ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE

Thesis statement (your argument/claim): College should not apply normal distribution grading or
commonly known as bell curve system because it denies individual potencies, grows ego, and hurts
performance.

Premise/reason 1: High performances given by students are not admitted if the number is quite big.
Bell curve system focuses on the hyper-performers.

 Evidence (copy the statement from the source): Grading on a curve, in one form or another,
is a common practice in higher education. The practice is often criticized for ignoring the
possibility that an instructor and the class may have together worked to the point where
more than half of the students have earned a top grade.

 Source:
Roth, W. F. (2000). Our Grading System Throws Kids A Curve. The Education Digest, 65, 27-
31.

 Paraphrase:

According to Roth, W.F. (2000, pp.27-31), grading on a curve is often applied on the higher
level of education. Complains often come towards the practice due to rejection of the
chance that a lecturer and the class may have collaborated to reach the point where a high
grade has been earned by most of the students.

Premise/reason 2: Because A scores are limited, students are forced to grow egos by neglecting
their friends who are asking for assistance.

 Evidence (copy the statement from the source):

1. Students must compete with one another for the few scarce rewards (high grades) to be
awarded by teachers. Doing well does not mean learning excellently; it means outdoing your
classmates. Such competition damages relationships in school.

2. “The bell curve system reduces social cooperation and trust among students. It creates an
unhealthy environment where many students are afraid to help one another because they
are worried it will hurt their chances of getting an ‘A’,” says former NTU student, Jeraldine
Phneah.

 Source:
Krumboltz, J. D., & Yeh, C. J. (1996). Competitive Grading Sabotages Good Teaching. Phi
Delta Kappan, 78(4), 324-326.

Vanathy. (n.d.). The Noteway. Retrieved from http://thenoteway.com/abolish-the-bell-

curve-system-ntu-student-jeraldine-phneah/

 Paraphrase:
 To get awarded by teachers, students must compete due to the limited rewards – the high
grades. Performing well does not reflect an excellent learning but rather to prove that one
has succeed in outdoing the classmates. Therefore, such rivalry ruins relationships in school.
(Krumboltz, J. D., & Yeh, C. J., 1996, pp.324-326)

<Quotation>:
As former NTU student, Jeraldine Phneah (n.d.) asserted, “The bell curve system reduces
social cooperation and trust among students. It creates an unhealthy environment where
many students are afraid to help one another because they are worried it will hurt their
chances of getting an ‘A’”.

Premise/reason 3: Although it seems like an appraisal system, the bell curve grading system can
really hurt anyone’s performance.

 Evidence (copy the statement from the source): In fact, David Rock's research shows that
when we receive a "rating" or "appraisal" our brain shifts into "fear or flight" mode and
shifts to our limbic brain. This shift, which takes place whenever we are threatened,
immediately takes us out of the mode to learn or create, making us defensive. So, the actual
act of executing a performance appraisal itself reduces performance.

 Source:
Bersin, J. (2014, February 19). The Forbes. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2014/02/19/the-myth-of-the-bell-curve-look-for-
the-hyper-performers/#5d53def76bca

 Summary:
In Forbes, David Rock reports through his research that when we get “rating” or “appraisal”,
our brain brings us to “fear of flight” mode through our limbic brain. Whenever we are
under pressure, this shift happens and takes us out of the mode to learn or create which
result in building a defensive mentality. Therefore, performance degradation is an
implication of a performance appreciation itself. (Bersin, J., 2014)

Rebuttal/refutation/objection 1: The purposes of grading are administrative functions, feedback

about student achievement, guidance, instructional planning, and motivation. The main purpose of
grading is to provide information or feedback to students and parents.

 Counter-argument: Good grade is only a reflection of someone’s passion.

 Evidence (copy the statement from the source): People learn better and faster if they have
some interest in the topic or skill at hand.

 Source: Strickland, C. A. (2004, November). Differentiated Instruction: An Overview.

Educators Publishing Service.

 Paraphrase:
 When people have some passion in a topic or skill, they understand the material better with
a little time consumption. (Strickland, C. A., 2004)

Rebuttal/refutation/objection 2: Students need to motivate themselves to maximize their

performance.

 Counter-argument: Grading on a curve does not increase student motivation and the
motivation itself does not depend on grades.

 Evidence (copy the statement from the source):

1. Critics also suggest that grading on a curve does not provide the ideal incentives for
student motivation (Michaels, 1976)

2. Mandel and Marcus (1995) concluded that, ‘‘Underachievers are, in fact, highly
motivated—in directions other than getting good grades. And finding out precisely where
their motivation lies is the key to helping them turn around and become achievers at
school’’ (p. 3).

 Source:
Michaels, J. W. (1976). A Simple View of the Grading Issue. Teaching Sociology, 3, 108-203.

Mandel, H. P., & Marcus, S. I. (1995). "Could do better": Why Children Underachieve and
What to Do About It. New York: Wiley.

 Paraphrase:
Grading on a curve gains critic because it does not deliver meaningful motivation for
students (Michaels, J.W., 1976)

<Quotation>:
Mandel and Marcus (1995, p.3) said, ‘‘Underachievers are, in fact, highly motivated—in
directions other than getting good grades. And finding out precisely where their motivation
lies is the key to helping them turn around and become achievers at school’’.

Conclusion (repeat the thesis statement in a different way): The bell curve, which is a normally
distributed grading system should not be applied in college because it is neither good for individual
skills nor the social relationship. It does not only neglect individual potencies but also grows personal
egos and harms performance.

Call for action/recommendation: Instead of segregating students into distinct baskets – top, average
and bottom performers, it is better for college and other institutions to apply “checkpoint system”.
This system requires continuous feedback which more likely suits the aim in education – to let
students gradually develop their skills.
Works Cited
Bersin, J. (2014, February 19). The Forbes. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2014/02/19/the-myth-of-the-bell-curve-look-for-
the-hyper-performers/#5d53def76bca

Krumboltz, J. D., & Yeh, C. J. (1996). Competitive Grading Sabotages Good Teaching. Phi Delta
Kappan, 78(4), 324-326.

Mandel, H. P., & Marcus, S. I. (1995). "Could do better": Why Children Underachieve and What to Do
About It. New York: Wiley.

Michaels, J. W. (1976). A Simple View of the Grading Issue. Teaching Sociology, 3, 108-203.

Roth, W. F. (2000). Our Grading System Throws Kids A Curve. The Education Digest, 65, 27-31.

Strickland, C. A. (2004, November). Differentiated Instruction: An Overview. Educators Publishing

Service.

Vanathy. (n.d.). The Noteway. Retrieved from http://thenoteway.com/abolish-the-bell-curve-

system-ntu-student-jeraldine-phneah/