>>13972153Yes the tests are curved although I don't control that aspect of the class. I instruct a lab class. After the lab they send me an informal report that is basically the data that I ensured they did correctly, and the analysis I helped them understand. So as long as they show up and listen to me they get an A.
At the end of the semester I give the professor of the main lecture the lab grades and it becomes a portion of their entire grade which includes tests etc.
There is a committee of people running the introductory classes as a whole, who dictate things to the professor as well, so there is a whole hierarchy of bullshit to deal with.
