The "Best 100 Credits Grading Policy" is a policy for determining a student's total numerical grade in a course using the best of his or her work during the term while forgiving some poorly done or missed items of work.
Under the Best 100 Policy, each item of course work (assignments, projects, papers, presentations, quizzes, exams) is worth a certain number of credits. The total credit value for all assigned items exceeds 100 by an amount determined by the instructor. Only the best 100 credits worth of work is used in determining the numerical course grade.
For example, suppose that the assigned work in a course consists of 6 assignments worth 5 credits each, two midterm exams each worth 15 credits and a final exam worth 80 credits. A student's best 100 credits may be determined in a variety of ways. In the event that the student does poorly on the final exam, the best 100 credits may consist of all 6 assignments, both midterms and 40 credits worth from the final exam. In the event that the student "aces" the final, the best 100 credits may consist of only one assignment, one midterm mark and 80 credits from the final. An intermediate scenario might see 5 assignment marks, one of the midterm marks and 60 credits from the final exam comprising the best 100 credits worth of work.
One important exception to the use of a student's best work is when zeroes or other low marks have been specifically assigned as penalties for intellectual dishonesty (SFU Policies T10.02 and T10.03). Marks assigned as penalties in this way are always used first in determining a student's numerical grade, followed by the best of the student's remaining work to make up the 100 credits worth of work.
One reason for using the Best 100 Policy is that an instructor may wish to consider assignments and quizzes as learning opportunities. A student who learns the relevant course material in time to earn a good mark on an assignment or quiz can benefit from that mark in the final grade calculation. However, if a student does poorly on the assignment or quiz, but learns from the mistakes and/or instructor feedback and does better on the final exam, then the final exam mark may be counted in its place.
Another reason for using the Best 100 Policy is that it provides an automatic make-up system for one or items of missed work. When the credit value of the final exam is sufficiently high, this automatic make-up feature is particularly useful for missed midterm exams: it avoids the extra work and inherit unfairness in setting special make-up midterms for individual students.