JELT_V3_N1_A1 Gregory Raymond Journal on English Language Teaching 2249–0752 3 1 1 9 Evaluation, Norm-Referenced, Self-Referenced, Criterion-Referenced, Bell Curve, Grading, English, Composition The norm-referenced evaluation system has been used to grade students, from elementary through to post-secondary, for decades. However, the system itself is inherently flawed. Looking at the history of the norm-referenced system and its most famous tool, the Bell Curve, and taking examples from the author’s own teaching experience, this paper examines the erroneous logic that makes the system, as a whole, invalid for grading at any level, particular for college or university. The paper goes on to propose alternatives to the norm-referenced system. Examining first a self-referenced system, and ultimately finding it, too, lacking, the paper turns to criterion-referenced evaluation. Criterion-referenced evaluation is shown to be not only the best choice for evaluation at a post-secondary level, but also proves to be the only viably fair system available to teachers in today’s, grade-emphasised education system. January - March 2013 Copyright © 2013 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=2144