To Curve or Not to Curve

Every semester, specifically around test time, students ask if I grade on a curve.  When I say no, I can almost hear the groans through the computer.  Do I go in an make adjustments to test scores?  Sometimes.  But, this is very different than grading on a curve.

I've started asking students if they wished I graded on a curve, to see if they truly grasp what a curve is.  Most who truly understand the concept of a curve say they absolutely do not want me to grade on a curve.  

Above is what a bell curve looks like.  If I were to grade on a true curve, I would adhere to this graph... That would mean out of a class of 30, about 5 of you would make A's, 5 of you would make F's, and the majority of you would make C's.  Who's down for making a C in the class, even though you still managed to 'earn' 85% of the total points for the class?  If we were to follow the curve, those of you earning 70% of points for the class would likely fall into the F category.  Clear as mud, right?  

Basically, in normal shaped curve, for every A, there is an F assigned.  For every B, there is a D.  I highly doubt students would favor this grading method.  I know I wouldn't have liked it when I was in school.  

What students often refer to as a curve is actually a linear shift - where everyone receives the same number of points to help raise scores to a certain level.  

Lot's of natural occurrences fall on a curve.  Height (we have some abnormally short people and some abnormally tall people), IQ, weight... However, this doesn't exactly work out in most students favor as far as grades are concerned.