The simplest of the grading methods, Pass-or-fail method gives the teacher only two options: pass the student to the next level, or fail them and force them to take the course over again. A passing grade might require minimum participation and submitting all assignments at a satisfactory level.
In this most widely used grading method, students receive a grade of A, B, C, D and F. The only failing letter grade is the F; all other letters are passing. Letter grades often correspond to a percentage grade. The letters can get very specific by including pluses and minuses. An A+, for example, might indicate a 100 percent, while an A indicates a 95-99 percent grade.
Percentage grading uses a percent scale based on a combination of "assessment" and "practice." Assessment includes any kind of exam, and practice means homework assignments. Both areas constitute a weighted portion of a student's grade. The advantage of percentage grading is that it allows teachers to give out very specific grades for performance on different course milestones. For example, if homework assignments contribute 60 percent of a student's grade, and exams make up 40 percent of a student's grade, a teacher can assess a student's progress and mastery of a subject through homework independent of how a student performs under testing pressure.
Mastery grading is similar to the pass-or-fail method because it strictly measures a student's mastery of the subject and his ability to move on. There are two acceptable passing grades in mastery grading: M and P. Students receive an M if they demonstrate mastery of a given subject, and a P if they are passing without demonstrating mastery. A grade of F means "failure," and the student with this grade will not move to the next level. The Mastery method grades in small segments of each subject to give students the ability to see where they need specific improvements. Another advantage is that it allows students to reach mastery of a subject at different times.