Manage Appeals
Petition Type: New
ID: 14511
Submitted: June 22, 2026 at 1:26:21 PM
First Name: Austin
Last Name: McAuley
Pronoun: he/him
Student Number: 20405540
Email: 22cns2@queensu.ca
Degree Program: BAH
Plan: POLS
Level of Study: 4
Petition Categories
Petition Categories: Request a review of instructors' decisions on grading of final examination and/or term work
Code: POLS 396
Term: Winter
Year: 2026
Petition Category: Request a review of instructors' decisions on grading of final examination and/or term work
Instructor's Name: Wayne Cox
Section/Class Number: n/a
Component: Final exam
Petition Letter
Petition Letter: Hello,
I am submitting this petition letter regarding the final exam/coursework of my POLS 396 class with Professor Wayne Cox. I have several concerns regarding the composition of my final grade, how my final exam was marked, and the actual course mark I received, which I will outline now:
Firstly, a portion of our grade was compiled of a country report that was completed in class and never given a formal rubric for marking. It was kind of structured like an informal presentation based on a country/topic related to the course. This mark was never returned to me or put into my onq page, and I have no clue how or if this was actually marked. Secondly, I received a mark of 76 on my exam outline (to my recollection as I have no access to the onq currently) and the feedback I was given largely surrounded me needing to include examples of speeches that displayed orientalism and do a case by case analysis essentially. I made this the main focus of my final exam, as it was the main component of the feedback I received, and got a lower mark on my final exam despite compiling more research and including this feedback in my exam. This is a very large inconsistency I have had in the past with Professor Cox (specifically giving feedback to improve a grade, but when feedback is implemented, the grade is lowered) which I have appealed in the past and been successful doing so. This again really doesn't make sense to me as I directly took into account the feedback I received and applied this to my final exam but got a lower mark for doing so. Finally, I wanted to note that Professor Cox mentioned in an onq announcement and in class that whatever was graded higher between the exam outline and the exam would be used as the grade for both. But, upon receiving my final grade, I am not sure if this was ever done.
Thank you very much for this consideration. Please let me know the next steps for this process or if you require more information.
Sincerely,
Austin McAuley
I am submitting this petition letter regarding the final exam/coursework of my POLS 396 class with Professor Wayne Cox. I have several concerns regarding the composition of my final grade, how my final exam was marked, and the actual course mark I received, which I will outline now:
Firstly, a portion of our grade was compiled of a country report that was completed in class and never given a formal rubric for marking. It was kind of structured like an informal presentation based on a country/topic related to the course. This mark was never returned to me or put into my onq page, and I have no clue how or if this was actually marked. Secondly, I received a mark of 76 on my exam outline (to my recollection as I have no access to the onq currently) and the feedback I was given largely surrounded me needing to include examples of speeches that displayed orientalism and do a case by case analysis essentially. I made this the main focus of my final exam, as it was the main component of the feedback I received, and got a lower mark on my final exam despite compiling more research and including this feedback in my exam. This is a very large inconsistency I have had in the past with Professor Cox (specifically giving feedback to improve a grade, but when feedback is implemented, the grade is lowered) which I have appealed in the past and been successful doing so. This again really doesn't make sense to me as I directly took into account the feedback I received and applied this to my final exam but got a lower mark for doing so. Finally, I wanted to note that Professor Cox mentioned in an onq announcement and in class that whatever was graded higher between the exam outline and the exam would be used as the grade for both. But, upon receiving my final grade, I am not sure if this was ever done.
Thank you very much for this consideration. Please let me know the next steps for this process or if you require more information.
Sincerely,
Austin McAuley