for each assignment based on whether it meets a set of predefined criteria. 

How Specification Grading Works 

  • Clear Expectations: Each assignment includes a detailed list of specifications that define what successful work looks like. Students either meet all the criteria and pass, or they revise and resubmit, no partial credit. 
  • Learning Bundles: Assignments are organized into bundles aligned with final course grades. To earn a particular grade, students must complete all assignments in the corresponding bundle. 
  • Mastery-Based Evaluation: Final grades reflect the level of mastery a student demonstrates. For example, earning an "A" means the student has meet all the specifications in the "A" bundle. 
  • Opportunities for Revision: Students typically have a limited number of changes to revise and submit work that does not meet the specifications. 

Additional Resources

Ungrading removes or significantly reduces the use of traditional letter grades, shifting the focus to frequent, detailed feedback that helps students understand  their work in relation to course objectives and learning outcomes. The primary goal is to support learning and skill development, rather than assigning summative score. 

How Ungrading Works 

  • No  Grades on Individual Assignments: Instead of receiving a letter or number grade, students get detailed feedback that highlights what they did well and areas of improvement. 
  • Self-Assessment: Students regularly reflect on their learning using clear goals and assignment criteria.  These reflections often contribute to their final evaluation. 
  • Portfolios and Final Reflections: At the end of the course, students submit a portfolio of their work along with a reflective essay discussing their growth, challenges, and achievements. This may be used to determine a final grade if required. 
  • Collaborative Grading Conferences: Instructors may hold one-on-one conferences with students to review their progress and agree on a final grade based on demonstrated learning and effort.

Additional Resources