Grade-induced beliefs about undergraduate generalist social work practice competency

Standardized criterion-referenced achievement testing of undergraduate generalist social work knowledge based on correct answers to specific questions is compared to several norm-referenced measures of student learning, including student self-reports and the instructor-imposed cumulative grade point average (GPA). Two hypotheses are tested, namely, (a) norm-referenced measures systematically overstate content knowledge, and (b) student perception or belief about the ascribed meaning of the GPA inflates self-rated attainments. The implications of additional confirming evidence for the hypotheses are explored with a view to limiting the number of social workers with undergraduate degrees who are permitted to enter the field each year overconfident about their knowledge and practice capabilities.