Are we a gift shop? A perspective on grade inflation.

Grade inflation is a phenomenon that has been written about extensively since the mid 1970s. It is theorized that it made its initial appearance as an adjustment to the rigorous educational standards that were imposed in the post-Sputnik era. Some authors speculate that grade inflation as we know it is an outcome of student demands for high grades combined with faculty willingness to capitulate to them. Others believe the problem is related to lack of faculty knowledge about evaluation methods, or the quest for positive student evaluations in support of promotion, tenure, and merit decisions. Of particular concern is the lack of published studies of grade inflation in nursing education. The purpose of this article is to describe what we know about grade inflation-its history, causative factors, and implications for nursing.