Professor grading harshly...

OP

I'm from Ireland (the only European in the European History class and I'm practically failing it!) and he's American. I haven't had problems with my essay writing for any of my other classes here so I assumed it's not a cultural thing exactly. The school I go to is huuuuuuuuge (30,000+) so their advisors, if you can even get an appointment with them, basically just tell you to get over it.

I'm not sure how he'd react to me blatantly saying I think he's being unfair with the marks but I really feel he is being pedantic about this problem I supposedly have with the style of my writing when he says himself the information I put in the essays is good but the presentation lets it down, and no other professor has ever picked up on it?

Reply 4

london123

Tarts_n_Vicars

Right now I have a problem with one particular professor who is grading my papers, I think, a little unfairly. It's a history class. The first paper I got a low B (in American terms, not UK ones) because he said he didn't like how I "phrased" my sentences, this one I got a low C because although I made good points, he feels the paper just didn't "work" for him.

He is the only professor who has ever had a problem with my style of writing and because my grades are descending into the depths in his class I think it's appropriate to go and see him about it, but I really have no idea what to say. I know he won't change the grade but to prevent me from failing the class (I'm 10% off a failure grade right now and there are two more assignments due) I need to know if there is anything I can do to fix it. At the same time though him disliking my style of writing is kind of a fundamental problem and I can't imagine him offering any input than "change it!"?

Help :confused:

You should really talk to him. I've had this problem before and it's awful, mostly with teacher's assistants. Usually once the they see that you're serious about the grade they will start raising them. It's really a pain. Last year in my MA program we didn't get our grades until after our degree was over and it was -so- frustrating to get underscored on a paper. I remember redoubling my efforts on my second round of papers and getting only one percentage point higher. Sorry for the rant :smile:

Reply 5

FadeToBlackout

15

Find somehting he's written and complain about the style, saying you "just don't get it"?

In all seriousness, ask him why exactly he's saying that. Ask him if he doesn't like the writing style, and if he says "yes" ask him exactly what he doesn't like about it.

As people have said, just because he doesn't like the essay doesn't necessarily mean he should be failing it. That said, a good deal of writing should be tailored to the audience. Maybe you're being too journalistic (a trait I have), or too florid, or too waffley?

Just because the marker doesn't agree with the styleof the essay, they shouldn't then fail it. Ask them about the content, and see whether they agree with it.

I suppose academics should be a lot more impartial and be able to get over niggles like this. All the ones I've known have tolerated and argued if they disagree with what a student wrote, and then discussed it- rather than marking it down. I know for a fact that a friend of mine who has a very Marxist view of history, who had the same supervisor, would have endless arguments but the supervisor still marked him fairly despite not agreeing with his views or the way he expressed them.

Reply 6

PJ

14

Maybe history isn't one of your stronger subjects?

just a thought

Reply 7

OP

PJ

Maybe history isn't one of your stronger subjects?

just a thought

Wow that was deep. I have 1sts in all my history modules back home and As in the ones I've taken here up until now so I'm fairly sure my strength isn't quite the issue.

Reply 8

danni_bella

ChemistBoy

Could this be a cultural thing? Are you american (I'm guessing not and that irish means really irish not american irish). Use of language can vary considerably across the pond.

Nah, she's Irish but in the states.

OP :smile:

One of my sociology lecturers was American, yeah he had a different way of doing things but at least it was us (like 300 of us!!) vs him so that helped lol.

Can you complain to the course advisor? Sounds to me he's being a little intolerant :s-smilie:

I think you're doing the right thing about sorting this out early, best of luck x x

Reply 9

danni_bella

*malteser*

so basically go see your student rep

Another good idea :yy:

You'd be surprised how helpful they can be, we got ours in 1st year biology to grant our group an extension on a project, but then we kinded needed one (our tomatoes weren't ready yet :frown:

That prolly sounds weird haha).

Reply 10

Acaila

I'd find out what exactly he thinks you're doing wrong and why before you go and complain to anyone else tbh.

Reply 11

OP

Thanks for the advice everyone.

There isn't anyone else I can complain to - so he is my only option anyway. I met with one of my professors from back home today who said that if the grade continues to be a problem it can "fall" off my transcript when I get back. Not ideal as I want to do well in the class but at least it's not the end if I do fail!

Reply 12

danni_bella

Acaila

I'd find out what exactly he thinks you're doing wrong and why before you go and complain to anyone else tbh.

But his way could be a bit too technical and unecessary - and if you see someone else at least you'll be a bit wiser as to what you could do.

Tarts_n_Vicars

Thanks for the advice everyone.

There isn't anyone else I can complain to - so he is my only option anyway. I met with one of my professors from back home today who said that if the grade continues to be a problem it can "fall" off my transcript when I get back. Not ideal as I want to do well in the class but at least it's not the end if I do fail!

Oh that's good then :smile:

Well there's always that, which would prolly bump up your overall mark anyway by not including it.

Let us know how you go x

Reply 13

arkbar

12

T+V, are the papers/the class curved? That could be the issue alongside his harsh marking.

Reply 14

Acaila

danni_bella

But his way could be a bit too technical and unecessary - and if you see someone else at least you'll be a bit wiser as to what you could do.

That's when you say "Sorry, I'm still not following this." The person that marked the essay is probably going to know why they marked it down better than someone who's never seen it.

In any case, better not to piss the guy off any more by going above his head until/unless you need to.

Reply 15

L i b

19

Tarts_n_Vicars

Right now I have a problem with one particular professor who is grading my papers, I think, a little unfairly. It's a history class. The first paper I got a low B (in American terms, not UK ones) because he said he didn't like how I "phrased" my sentences, this one I got a low C because although I made good points, he feels the paper just didn't "work" for him.

Hmm... didn't realise a B could vary in its definition in the US.

But anyway, I'd just ask him to come up with a decent excuse for why he's giving you crap marks, rather than the airy-fairy crap he seems to have come out with.

Reply 16

FadeToBlackout

15

Lib North

Hmm... didn't realise a B could vary in its definition in the US.

But anyway, I'd just ask him to come up with a decent excuse for why he's giving you crap marks, rather than the airy-fairy crap he seems to have come out with.

Apparently there's a LOT of grade inflation in the US, with a lot of students getting A graded papers and so on. Much like A-Levels here.

Reply 17

OP

Lib North

Hmm... didn't realise a B could vary in its definition in the US.

But anyway, I'd just ask him to come up with a decent excuse for why he's giving you crap marks, rather than the airy-fairy crap he seems to have come out with.

I meant a B as in 80%, when on a UK uni scale you get a % rather than a letter (well I do anyway) so an 80 in UK terms is pretty impressive....not so much here.

Reply 18

kookabura

I've got a similar ish problem with my supervisor at uni. He has looked at my first dissertation chapter and says I have an 'annoying tendency to make my sentences too long' and that i 'use commas instead of semicolans too much'. Neither of which I agree with, I don't like the way he writes things, its too disjointed! I'm going to speak to my tutor about it, as it turns out now that he marked my research proposal down because of this, and I don't want to wait for him to mark my whole dissertation down because he doesnt agree with my sentence structure!

Don't know what to suggest for you really, except for speaking to the tutor concerned and seeing what the suggest you do for the other work you have to do, and if you aren't happy then going to see a different tutor/rep etc.

Reply 19

db