Microsoft Excel for Academic Tasks

This assignment explores the benefits of using Microsoft Excel for academic purposes, specifically focusing on managing and analyzing student results. It highlights the software's capabilities in quickly and accurately collating data, enabling faculty members like Professor Kristina to effectively assess student performance. The assignment emphasizes the efficiency and accuracy of Excel compared to manual methods, ultimately advocating for its adoption in academic settings.

Pineapple Univeristy, Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia
315-5551234
www.pineappleuniversity.com
[e-mail]
PINEAPPLE UNIVERISTY
Innovative Education
Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia
315-5551234
www.pineappleuniversity.com
[e-mail]
To
All Faculty Members
Attention: Prof. Kristina
RE: SIGNIFICANCE OF MS Excel IN COLLATING STUDENTS’ RESULTS.
Microsoft Excel can be of significance to the lecturers for it comes with functions, formulas, graphs,
tables and charts. Excel spreadsheets have been found to be useful in all careers including the
education sector [1, 2]. Lecturers can obtain several advantages from using Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets within and outside the lecture room. You can make use of Microsoft Excel
worksheets in grading the performance of all the students in specific units and overall [3] within a
short time because excel will only require you to enter the original formula and then the others will
just be done by excel after duplicating the same method. Also, with Excel, one can quickly generate
a table of summary on the individual and general performance of the students. Additionally, a
graph or chart can be created from the table to illustrate the distribution of grades or the general
performance of a given subject amongst the students [4].
Excel spreadsheets can also be used to carry out several calculations [5]. For instance, when you
want to calculate the weighted average of students performance in a given unit, excel does it very
fast because it will only require you to enter the first formula but this time round an absolute
formula and then drag the same formula using the fill handle to all fields of interest [6].
The worksheet columns and rows also come in handy. You can make a database of all the students
that you have taught and every time they undertake an exam or assignment, you just need to enter
their marks and an appropriate column title. This feature is of great help because it enables you to
collate accurate results of the students within a short time.
For example, the table below is a summary of the grade distribution of final results of 32 students
which I generated from Microsoft Excel.

Pineapple Univeristy, Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia
315-5551234
www.pineappleuniversity.com
[e-mail]
Grade Distribution
Grade Intervals Frequency
F (Fail) 0 – 49 % 8
P (Pass) 50 – 59 % 8
C (Credit) 60 – 69% 8
D (Distinction) 70 – 79% 4
HD (High Distinction) 80 -100% 4
From the above table it can be observed that there was an equal performance regarding the
number of students that got fail, pass, and credit, whereas, only eight students got the
distinction and high distinction against twenty-four students. With such a summary of grade
distribution, it is easy to make plans for any possible action on performance and to identify the
specific areas of emphasis.
The table above which has been generated from Excel shows that eight students failed because
they scored between 0-49percent, those that passed were equally eight and scored marks
within the range of 50-59%, followed by other eight students that had credit with marks falling
in the interval of 60-69%. Only four students had a distinction and whose marks lie between 70-
79%. And lastly, four students had a high distinction with marks between 80-100%. Now based
on such a distribution of grades, it is easy and fast to determine the general performance of the
students. For example, the table shows that half of the students did not perform well, whereas
the rest had an impressive performance for various reasons that can be deduced and the right
action taken.
Therefore, Microsoft Excel can be of great benefit both to you Professor Kristina to the faculty
as a whole because with it you can efficiently collate the student’s results quickly and
accurately.
Yours Sincerely,
Jasmine Kristine

Pineapple Univeristy, Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia
315-5551234
www.pineappleuniversity.com
[e-mail]
References
[1] Martin A. L. “Understanding educational statistics using Microsoft Excel and SPSS.” John
Wiley &
Sons, 2014.
[2] Bernard L. “A Guide to Microsoft Excel 2013 for Scientists and Engineers”. Academic Press,
2015.
[3] Stuart H., et al. "Using technology to encourage student engagement with feedback: a
literature review." Research in Learning Technology 19.2, 2011, 117-127.
[4] Donald E.P., et al. "Rethinking the library OS from the top down." ACM SIGPLAN Notices.
Vol. 46. No. 3. ACM, 2011.
[5] John W. “Excel 2003 bible”. Vol. 36. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.
[6] Billy R.M and Saucier P.R. "An Excel-based mean weighted discrepancy score
calculator." Journal of Extension 49.2, 2011,1-3.