Submit an Academic Petition or Appeal

Petition Letter: To the Office of the Associate Dean,
My name is Maya Khazei, and I am a Biology student here at Queen's University entering my fourth year. I am writing to appeal the grade of 68 I received for my English 100 final exam.

I believe that the approach to the marking of my exam was inconsistent with the outlined instructions and expectations, overly subjective, and lacking consistent criteria. I have made efforts to seek clarification and detailed explanation for the exam marking from Professor May, but the response I have received did not achieve these aims.

In preparation for this final exam, I believe I fully exploited the course resources available, including the online web session in which Professor May outlined the format and expectations for the exam. I took these outlined expectations seriously; however, I don't feel like these expectations were indeed the basis of the exam marking.

I will firstly explain the format and outlined requirements for each section, after which I will explain my performance in these sections and how there is seemingly a disparity between the outlined expectations and the grading.

The only written instructions provided for the first section was the following: Choose 3 out of 5 of the following important literary terms or concepts. Provide a brief but informative definition of that literary term or concept. Identify 1 work from the class reading list associated with the literary term or concept. Provide an explanation as to how or why that work of literature illustrates that literary term or concept, paying special attention to the ways in which the literary term or concept reveals the major themes or preoccupations of the work of literature. Be sure to identify the work of literature by referring to its correct title and author. (3).
In my answers in this first section, I wrote in detail addressing the three components laid out by Professor May. In my informal request for a review of my exam mark, Professor May conveyed that in the first question I provided the wrong definition for Blank verse and wrong example and thus was awarded no marks for this question. However, I believe I offered a definition which I had memorized directly from the course notes. Here is an excerpt from these course notes: ¿ blank verse, which is verse make up of unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter (1). Professor May described my following two answers as: Your other responses were better, but lacked the level of detail and engagement with the literature I was looking for (2). Despite my careful review of the expectations for the final exam responses, it seems that Professor May's focus of detail and engagement were not conveyed. I believe I followed the above instructions carefully in my answers and feel that this criterion was not used in my exam marking.

The second section included several passages taken directly from the course readings. Here are the instructions provided to the class: Choose 3 out of 5 of the following passages from works of literature on the class reading list. Identify the work of literature from which the short passage is taken. Discuss the passage, paying special attention to form, content, rhetorical devices and strategies, and to the ways in which the cited passage relates to or contextualizes the work as a whole. Be sure to identify the work of literature by referring to its correct title and author. (3).
The following is the feedback from this section from Professor May: In Part B, your analysis of Didion and Williams received above-average marks, but I would have liked to see this level of analysis in Gray, which seemed somewhat less substantial (2). Although Professor May indicates that my first two responses met his expectation of analysis and detail, they still did not receive full marks. I consider this another instance in which the marking is unreasonable and not reflective of the conveyed instructions, making full marks unattainable. Professor May seems to place an excessive emphasis on in-depth analysis, an aim not expressed in the instructions nor a reasonable expectation for a first-year introductory course.
The final section was described by the following: Choose 1 out of 3 of the following broad topics. Write a well-developed and coherently organized essay that develops that broad topic. Discuss at least 3 works of literature from the class reading list. Be sure to identify the works of literature you use in your essay by referring to their correct titles and authors (3). Here is another excerpt from Professor May's feedback for this question: In part C, your essay was generally sound, and received an above-average mark, but an alternative method of organization may have helped improve the comparisons and contrasts between the three works you were making. (2) I believe this approach to marking is also inconsistent and lacks clear direction and aims. I think that it is reasonable for an exam which is entirely subjective writing, clear criteria and outcomes should be followed in the marking process, however, I have not had access to any rubric or marking form for this essay if one exists.
As I am entering my fourth year at Queen's in the fall and am in the process of applying to medical school, a grade this low has a profound effect on my GPA. To provide some context, my other marks this semester were three A- and one A. I hope that a review of my final exam and a re-marking would allow me to receive a grade which is both fairer in addition to being a better reflection of my efforts in the course.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my request.

Sincerely,
Maya Khazei


References
1. https://onq.queensu.ca/d2l/le/content/213369/viewContent/1309694/View
2. Email exchange with Professor May
3. https://onq.queensu.ca/d2l/le/content/213369/viewContent/1309686/View