Even how grades are generated, typically at the complete discretion of the professor, is all over the map. Some weight, some curve, some give extra credit, some inflate, some put outcomes over numeric values, some base evaluation off of a single exam, others weigh participation as heavily as course outcomes, and on and on. In other words, grades are different to almost everyone. Yet we all seem to buy into the representative nature of grading, ignoring the elephant in the room.
