Session: 10-03-01: Globalization of Engineering, Study Abroad Education, Engineering Accreditation, Curricular Reforms and Revisions, ABET Programs Assessment, Continuous Education and Ethical Dimensions

Paper Number: 167190

Analyzing Grade Distribution Variability in a Mechanical Engineering Program: Challenges and Strategies for Consistency 

In our engineering programs, grades of C through A are passing grades, while grades of D, F, and W (withdraw) are considered unsuccessful attempts. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, one of the factors used in the annual evaluation of faculty is the percentage of DFW grades in any course taught by each faculty member. If the percentage of DFW grades exceeds 30%, the instructor is encouraged to propose a plan to reduce the DFW rate in future semesters.

In recent years, it has been observed that the percentage of DFW grades assigned by various instructors in required courses varies significantly across courses required for the BS degree. Additionally, the percentage of DFW grades assigned by different instructors teaching the same courses varies considerably. For example, in six sections of a lower-division engineering course taught by two different instructors within the fall and spring semesters, the DFW rate assigned by the two faculty members ranged from 21% to 73%. In a junior-level mechanical engineering course, three different instructors taught three sections of the course in the fall and spring semesters, with DFW rates varying from 45% to 71%.

In another junior-level mechanical engineering course, where the DFW rate has typically ranged from 25% to 40% in the past, a new instructor in a recent semester assigned 42% A, 42% B, 14% C, and only 2% DFW grades. There is also a wide variation in grade distributions in prerequisite courses. In general, the average GPA for laboratory courses is higher than that for lecture courses. During the fall and spring semesters of the 2023-24 academic year, excluding laboratory courses, the average GPA in prerequisite courses ranged from 1.02 (with a standard deviation of 1.15) in a thermodynamics course to 3.19 (with a standard deviation of 0.77) in a fluid mechanics course.

This lack of consistency has resulted in some students reaching upper-division courses with poor foundational knowledge from prerequisite courses due to lenient grading, while others struggle to advance through the curriculum due to strict grading.

The proposed paper will provide statistical data and compare grade distributions for the required courses offered in the program. It will also compare the grade distributions for sections of the same course taught by different faculty members within the same semester. Additionally, the paper will provide examples of strategies used in the past to bring more uniformity in grading across different sections of the same courses. The proposed paper will also make recommendations for achieving greater consistency in grade distribution among prerequisite courses required in the degree program.

Presenting Author: Amir Karimi University of Texas at San Antonio

Presenting Author Biography: Amir Karimi is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky in 1982. His teaching and research interests are in thermal sciences. He has served as the Chair of Mechanical Engineering (1987 to 1992 and September 1998 to January of 2003), College of Engineering Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (Jan. 2003-April 2006), and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies (April 2006-September 2013). Dr. Karimi is a Fellow of ASEE, a Fellow of ASME, senior member of AIAA, and holds membership in ASHRAE, and Sigma Xi. He has served as the ASEE Campus Representative at UTSA, ASEE-GSW Section Campus Representative, and served as the Chair of ASEE Zone III (2005-07). He chaired the ASEE-GSW section during the 1996-97 academic year.

Authors:

Amir Karimi University of Texas at San Antonio
Randall Manteufel The University of Texas at San Antonio