<p>Right now, I am wondering if I should contest my grade with a professor. </p>
<p>No matter how many papers I turned in, whether my professors or my parents proofread them, he never gave me above a B. It is legal for other professors to look over and review a student’s work, as long as they stated that they would not mind. I don’t have this problem in my other classes. (I got an A in my 300-level urban history course and the professor adored me. He thinks I’m research material!) I guess my professors and parents (one of them is a Ph.D.) can’t read and write, huh? No grade changes, just negative comments from this professor on how I need to see a writing tutor.</p>
<p>I am not against a writing course. I have always thought about taking a course or two before I graduate. However, he never pointed out my strengths (my analysis) and always criticized my weaknesses (my grammar). He never told me how to improve. He would just rip my papers apart how I have too many nuances (?). My parents were also frustrated the more I complained (and even cried) that there seemed to be no improvement in my grade. I spent so much time in his class for him to acknowledge my improvement, yet he still gave me low grades.</p>
<p>Rumors (he’s a first-year assistant professor) have it that he grades hard and students try to avoid him. He is also disorganized. For example, students in his fall semester history course finished a research paper before the semester add/drop deadline. He did not return everyone’s paper until after the course was over. Many people were very angry about this especially when they got lower-than-expected grades. When he also passed out his syllabus, 1/3 of the class dropped out by the second week! They thought he was too hard (and this was a 200-level history course). Class participation in my 300-level American history class was 35% yet I still don’t understand how I got a B overall in the course. I got Bs on the first two papers. I had perfect attendance, did every extra credit in class (!!) and tried to contribute in class discussion every lecture.</p>
<p>I don’t want to sound like a whiney brat. I did not know about these rumors, and had I known them, I probably would have not enrolled in his course. I want to move on and never ever take any of his courses ever again. I just feel that because of the amount of work and focus I put in his class, I don’t think he gave me what I deserved. I had perfect attendance, did the extra credit, sought help from adults to proofread my papers and he still does not change my grade. It’s just so frustrating!</p>
<p>Perhaps he’s being a ■■■■■■■ and a hard marker, but that’s perfectly within his rights. He doesn’t owe you a good mark for trying hard. Either he likes your work or he doesn’t. And if indeed he doesn’t, then he’s entitled to mark you down for it–without needing to “compliment your strengths.” Professors aren’t there to mollycoddle their students but to teach them and give an assessment of their skills.</p>
<p>I’d probably have given you a B too (no offense)… but I don’t believe in the handing out of A’s left and right. something has to be REALLY GOOD to get an A. you need a 95 to get an A at my school. I don’t think many people are capable of doing 95 work.</p>
<p>People, I am not asking for an A. That would be ludicrious. I am not an extreme high achiever. I just was honestly hoping I would get a B+ in the class since I had perfect class attendance, turned in all possible extra credit and participated in class. Yet he still gave me a B. I had a B on the papers. What did I do wrong? Where did the extra credit go?</p>
<p>What were all of your grades (number grades)? How much was the extra credit and how was it figured into the grade (averaged or added to a test or added to the final grade??)? Then maybe we can figure it out.</p>
<p>BlueAlien, I have no idea how he grades. The man is so disorganized. For example, one of my classmates went into his office hours to discuss the book for her presentation the next week. He had not read the book yet! (rolls her eyes). Yeah, I had to deal with this kind of nonsense.</p>
<p>I think a lot of kids get used to the kind of high school where you get a good grade for doing the work, not having typeos and participating. No amount of proofreading or extra credit is going to get a good grade from a college prof (at most schools) when the content isn’t there.</p>
<p>tenisghs; Sometimes professors push the most talented students because they know those students can reach greater heights. If I were your Mum, I’d be pleased that this professor is taking the time to pick apart your weaknesses. He’s trying to educate his students. It’s a bit silly to try to avoid tough professors. There’s no avoiding tough clients or bosses or customers in the real world!</p>
<p>Instead of worrying about the B, why not take his words on board and head to the Writing Center and show him what you can do? You’ve got six weeks to improve!</p>
<p>Cheers, I think that Tenisghs meant that the course is over and she thinks that he did not include the extra credit in her grade like he said he would and therefore her grade is incorrect.</p>
<p>In the big scheme of things, this is a bump. What you need to do is weigh the possible outcomes, and the pro’s and con’s:</p>
<p>1- He could admit his mistake and correct your grade (is that in his personality)</p>
<p>2- He could say he did count it, it just wasn’t good enough to bring up your grade (this what I think he would do)</p>
<p>As a new professor, he is trying to prove himself. And, from how you decribed him, he sounds like that kind who would not admit mistake.</p>
<p>So you need you weigh the results- you could expand a lot of energy and get no change, unfortunately.</p>
<p>Does your school have a reporting process to grade the professors? If this guy is as bad as he sounds, it will catch up.</p>
<p>I totally get the frustration. My D’s have had teachers that were so in the wrong, but when they were called on it, they got defensive and never fixed the error because, heaven forbid they would admit they were wrong…drove us bonkers, that goodness my youngest is almost out of there…</p>
<p>Perhaps, you could talk to one of your classmates who earned higher marks on the essays if you could compare your work to theirs? </p>
<p>If several students in your class are upset and you have concrete evidence that the grading was unfair (i.e. your percentages/grades add up to a higher grades than you received) you could talk to the chair of the department. You will need a strong case for this, though.</p>
<p>In any case, you should talk to him about it a calm, rational manner. You could approach him with concern that you want to improve your writing and would like to know what you could have done to raise your grade. Boosting his ego by asking his opinion and advice should cause him to be more responsive to you and you might find out why he gave you a B,not B+.</p>
<p>I think it may be a thing among some young faculty members who teach writing that they should never give an A, because then they would not be able to give an appropriate grade (A+++?) if a Shakespeare ever came along. The only grade other than A I ever received as an undergrad engineering major was in a sophomore writing class, in which I had the highest grade out of three sections on every paper I ever turned in but got a B+.</p>
<p>I agree with fendergirl. Not much can be done, so just accept it and do your best in your other courses.</p>
<p>I agree with zagat. B’s are a good grade. A’s are given for exceptional work at my kid’s school, not just for good work and extra credit completed. Extra credit only counts if you’re on the borderline within a couple tenths of a percent or something. It doesn’t automatically give you enough to bump your grade.
To ease your mind, it would not be unreasonable to politely ask to talk with him about your grade, and then ask if he could explain how he arrived at the final grade. That’s about all you can do.</p>
<p>My daughter worked very hard in high school- very bright kid- had a 3.4 avg in a tough school- some parents apparently had tried to appeal some of their kids grades- it never occured to me.
In college again very tough school- very tough grading - works very hard- doing relatively well in a challenging major- junior year is doing well in class- but testing is very difficult for her- her prof likes her- she thinks she is doing well- but when the grades come in June she finds that she failed the class- organic chemistry because of how poorly she did on the final. Her prof is still very supportive of her- I talked to him on email- but it still never occured to either one of us to appeal her grade even though it threw a huge monkeywrench into her plans.
Grading isn’t buying a Persian rug- you don’t negotiate.
Live and learn- this is good experience to find out about a professor before you enroll in the class- but don’t try and bargain with a teacher on a decision that they have already made.</p>
<p>I learned in grad school that the highest grades were given for near-publishable papers. As an undergrad, I was told that a “C” was the middle of the bell curve -what you got if you did everything properly, met the standard, etc. A “B” was for work that was truly above the norm, and an “A” was for exceptional work. </p>
<p>Maybe the work you did WAS perfectly proofread, but just wasn’t outstanding. In our high school, there are “rubrics” with points for every possible thing, so you supposedly deserve a certain grade if you meet all the possible point requirements. It is not the same in college.</p>
<p>Also, maybe you need more detail. You may have a different understanding of what the extra credit counts for. I agree with ASAP. All you can do is ask.</p>