Sorry that this is off topic, but I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations when you feel a teacher has graded you unfairly. The student made four Bs, one C, and one A. Determined by the school's grading policy the grade scales are: 100-90 (A), 89-80 (B), and so forth. The student's grades average to a low B. There are five grades averaging 20% each. The teacher gives the student a C. An email has been sent, but as of yet there has been no reply. I know this is completely irrelevant to some problems in the world today, but to perfectly honest I am steaming. Thanks for any comments. Dani
Thanks, the other. If I don't receive a reply back from my professor by Monday. I will contact the Dean. Still steamed. Dani
I think you can appeal most grades with the registrar's office if that doesn't work out. I know that some of my grades are incorrect and the professor has until May to fix it for when I graduate. If it's not fixed, my line of communication is the department chair, the dean of the department, the dean of the school and then the president of the school. Have you tried that yet?
Dani, you mentioned 5 grades averaging 20% but listed 6 grades. Was that an error? If not, what was the weighting of the other grade? And, which one was the "other" grade?
100%/6=16.7%... 80+80+80+80+70+90=480/6=80=B!!! IT MAY ACTUALLY BE A B+ IF SOME OF THE GRADES WERE HIGHER THAN I STATED...
LOL, George. If the sixth grade is weighted more (for example, a project or test), it is possible for the student to receive a C. So, it's important for Dani to clarify this for us.
It's kinda like credit...some things (only we can never really know for sure) are worth more..ahahahah P.S. It's never too late. Spoken like a true educator! teehee
Nana's right on this one: It all depends on how the assignments are weighted. If they are all equal then the grade should be a B. But does the teacher have an "out" clause on the syllabus regarding attendance or citizenship or anything else? For example, in my classes, I drop an entire letter grade for any student who has 4 or more unexcused absences (speech and debate classes--participation is really important). Also, find out your school's policy on grade investigations and changes. Assuming it is a college grade--in most colleges the clock doesn't start to run until the beginning of the next regular session. I wouldn't be too concerned about the teacher not getting back to you. If I am not teaching during summer session, it can take me a while to get back to students. I don't check my campus e-mail regularly because adminstration has my personal e-mail. That said, be persistant. I know colleagues who purposely do not respond to the first e-mail regarding a grade question to test if a student is really serious or if they are throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Now, if the teacher is part-time and not returning to campus and you do not receive a response after a second e-mail, go directly to the department chair with copies of your e-mails in hand. Be calm and firm; request clarification of your grade and the criteria used to establish this grade. Do not demand a grade change right out of the box. Ask the teacher to check the obvious. Are all grades recorded? For example, this semester I recorded a "C" grade for a student. According to my records she was missing an assignment. Somehow, I neglected to record her grade for that assignment. She showed me the graded assignment which when added to her points earned her a "B." It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.
Sorry for the late reply just got back from MD. Nana you're right it should be three Bs, 1 C, and 1A. Five grades totaling 20% each. Update: I have asked for clairfication from the professor. The only grade I did not know was the final grade - I estimated a C for that. The other grades are three Bs and 1 A (all those tests/projects I have received back). The final was basically a recourse of the material already taught (hence the three Bs and 1 A). The professor told me I received a D. I asked for a copy of test. It took me another week (and a couple of emails) to get a copy of the test back from the teacher. My answers were by the book. The professor states the test is going by the lessons, not by the book that we were recommended to read. What is the point of the book then?! At this point it is still in dispute. I don't know whether to give up and take the C or continue on my crusade. All my answers are highlighted via the reading material we were required to purchase (and read). My answers came from the questions/problems of the reading material. I guess it could go either way. At this point, I feel ripped off, but don't know if it is worth fighting over. Dani
Dani, be persistent, keep your cool, and escalate as necessary what do you have to lose by pursuing the issue of the grade? is this class in your major? do you have to take him for other classes? does this professor's opinion carry a lot of weight with others whose classes you might have to take? <<<I am assuming that this is for an undergraduate degree. If it is for a post grad class, I would have to advise that disputes with professors of graduate classes might cause you to assess your methodology of dispute, with a focus on trying to be somewhat PC. Yes, I wish I knew then what I know now. >>> Again, what do you have to lose? you can have the grade "validated" by seeing all the documentation and assessing if he stuck to the guidelines, and calculated your score according to the contract laid out at the beginning of the semester...At most, you have the opportunity to gain your rightfully earned GPA credits. At the least, you'll know how he says he got from point A to point E, and you can decide to live with the explanation or escalate to a higher authority. Out of curiousity, have you been cross ways with this professor in another class or were you aware of a rift of some sort during this semester? don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you are in any wrong wrong for querying the grade. I had my share of tiffs during my college years, but right was right, and I did pursue more than one or two queries/ ( The one that I remember ""winning was a grade that was raised from a B- to a B+. LOL Both were good for 3 points for each credit hour of a 3 hour class, same difference to my GPA. It only would have helped me if he had agreed to bump my grade to an A. And guess who that professor was? the current Senator Phil Gramm, who once taught economics at Texas A&M before running for public office, LOL !!!) GOOD LUCK !!
The final was the fifth grade for the class weighted at 20%. The class is not a part of my major, but a requirement under business administration. It was truly the hardest class I ever had. The final week in class I had a in class dispute with the professor. I disagreed with what she was saying and told her my reasons why. I don't think she was too fond of me after that (taking into consideration the snide remarks she made afterwards). I had to fight for my fourth grade (another 20% of my grade) after that, too. She gave me a C, stating that I was missing material that was clearly stated. I spoke to her about this, pointed out the material, and she raised my grade to a B. I don't know if she just overlooked it or just didn't like me. I don't want to think a professor is just malicious. If nothing else, I have learned a valuable lesson - to keep my big mouth shut and never argue with a professor. Fortunately, this is the only time I will have this professor and she is actually an outside instructor, not a certified teacher so I don't know the weight she carries with the dean's office. Dani
OK, so we have B, B, B, D, A. Is that right? I can get a c out of this even weighted 20%....so it now comes to my next question....I would need to know the number grades..... it's going to make a big difference between an 80 and an 89... Do you have the grades exactly? George..the C is a D.
