"I think putting in a lot of effort should merit a high grade."

Interesting article in the New York Times, which yes, sometimes has stuff worth reading. Rarely, but it does happen.

At one point, a kinesiology student is quoted with the line in the title: "putting in a lot of effort should merit a high grade."

This is the thing I want to dispute, because with an adult assessment of the problem, one sees immediately that it is not true. The thing grades are supposed to reflect is a student's mastery of the material. If a student has put in a lot of effort and hasn't mastered the material, then it definitely should NOT be rewarded with a high grade.

This argument is better understood if you don't think about it as "writing papers and getting an A, B, C, D or F." Instead, imagine that the classroom is Kodiak Island, and the assignment is to survive a bear attack. Depending upon your mastery of such skills as "running fast," "throwing the bear off your scent trail," "shooting high powered rifles accurately," or possibly "shouting and screaming at the bear until it decides you are more dangerous than he is," you may pass the assignment.

Any of the above skills, applied with a sufficient degree of mastery will earn you a grade of "survives unscathed," "survives with minor injuries," or "survives with major injuries." Lacking mastery will earn grades of "badly mauled and maimed for life," or else "killed and eaten."

Now if a person tries to run, and runs with all their effort as best they possibly can, and the bear still catches up with them (which is probable), then their effort won't matter when they receive the grade of "killed and eaten." If a person tries to use the rifle and doesn't kill the charging bruin, their efforts won't be much appreciated by the dread jaws of their evaluator. On the other hand, the person who drops the bear with a high caliber bullet through the left eyeball deserves the grade of "survives unscathed" since he or she has displayed full mastery of the skills required to complete this assignment.

Homework reflects real life. It's supposed to at any rate. Effort doesn't count in life. Only results.