Don't like your grade? SUE.

[AGDee]

Ironically, the "rule" he changed was something I had emailed him about in advance, because I wasn't sure what to do with my page numbers. He posted this modified APA style that he wants us to use and one of his modifications is "no running headers". So I emailed him and asked where he wanted page numbers to go since they are supposed to be in the running header, flush right. He replied he wanted them at the bottom, center and said he meant to put that in the syllabus. Thing is, he never did. So I'm the only one who ever got this information. I didn't realize he never put it in the syllabus either.

Today, he sent out this email to the whole class:

The grades are in and complete for Essay 1. I commented on and emailed most of you about your grades, so you should all know.

How/why did I grade some things a certain way?

Okay, lets start with the syllabus. In the syllabus just after the APA modification section I note that I will take off 10 points for each infraction of the APA style, with the mods I listed. In none of your papers did I take off 10 points for 1 specific APA style failure. Most often I took 5 points, a few times I took off 3.

I had one, maybe two students ask where to put the page number. I thought I had told you all and I did take 5 points off many papers for that infraction. Then I discovered I had not told you. (I fixed that error immediately).

So, yes, I _could_ go back and fix my error. But then I'd have to fix my other error - you know, where I took off only 5 points, not 10, for APA infractions?

Lets examine the points - say you had 2 APA infractions and the page number location problem for a total of 15 points off. I _could_ go back and add on the 5 points, but then I'd have to fix the other 2 five point deductions make them 10 points off, each. You would then have 20 points off, but none deducted for the page number thing... you tell me what you want me to do.

References - yes, I am a stickler for your references to be correct. AND you MUST use primary references, not secondary. You cannot quote a quote of a quote. You must not write "Thomas Jefferson said that Benjamin Franklin said a penny saved is a penny earned". You must not cite it like this (Jefferson, T., 1779, pg. 3, para 5). That quote is only correct if it looks like this: "a penny saved is a penny earned" (Franklin, 1778, pg. 2, para. 1). In this instance I am quoting the primary source.

Climbing Mt. Everest: the better you are the harder it gets. Grading - I read every paper. Good papers I read slower, excellent papers I read the slowest. The more time I put into a paper the closer I look at it, I look for points to take off. So, if you got a 75 or so, that means it was easy for me to find things you need improvement in. An 85 means you are doing pretty good and you need to fine tune some areas. A 95 means pay more attention to detail. And there was only 1 - 100 paper, which in this class means, I'm not going to spend any more time looking for obvious mistakes. Someone else probably grades harder, but I do put a lot of effort into for you.

How are we doing as a class? Actually, pretty much according to plan. Five of you are in the 90s. Five of you are 84 - 90 and the other 5 need to put more work in. If you are below a 70 you really need to work hard the second half of the class.

Questions?

Any guesses who got the 100?