Tell students how they will be graded . The course syllabus should inform students what assessment instruments will be used and the weight each will have in determining course grades. Grade based on individual performance . Students want their grades to reflect their performance, not other people's. Grades based on preset cutoffs may be more satisfying to students than grades based on performance relative to the class mean.
Students also expect to be graded individually for their contribution to group work.
Individual performance on a collaborative project could include peer assessments or individual papers based on the assignment. Don't change policies in midcourse . Students expect grading policies to be firm. If alterations must be made, the changes and reasons for them should be fully explained. Ideally, the revised policy should benefit students, such as a new opportunity to gain points toward final grades.