The analysis of the impact of individual weighting factor on individual scores

In this study, category‐based self and peer assessment were applied twice in a semester in an Elementary Science Teaching Methods course in order to assess individual contributions of group members to group projects as well as to analyze the impact of Individual Weighting Factors (IWF) on individual scores and individual grades. IWF were calculated by applying Conway et al.'s (1993 Conway, R., Kember, D., Sivan, A. and Wu, M. 1993. Peer‐assessment of an individual's contribution to a group project. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 18(1): 45–54. Taylor & Francis Online] Google Scholar]) formula. The resulting individual scores were analyzed to find out the impact of IWF on individual scores and individual grades. It was found that the differentiation of individual scores was very large in both applications and caused dramatic changes in some of the students' grades. For this reason, the IWF had to be scaled down to decrease its effect on individual grades. After scaling down the IWF, more acceptable distribution of student grades was obtained.