Although I have never had this exact problem, I have had things happen
for which I had to offer my students an abject apology and a set choices
that were not ideal.  I have found that a sincere and heartfelt apology
goes a long way toward making things right.  Of course, if you have been
understanding and reasonable when students have committed foul-ups
(overslept on exam day etc.) it really helps. 

Another option:  you can't give everyone an "A" in my opinion because
grades in classes are our representation to the world (and employers)
regarding a student's mastery of the material.  But before giving out
the scores on the exams you do have, I would give EVERYONE in the class
the option of (1) reallocating the weighting as has been suggested by
others so as not to "count" the lost exam, or (2) retaking the exact
same exam.  Students whose exams are not lost would have to choose
without knowing their grade on the midterm.  The "preview" of the exam
might give everyone a better idea of what and how to study, but then
they just learn more.

There is a guy, can't remember his name, who goes around recommending a
teaching strategy that always allows everyone to retake the exam (he
does write a new one) if they think they did badly.  

Liz Ellis

-----Original Message-----
From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Canarie
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 9:20 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Lost Bluebooks

What about this for your situation, David:  Grading the 40 papers that
you still have and giving the other 20 students the following choice:
(a) re-take the mid-term w/ different questions or (b) reallocate the
weightings of what you grade them on such that there is no weighting for
the lost mid-term.

 

Dave Canarie

[log in to unmask]

 
________________________________

From: Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk on behalf of
David Opderbeck
Sent: Fri 10/28/2005 10:04 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Lost Bluebooks


Last night I gave a mid-term to a class of about 60 students.  I left 20
of the bluebooks on the train on the way home (moron!).  I'm hoping they
will turn up in NJ Transit's lost and found today.  If they don't, has
anyone had to deal with a situation like this before, and how do you
handle it?  I'm thinking that if the missing bluebooks aren't found, the
only fair thing to do is to write a new mid-term and give a "do-over."