Some backstory. My new college is 100% online, where every course has Discussion Boards due weekly, various tests and assignments sprinkled throughout, and an end of term Capstone Project that may or may not replace a final exam (sometimes it does, but sometimes you have this final project and a final). This capstone project takes the form of a very long essay or a presentation video of some sort. The purpose of the capstone is to show that you have complete mastery of the material presented throughout the course of the class. It is recommended that one starts the capstone project at the start of the term, which is an advanced, fast paced, 8 week course. So there isn't a lot of time to dilly dally.
I finished the Capstone Projects for my classes one particular term without much of a hitch. One was a lengthy analysis of a study between two independent variables (gender and altruism) and the dependent variable (anxiety), and ended up being 27 pages. The other was a research project on a book. I started the projects during the middle of the course, and kept extensive notes, and turned them in on time.
However, while the statistics paper received a 100%, the research project received a C. The feedback I received stated that the paper seemed to be written for another class, and did not meet the requirements. Also, there were parts missing that were required, and parts were added that were not asked for.
I was a little confused. I had been expecting a great grade for this paper. I had made sure to follow the rubric to a T. I re-read the paper to try to find where the professor was seeing these mistakes. But I came back satisfied that I had, indeed, met the requirements. Even though with the C on the paper, I got an A- in the class. But I was not happy about the grade.
I faced a choice. I could accept the grade...after all, A- isn't bad. Or, I could fight it.
I am a person of principles. I believe that if I did A grade work, I should get an A. I'd even settle for a high B on this paper. But I knew I did not do C level work. And if I did miss something on the paper to make the C grade valid, I wanted to know what it was so that, in the future, I could do better.
What is a person supposed to do in this situation?
Sometimes, people may think that whatever a professor says has to be accepted and that is it. In high school, any argument with your teacher was you vs. them, and there wasn't much wiggle room. Sometimes that carries over to college. And in today's world, authority is often mistaken for absolute, as there are often consequences that can hinder your life, such as getting fired or missing out on income. This can make it intimidating to question a professor. Especially because, sometimes, professors take insult when you question them. It doesn't happen often, but professors are people too and some may be oldschool in their rules, teaching styles, and demeanor. It happens.
However, always know that despite this, you have a right to discuss your papers and grades. In fact, you should keep a record of your grade so that you know what your grade is at all times. That way, like a bank statement, if something doesn't add up, you can always bring it to the professor's attention.
So if you get a grade back on a paper and feel that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak up. Especially since, if you don't, no one else will do it for you.
So I plan to speak up, what next?
First, if you are confused or feel a rush of emotion, don't panic. For me, that is very hard because I have anxiety and I just automatically panic. But let the emotion go through you and then try to think things through logically. You deserve answers. You are paying for school, and this is your future you are talking about! If you put in the work, you deserve to know what's up.
But remember that when speaking to your professor, you need to appear calm, cool, and collected, but not apologetic. So remind yourself...you are ensuring that you get the service you paid for (if you want to think of the situation as a customer service situation!).
But remember that when speaking to your professor, you need to appear calm, cool, and collected, but not apologetic. So remind yourself...you are ensuring that you get the service you paid for (if you want to think of the situation as a customer service situation!).
But first, find out who you can get in your corner to assist you.
I have an adviser at my school who is available every day in case something goes wrong. That means anything: from my laptop breaking to issues with grades. I knew that I could call on her to help me mediate this issue, so I CC'd her on the email. I also left her a voicemail as it was the weekend, and made plans to follow up with her on the upcoming Monday.
If you don't have an adviser like this, see who else you can CC. Does the professor have a TA or assistant? What about the department head or dean? Do you have a counselor that you have a close relationship with, or perhaps a cohort leader or representative? Be sure to CC someone so that you have support.
Now, address your concerns in an email.
Let your professor know that you received your grade and are confused as to why it was graded that way (especially if they did not leave any feedback). If you feel you have met the grading rubric, if one is provided, go through and let them know where in the paper they can find the points that match the grading requirements.
For example, I realized that my strict adherence to APA guidelines may have made the language of the paper impersonal, and the professor may have been looking for personal language, so I let them know this fact. I also pointed out where information was that they may have missed.
I did not apologize or grovel. You have nothing to apologize for! Also, I did not use any passive aggressive language, such as, "I'm sorry, but I don't see what you're talking about." If you are unsure of what they are talking about in their feedback, ask them for clarification. "I am unclear as to what your feedback means. Could you please explain it to me?"
Cover all the bases.
Be sure to attach your essay into the email, and you can even go so far as to go through the essay and make comments on or highlight information you feel your professor may have missed. You can even attach a copy of the rubric and their feedback. You may think, "Why do I need to do that? Shouldn't my professor already have this info?"
Yes, and no. Your professor may have hundreds of students, and your paper is one of many. Once it is out of sight, it may be out of mind. Go ahead and give this information anyway, just in case. It also shows thoroughness in your thinking.
Send the email...and follow up.
One thing I notice that people do is once they send something out, they feel the ball is in the other party's court. No. This is your grade and you have to do the work for it. Just like when you send out resumes...you don't just send it out and hope for someone to call you. After I sent the email, I called my adviser and left them a message, letting them know that my email was waiting for them, and to again apprise them of the situation. And its a good thing I did, because I had mixed up my professor's email with another professor with a similar name! My adviser let me know and I sent the email to the right person!
My adviser let me know that she would give the professor two days to respond, and then we could follow up. But sometimes professors are so busy, they won't read your email for a while. Or, some schools have email systems that won't let emails from professors and students go through to each other once their term together is over. Whatever the circumstance, make sure your professor is in receipt of that email, even if you have to hoof it down to their office during office hours and verbally ask them. Don't give up. Remember, you deserve to have your concerns addressed.
Get ready for the process.
Schools often have a process regarding grade changes, especially if the grade effects a final grade that has already been submitted for records. First, your professor will review the paper, and recheck their rubric. They may return to you with more feedback, and stick to their guns regarding their original assessment. They may get offended (professors are people too, and some do get offended...but their response is not your fault, unless your email was offensive). They may blow you off (this is where your CC email and help kicks in...hopefully the other eyes can prevent this, but just in case, these people can have your back). Or they may let you know about the process they have to follow. It shouldn't be too complicated, however.
For mine, the professor had to reassess the paper, and they did find everything I had pointed out. They changed my grade from a C to an A for the paper. But then they had to resubmit my final grade to records, which required some paperwork done on their end. For me, there was no pushback on this step, but you may find yourself having to submit paperwork or deal with records and admissions in a situation that makes you question the effectiveness of bureaucracy. Either way, stick with it.
Don't freak out if you don't "win."
You may end up getting a big fat "NO" from a professor, or they may only be willing to help you so far. And you may end up exhausting your options. You may now choose to file a complaint with the school, or you can move on. I am the person who will keep pushing it. But I have had situations where a professor refuses to work with me, or even a part of a school administration refuses to work with me. I then just give them an appropriate review on Ratemyprofessor.com and move on. Luckily, my efforts usually give me applicable grades, so none of these instances have really hurt my GPA.
College is an institution that has two goals: to provide a learning environment for students and to earn money. Sometimes, the earning money part gets in the way of the learning part. This is where some pushback, fees, and unfair practices may come from. Hopefully you have found a school that is willing to work with you, and can help you tailor your learning experience to what you need, not the other way around. If you find yourself in a situation where you are regularly facing problems with professors despite all your best efforts, and you are honest with your abilities and respectively earned grades, you may want to transfer schools.
