Based on past experience and student input, the following list describes student knowledge and skills as they relate to final grades in this Comparative Animal Physiology class.

"A" students.
"A" students know most details and understand all basic physiological processes. They have a global understanding of the big picture and can apply what they know to solve problems. They see how the body systems work together and how different physiological systems changed in the process of evolution, and they can explain the consequences of changing one component in a system. They search for common themes and mechanisms among systems. They read and reread. They attempt problems and answer questions in class and ask for assistance or work to figure out those they cannot easily solve. They are willing to take chances and be wrong.

"B" students.
"B" students know lots of details and most physiological processes. They have good understanding in most areas but often lack practice in problem solving or have gaps in their understanding of processes. They attempt to solve problems or answer questions in class and try to figure out some (but not all) of the problems they cannot easily solve. They often lack confidence in their problem-solving abilities, and they may be reluctant to be wrong.

"C" students.
"C" students are short on details and misunderstand some physiological processes. They usually memorize the material without really understanding it. They lack the ability to create cross-links between related bits of information, and they do not see how information fits into patterns. In one "C" student's words, "the light bulb hasn't come on yet." Consequently, they do not problem solve well. They can name the pieces but not explain how they work. They attempt to solve problems or answer in class questions but give up when they cannot find the answer easily. They usually do not make concept maps or learn to reflect on the material.

"D" students.
"D" students have incomplete factual knowledge and misunderstand basic physiological processes. They are also usually unwilling to admit this and to ask for help. They miss class or come to class without reading material in advance. They do not attempt to solve problems or answer questions in class and depend primarily on knowledge they had coming into the course.

^{Modified from Silverthorn & Gill, 2008: Advances in Physiology Education}