Maggie's Farm

I had a professor in college who said quite simply "Nobody will get an A in this class because it is so difficult, and the issues so varied, that an A is impossible. If you get a B, consider it an A."
I got a B. But it led me to ask this question: "If you say a B is the same as an A, then why not hand out grades on your scale, then bump everyone up one level so you are better coordinated with the scales which the university works? Those who are truly poor and get an F can keep their F, but those who are borderline you can at least give a D to."
He listened patiently and silently. Then replied "I don't have to adhere to any guidelines but my own and I believe handing out As is too easy and too many professors do it."

I can accept that (this was 1983, mind you, and even I thought grade inflation was bad then), but it seemed a punitive solution to a difficult problem.

On the other hand, I had a professor in Grad School who said "your entire grade will be based on 2 papers. If you get 2 As, you will get an A. If you get an A and a B, that is a B+ (and so on). An A will be defined as a PUBLISHABLE paper - one which a journal or publishing organization can utilize."

I got an A on both - but with a caveat. His reply was "your writing style is one of high journalism, it is not meant for academic work. It is publishable, therefore you have gotten the grade you deserve - the research is rich, your hypotheses well described and your thoughts well developed." I always felt, of all the classes I ever took, that this professor had done the most to prepare us to succeed - fully outlining what was expected, and allowing us the room to maneuver and get the grade we deserved.