Makeup exam when a student already took it

[marshwiggle]

As I have outlined above, I do not give make up exams, using the comprehensive final to replace the missed exam. I provide the option (they sign a short statement at the start of the final exam) stating that they desire to replace their low grade with the score on the final. IF someone took the test when they were sick, which I discourage for public health reasons, and the student didnt do well, they can replace their score. Otherwise, I do not have to make another test, I dont have to schedule make up times or places, and I dont have to grade them either! 

I go one step farther than this, so students don't have to "choose" an option and my grade spreadsheet just picks "greater of" two (or more) things. Once the spreadsheet is set up, there's no intervention required, and there are no "special cases" to deal with.  I don't judge their choices, and I don't have to validate their excuses; the rules are laid out in advance and my only "input" is the individual grade elements themselves.

[clean]

my grade spreadsheet just picks "greater of" two (or more) things

I teach finance... Risk and Return.... I do NOT give them the greater of the 2 tests.  The Final REPLACES the low grade. IF the final is a lower score, it STILL replaces the low grade.  This is not Disney Land where there are freebies to be had and the low score is automatically replaced.... besides, NOT even Disney Land had Freebies anymore! The Mouse charges for EVERYTHING!!  But that is another topic.

IF they choose to take the RISK that they may score lower, THEN they can reap the RETURN of a greater score in the class.  It is part of the lesson.  We even discuss what Value this OPTION may have if one were to try to trade it!

Some choose to take the risk, others do not.  I used to have them turn in the form a week before the exam.  that served to stress the reality that Options Expire worthless if not exercised.  Pedagogically  IF they chose the option, then they were actually making a commitment that they WOULD do better on the final than on the lower scoring test. It served as an increased incentive to study. IF you simply just drop the lowest grade, then it is like a Gift from Santa. No additional effort is required to EARN the better grade.  IF it happens that the final is greater, then great, Merry Christmas, and if not, then no loss.    I want  to provide an incentive for  additional studying!

For what it is worth.

[marshwiggle]

my grade spreadsheet just picks "greater of" two (or more) things

I teach finance... Risk and Return.... I do NOT give them the greater of the 2 tests.  The Final REPLACES the low grade. IF the final is a lower score, it STILL replaces the low grade.  This is not Disney Land where there are freebies to be had and the low score is automatically replaced.... besides, NOT even Disney Land had Freebies anymore! The Mouse charges for EVERYTHING!!  But that is another topic.

IF they choose to take the RISK that they may score lower, THEN they can reap the RETURN of a greater score in the class.  It is part of the lesson.  We even discuss what Value this OPTION may have if one were to try to trade it!

Cool! It has topical relevance. (For most courses though, it just seems like extra rigamarole.)

I'd also see it in topics like neurosurgery and civil engineering where people really are preparing for a career where errors can cost lives. In those cases as well, impressing on students the consequences of their decisions is a major theme.

[Caracal]

As I have outlined above, I do not give make up exams, using the comprehensive final to replace the missed exam.  I provide the option (they sign a short statement at the start of the final exam) stating that they desire to replace their low grade with the score on the final.  IF someone took the test when they were sick, which I discourage for public health reasons, and the student didnt do well, they can replace their score. Otherwise, I do not have to make another test, I dont have to schedule make up times or places, and I dont have to grade them either! 

Of course, if I were teaching only a handful of students, I may have developed other policies, but I have had semesters with multiple classes of 100.  When you have hundreds of students, the probability that someone is sick or just convinces themselves that they are too unwell to take the test are quite high and the more convenient you make putting off a test for students, the more students will take advantage of that convenience.

I agree with the general principle. I don't have a cumulative final, but if a student misses an exam for any reason, they can just take the make up which I just give during the final exam period. It comes right after the regularly scheduled exam. Different method, but same result as yours. I don't have to decide what excuses for missing an exam are valid, I don't have to schedule make up exams and if someone is really sick they don't have to drag themselves into class.

The goal is, as you say, to avoid having to make a lot of decisions about these kinds of things. As you say, you can anticipate that people will miss exams for various reasons, so you want a way to avoid having to make a judgement call every time it happens. But there's no way to legislate for every possible scenario. And that's fine, because the rarer something is, the less you need to worry about equity. I have never had a student make a reasonable case for retaking an exam. The bar is pretty high because I do have a make up, so a student who just wasn't feeling well would know that was an option. A concussion is a brain injury, however, so it can mess with your ability to assess your own fitness.

You happen to have a policy that means you wouldn't have to make a judgement call about this particular case, which is nice, but that particular policy wouldn't work for all courses. I'm also  sure there are plenty of other scenarios where you would have to decide whether to make some sort of judgement call, or decide to stick to your rules no matter what, which is its own kind of decision, and one I'm not convinced will really help you avoid grade appeals and trouble.