Petition Letter
To Dr. John Pierce, Associate Dean (Studies):
I would like to submit an appeal requesting a re-evaluation of my grade in POLS 403. I would like to have two of the course assignments re-read including the Critical Response Paper and Final Paper. I felt that the grade for both papers was assigned unfairly for the following reasons.
First, the Critical Response Paper was assigned as a theoretical build from the subject matter of a group presentation. While preparing for the presentation, my partner Melisa Altundag and I attended the office hours of the instructor to ask relevant questions about the presentation. The instructor refused to answer our content-related questions and responded that the presentation is entirely based on our interpretation of the material. In addition, he stated that he had not recently re-read the articles we were assigned to present, and therefore, could not answer questions related to the presentation. Next, I attempted to discuss my analysis of the material and asked the instructor if I was on the right track, but again the instructor was unwilling to address the material. The refusal of the instructor to answer our questions and suggest a direction during office hours was a discouraging situation that I had not experienced while attending the office hours of professors throughout the semester. At the end of office hours, my partner and I had not received guidance or direction on the presentation, which was the theoretical framework for the Critical Response Paper.
Secondly, following the presentation I worked on the Critical Response paper which was due on the Friday of Reading Week when the instructor did not have office hours. As a result, Melisa and I spoke to the instructor after our presentation and asked whether we could e-mail him questions regarding the Critical Response Paper over Reading Week. The instructor responded that we could communicate with him via e-mail. While working on the Critical Response Paper, I e-mailed the instructor to ask if he could respond to questions about the assignment via e-mail or Skype. I have attached a copy of the e-mail correspondence in which he responded that it would not be possible. Therefore, I did not have an opportunity to discuss the assignment and submitted the Critical Response Paper without receiving any clarification, apart from the original instructions, on the expectations of the instructor.
After receiving back the Critical Response Paper, I did not feel the grade was assigned fairly because of the refusal of the instructor to communicate with me about his expectations for the assignment. As a result, I booked an appointment with a Student Services advisor and shared my concerns regarding the grading of my assignment. I considered requesting a re-read of the assignment. At the same time, the instructor had not been accommodating, and I was concerned that requesting an informal re-read would negatively impact the grading of the Final Paper. The Student Services advisor recommended that I wait until I have received the grade for the Final Paper before requesting a re-read, so that I could avoid receiving another biased grade on the final assignment.
Lastly, before submitting the Final Paper, I e-mailed the instructor to ask how many authors I needed to include in my analysis, and he responded that I could use one author. I proceeded to write the Final Paper using articles from the author Sherene Razack. I did not request further help from the instructor because I felt frustrated and discouraged to seek accommodation or ask questions related to the content of the assignment. After marking the Final Paper, the instructor did not e-mail me the graded copy of my Final Paper, so I contacted him to request my grade for the assignment. In response, the instructor e-mailed me his comments which state that I needed to apply the arguments made by Razack to a different case, or use more than one author from the course. Therefore, I feel that the expectations for the assignment were not clearly communicated, and the grade of the Final Paper does not accurately reflect my ability. I feel that the refusal of the instructor to accommodate my requests for help and communicate with me contributed to the grade I received in the course.
As a result, I would like to request a third reader, who is not the instructor, to re-read my work. I feel that the grading of both assignments has not been objective and would like an impartial and independent reader to re-evaluate my work.
Thank you for considering my appeal.
Sincerely,
Krastina Radoulska
I would like to submit an appeal requesting a re-evaluation of my grade in POLS 403. I would like to have two of the course assignments re-read including the Critical Response Paper and Final Paper. I felt that the grade for both papers was assigned unfairly for the following reasons.
First, the Critical Response Paper was assigned as a theoretical build from the subject matter of a group presentation. While preparing for the presentation, my partner Melisa Altundag and I attended the office hours of the instructor to ask relevant questions about the presentation. The instructor refused to answer our content-related questions and responded that the presentation is entirely based on our interpretation of the material. In addition, he stated that he had not recently re-read the articles we were assigned to present, and therefore, could not answer questions related to the presentation. Next, I attempted to discuss my analysis of the material and asked the instructor if I was on the right track, but again the instructor was unwilling to address the material. The refusal of the instructor to answer our questions and suggest a direction during office hours was a discouraging situation that I had not experienced while attending the office hours of professors throughout the semester. At the end of office hours, my partner and I had not received guidance or direction on the presentation, which was the theoretical framework for the Critical Response Paper.
Secondly, following the presentation I worked on the Critical Response paper which was due on the Friday of Reading Week when the instructor did not have office hours. As a result, Melisa and I spoke to the instructor after our presentation and asked whether we could e-mail him questions regarding the Critical Response Paper over Reading Week. The instructor responded that we could communicate with him via e-mail. While working on the Critical Response Paper, I e-mailed the instructor to ask if he could respond to questions about the assignment via e-mail or Skype. I have attached a copy of the e-mail correspondence in which he responded that it would not be possible. Therefore, I did not have an opportunity to discuss the assignment and submitted the Critical Response Paper without receiving any clarification, apart from the original instructions, on the expectations of the instructor.
After receiving back the Critical Response Paper, I did not feel the grade was assigned fairly because of the refusal of the instructor to communicate with me about his expectations for the assignment. As a result, I booked an appointment with a Student Services advisor and shared my concerns regarding the grading of my assignment. I considered requesting a re-read of the assignment. At the same time, the instructor had not been accommodating, and I was concerned that requesting an informal re-read would negatively impact the grading of the Final Paper. The Student Services advisor recommended that I wait until I have received the grade for the Final Paper before requesting a re-read, so that I could avoid receiving another biased grade on the final assignment.
Lastly, before submitting the Final Paper, I e-mailed the instructor to ask how many authors I needed to include in my analysis, and he responded that I could use one author. I proceeded to write the Final Paper using articles from the author Sherene Razack. I did not request further help from the instructor because I felt frustrated and discouraged to seek accommodation or ask questions related to the content of the assignment. After marking the Final Paper, the instructor did not e-mail me the graded copy of my Final Paper, so I contacted him to request my grade for the assignment. In response, the instructor e-mailed me his comments which state that I needed to apply the arguments made by Razack to a different case, or use more than one author from the course. Therefore, I feel that the expectations for the assignment were not clearly communicated, and the grade of the Final Paper does not accurately reflect my ability. I feel that the refusal of the instructor to accommodate my requests for help and communicate with me contributed to the grade I received in the course.
As a result, I would like to request a third reader, who is not the instructor, to re-read my work. I feel that the grading of both assignments has not been objective and would like an impartial and independent reader to re-evaluate my work.
Thank you for considering my appeal.
Sincerely,
Krastina Radoulska