Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: The issue I have encountered with History 458 is that I feel that my work has been evaluated unfairly and these evaluations are not to the standards that I have been achieving throughout my four years at Queens University. I applied to law school this year and have been accepted to numerous law schools for the Fall of 2019, which at first made me reluctant to challenge the marks I have been receiving.I wanted to finish the year without a problem and just graduate, but after I received a C+ that was then switched to a B- and then a B for my participation mark I felt that I needed to follow through with the appeal process. I attended every seminar in the class except one when I was extremely sick, and participated extensively in every class as I was one of the students that spoke the most. I contacted Daniel about the grade and asked him as to why the grade was so low, but he did not give any specific reason. The one time I was sick I asked Daniel if it was alright if I miss class since I was there for 23 out of 24 classes, but Daniel said that I would be deducted two percent for missing the class. I believe its unfair to expect that someone would be able to make it to every single one of these classes, and should have been allocated one or two exceptions.
In addition, throughout the Winter and Fall terms, my assignments were graded poorly where I received several B- and B grades with very little feedback. In a specific instance, I went to see Daniel to discuss how I could do better on the upcoming assignment and he gave a sheet to the students that was sort of a rubric. I followed Daniels advice and the rubric, but I still received a poor grade on the book review assignment. I then went to speak to Daniel about the book review assignment and he said that he would look again at the assignment, where he then changed my mark from a B- to a B, which I found still too low for the quality and effort that I put into the assignment. Another major point of concern was the final research essay of the class, which was to be a thesis based on primary research. I received a B- on the essay, which I worked on for months and did deep research in the archives to meet the demands of the teacher. I believe that the assignment was not marked to my standards because I did everything that was required, but still received a low mark.
I have worked as hard and even harder to please the demands of the teacher, but have received low B grades, whereas in other classes where professors have 20 years of teaching experience I have received grades in the A range, compared to Daniel Meister who is a PH. D candidate. I just find it irregular that in my other years at Queens University, I have received top marks and in this class I am receiving low marks. I would understand the marks I received if I wasnt putting forward my best effort, but I can assure you that I have worked my hardest and my other marks from last semester and this semester can attest to that as they have been in the A+ range. I want to request that the assignments in the class be re-evaluated because I spoke to the Head of the History Department, Rebecca Manley, and she said I have a valid case for an appeal and I believe that my work from History 458 has been evaluated unfairly.