Study Reveals Alphabetical Grading Bias in College LMS Systems

A study reveals bias in college grading systems, with students' last names affecting grades due to alphabetical sorting.
Why an end-of-the alphabet last name could skew your grades
A dashboard from the Canvas learning management system is displayed to students in this college lecture hall A University of Michigan study finds that students with last names at the end of the alphabet are penalized when instructors grade in alphabetical order a default setting in Canvas and other widely used learning management systems LMS <span class=image credit><span class=credit label wrapper>Credit<span> Brandon BellGetty Images<span>

Having a last name starting with an A might lead to better grades, while names like Wilson or Ziegler could mean lower college grades. This modern issue arises from changes in grading processes at universities. Instead of traditional paper submissions, students now upload work to Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Canvas.

Instructors use LMS platforms as a computerized grade book, with a default setting to sort names alphabetically. This sorting can lead to unintended biases, where students with last names at the end of the alphabet receive lower marks. A University of Michigan study highlights this issue, showing that surnames from U to Z are often docked around 0.6 points on a 100-point scale compared to A-to-E surnames.

The study, detailed in a draft paper, is under review with Management Science. It reveals that grading bias is more prominent in social sciences and humanities compared to STEM fields. Additionally, end-of-alphabet students receive more negative feedback, with comments like “NEVER DO THAT AGAIN,” contrasting with positive remarks for top-of-the-alphabet students.

Researchers suspect fatigue from grading large volumes of work influences the bias. This problem is exacerbated by alphabetical sorting, which consistently places certain students at the end of the queue. Some instructors have requested Canvas to randomize submissions to mitigate bias. Although Canvas introduced a randomize option for grading in May 2024, alphabetical sorting remains the default.

The bias isn’t unique to Canvas; other LMS platforms also sort alphabetically. The researchers suggest randomizing submissions to ensure fairer grading. Despite changes, instructors must manually adjust settings, a task with “low visibility” according to the study’s authors.

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