Once, I tried a grading scheme in which the grade is either a weighted average of assignments and exam grades, or the exam grade, whichever is higher. My reason

Once, I tried a grading scheme in which the grade is either a weighted average of assignments and exam grades, or the exam grade, whichever is higher. My reasoning was the same as in the article -- I thought this scheme would measure what matters most. However, I found that quite a few students skipped assignments and also did poorly in the exam. Of course, the strong students sailed through either path. But the weaker ones also matter. And, after all, the point of grading is not just to assess. It is also to motivate students, and to signal to them which things are important. Unless the class is quite strong, it makes sense to balance assignments and examinations. And, as in the article, it is helpful to pick a scheme and stick to it.