Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 12942
Submitted: April 12, 2025 at 12:46:07 AM
First Name: Zoey
Last Name: Rhone
Pronoun: She/her
Preferred Name: Zoey
Student Number: 20322234
Email: 21zr4@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: Health Studies & Certificate in Law
Level of Study: 3
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request a review of instructors' decisions on grading of final examination and/or term work
Code: LAW 203
Term: Winter
Year: 2025
Petition Category: Request a review of instructors' decisions on grading of final examination and/or term work
Instructor's Name: Colleen
Section/Class Number: Dempsey
Component: Final Exam
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Dear Associate Dean,
I am submitting this petition to formally request a review of my final examination grade for LAW 203, which was written on April 11th, 2025. While I have already reached out to Professor Dempsey for an informal review, I am preemptively submitting this petition due to prior challenges in receiving timely responses throughout the course. I want to ensure that my formal request is submitted within the prescribed timeframe.
The basis for this request lies in a genuine misunderstanding of one question in the exam, which I acknowledge was my error. However, I would like to emphasize that this misunderstanding, when coupled with the reweighting of the assignments due to the academic strike, has disproportionately impacted my final grade. The final exam, originally valued at 30%, was reweighted to over 50% of the total course grade, significantly increasing the weight of this assessment and leaving little margin for error.
To the best of my understanding, the final part of the exam instructions indicated:
Fact Scenario 1 (30%) – Full response required, 4 tasks
Fact Scenarios 2 and 3 (15%) – 1 task from each to be answered
I interpreted the instructions as permitting students to either:
(A) Respond to Fact Scenario 1 in full for a total of 30%, or
(B) Answer one task each from Fact Scenarios 2 and 3, each worth 15%, totalling 30%.
Accordingly, I chose Option A and provided a comprehensive answer to 4 tasks of Fact Scenario 1. It was only after submitting my exam that I realized that I had misunderstood the structure. While I take full responsibility for this error, I believe the instructions were not sufficiently clear, and a more explicit explanation could have prevented this misunderstanding.
The circumstances surrounding the academic strike, which resulted in the cancellation of assignments and their weight being redistributed to the final exam, have made the stakes of the final exam exceedingly high. The exam now constitutes half of the total course grade, whereas it was initially intended to account for only 30%. This reallocation, coupled with the limited room for error, will result in a final grade that is not reflective of my capabilities, dedication or efforts throughout the term.
My previous performance in the course supports my belief that I was on track for an A grade. I have received the following grades:
Individual Assignments: 89%, 92%, and 95%
Quizzes: 90.3% and 83.9%
Group Simulation Activity: 75%
Additionally, I completed the infographic bonus assignment early, which reflects my genuine interest in and commitment to the subject. Given my preparation and understanding of the course material, I am highly confident that, had I been able to complete the remaining two tasks on the exam, I would have received an A or a grade that would have resulted in an A for the course overall.
I fully acknowledge my responsibility for the misunderstanding on the final exam. However, I respectfully ask for understanding and consideration given the challenging circumstances this term. The strike has led to the cancellation and reweighting of course assessments, leaving limited opportunities for me to demonstrate growth. I dedicated over 10 hours to an assignment that was ultimately not marked due to the strike. In another case, I was placed in a two-person group for an assignment that most students completed in groups of four. I completed the majority of the work independently without equitable support, and while I had hoped to improve on the second group assignment, it too was cancelled. These circumstances meant that I had fewer opportunities to reflect the full extent of my effort and academic capabilities. As a result, the final exam, now worth over 50% of the course grade, has become a disproportionately significant determinant of my final mark. I believe that this mistake should and does not accurately reflect my strong performance throughout the course or the genuine effort I have consistently demonstrated.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Zoey Rhone
I am submitting this petition to formally request a review of my final examination grade for LAW 203, which was written on April 11th, 2025. While I have already reached out to Professor Dempsey for an informal review, I am preemptively submitting this petition due to prior challenges in receiving timely responses throughout the course. I want to ensure that my formal request is submitted within the prescribed timeframe.
The basis for this request lies in a genuine misunderstanding of one question in the exam, which I acknowledge was my error. However, I would like to emphasize that this misunderstanding, when coupled with the reweighting of the assignments due to the academic strike, has disproportionately impacted my final grade. The final exam, originally valued at 30%, was reweighted to over 50% of the total course grade, significantly increasing the weight of this assessment and leaving little margin for error.
To the best of my understanding, the final part of the exam instructions indicated:
Fact Scenario 1 (30%) – Full response required, 4 tasks
Fact Scenarios 2 and 3 (15%) – 1 task from each to be answered
I interpreted the instructions as permitting students to either:
(A) Respond to Fact Scenario 1 in full for a total of 30%, or
(B) Answer one task each from Fact Scenarios 2 and 3, each worth 15%, totalling 30%.
Accordingly, I chose Option A and provided a comprehensive answer to 4 tasks of Fact Scenario 1. It was only after submitting my exam that I realized that I had misunderstood the structure. While I take full responsibility for this error, I believe the instructions were not sufficiently clear, and a more explicit explanation could have prevented this misunderstanding.
The circumstances surrounding the academic strike, which resulted in the cancellation of assignments and their weight being redistributed to the final exam, have made the stakes of the final exam exceedingly high. The exam now constitutes half of the total course grade, whereas it was initially intended to account for only 30%. This reallocation, coupled with the limited room for error, will result in a final grade that is not reflective of my capabilities, dedication or efforts throughout the term.
My previous performance in the course supports my belief that I was on track for an A grade. I have received the following grades:
Individual Assignments: 89%, 92%, and 95%
Quizzes: 90.3% and 83.9%
Group Simulation Activity: 75%
Additionally, I completed the infographic bonus assignment early, which reflects my genuine interest in and commitment to the subject. Given my preparation and understanding of the course material, I am highly confident that, had I been able to complete the remaining two tasks on the exam, I would have received an A or a grade that would have resulted in an A for the course overall.
I fully acknowledge my responsibility for the misunderstanding on the final exam. However, I respectfully ask for understanding and consideration given the challenging circumstances this term. The strike has led to the cancellation and reweighting of course assessments, leaving limited opportunities for me to demonstrate growth. I dedicated over 10 hours to an assignment that was ultimately not marked due to the strike. In another case, I was placed in a two-person group for an assignment that most students completed in groups of four. I completed the majority of the work independently without equitable support, and while I had hoped to improve on the second group assignment, it too was cancelled. These circumstances meant that I had fewer opportunities to reflect the full extent of my effort and academic capabilities. As a result, the final exam, now worth over 50% of the course grade, has become a disproportionately significant determinant of my final mark. I believe that this mistake should and does not accurately reflect my strong performance throughout the course or the genuine effort I have consistently demonstrated.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
Zoey Rhone
Documentation
Document: Documentation -1.pdf