Petition Letter
I am writing to respectfully petition for reconsideration regarding my academic performance in POLS 212 during the Winter 2026 semester.
A significant factor affecting my final grade was the outcome of the Critical Literature Review assignment, which was worth a substantial portion of the course grade. Although I completed and submitted the assignment, I misunderstood the submission requirements regarding source verification and supporting documentation. Specifically, I did not properly provide the required links and/or PDF copies of the sources used in my paper, which resulted in the assignment receiving a grade of zero because several sources could not be verified.
At the time, I believed that including the citations within the assignment itself would be sufficient, and I did not fully understand the importance of separately providing accessible source documentation during grading. This misunderstanding had a major impact on my academic performance in the course because the assignment carried significant weight toward my final grade. The situation caused considerable academic stress and negatively affected my confidence and performance for the remainder of the semester. However, I take responsibility for my misunderstanding of the assignment expectations and recognize that I should have sought clarification earlier regarding the required submission format and source verification process.
Since this occurred, I have taken steps to improve my understanding of academic research expectations, citation requirements, and assignment submission procedures to ensure that similar issues do not occur in future coursework. This experience has taught me the importance of carefully reviewing assignment instructions and communicating proactively with instructors or teaching assistants when uncertain.
I respectfully ask that my circumstances and the substantial impact this misunderstanding had on my academic standing be taken into consideration. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration in reviewing my petition.
Sincerely,
Prisha Wadhwa
A significant factor affecting my final grade was the outcome of the Critical Literature Review assignment, which was worth a substantial portion of the course grade. Although I completed and submitted the assignment, I misunderstood the submission requirements regarding source verification and supporting documentation. Specifically, I did not properly provide the required links and/or PDF copies of the sources used in my paper, which resulted in the assignment receiving a grade of zero because several sources could not be verified.
At the time, I believed that including the citations within the assignment itself would be sufficient, and I did not fully understand the importance of separately providing accessible source documentation during grading. This misunderstanding had a major impact on my academic performance in the course because the assignment carried significant weight toward my final grade. The situation caused considerable academic stress and negatively affected my confidence and performance for the remainder of the semester. However, I take responsibility for my misunderstanding of the assignment expectations and recognize that I should have sought clarification earlier regarding the required submission format and source verification process.
Since this occurred, I have taken steps to improve my understanding of academic research expectations, citation requirements, and assignment submission procedures to ensure that similar issues do not occur in future coursework. This experience has taught me the importance of carefully reviewing assignment instructions and communicating proactively with instructors or teaching assistants when uncertain.
I respectfully ask that my circumstances and the substantial impact this misunderstanding had on my academic standing be taken into consideration. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration in reviewing my petition.
Sincerely,
Prisha Wadhwa