Teacher is biased against student?

[studentalways1]

California

Imagine that a paper is turned in to two different graders and the score between them both differs by 20% even though there was supposed to be a grading rubric. (meaning a difference of two letter grades, an insane difference)

If this is the case, then it is obvious that the grading rubric has biases/subjectivity as a main factor.

Do I have grounds to sue the professor for knowingly grading works based upon a whim, or how she's feeling, or just her own biased judgement?

What's worse is the fact that I can't even dispute my score prior to it being finalized for fear of my final grade dropping significantly due to the inherit biases present in her grading methods.

 

[Zigner]

No .

 

[Antigone*]

California

Imagine that a paper is turned in to two different graders and the score between them both differs by 20% even though there was supposed to be a grading rubric. (meaning a difference of two letter grades, an insane difference)

If this is the case, then it is obvious that the grading rubric has biases/subjectivity as a main factor.

Do I have grounds to sue the professor for knowingly grading works based upon a whim, or how she's feeling, or just her own biased judgement?

What's worse is the fact that I can't even dispute my score prior to it being finalized for fear of my final grade dropping significantly due to the inherit biases present in her grading methods.

Unless it is a multiple choice test or a math test where 2 + 2 = 4, there will always be subjectivity even with a grading rubric.

You have no case.

 

[studentalways1]

Well I should clarify.

The first paper went to a GSI who hands you a grade then you can take the paper to the professor herself who grades the paper and is supposed to adjust your grade + or - some amount from the one you earned from the GSI.

What is the likelihood of the GSI miss-grading the assignment by over 20%?

Once I saw the score and her comments on the paper-which were not valid. I was compelled to simply accept the score for fear of her biases against me affecting my overall grade in the class.

There must be something to this, is is not correct.

 

[Antigone*]

Well I should clarify.

The first paper went to a GSI who hands you a grade then you can take the paper to the professor herself who grades the paper and is supposed to adjust your grade + or - some amount from the one you earned from the GSI.

What is the likelihood of the GSI miss-grading the assignment by over 20%?

Once I saw the score and her comments on the paper which were not valid. I was compelled to simply accept the score for fear of her biases against me affecting my overall grade in the class.

There must be something to this, is is not correct

You're right, is is not

 

[CdwJava]

You do not get to sue over this. You first bring up the issue to the professor, then to the department chair, then further up the food chain if you are still unsatisfied. But, a lawsuit? Not likely.

Have you seen the rubric?

Did the professor grade you upward? Or, downward?

 

[Humusluvr]

Well I should clarify.

The first paper went to a GSI who hands you a grade then you can take the paper to the professor herself who grades the paper and is supposed to adjust your grade + or - some amount from the one you earned from the GSI.

What is the likelihood of the GSI miss-grading the assignment by over 20%?

Once I saw the score and her comments on the paper-which were not valid. I was compelled to simply accept the score for fear of her biases against me affecting my overall grade in the class.

There must be something to this, is is not correct.

Why did you say the bolded, above??

What subject are we talking about?

 

[Humusluvr]

Well I should clarify.

The first paper went to a GSI who hands you a grade then you can take the paper to the professor herself who grades the paper and is supposed to adjust your grade + or - some amount from the one you earned from the GSI.

What is the likelihood of the GSI miss-grading the assignment by over 20%?

Once I saw the score and her comments on the paper-which were not valid. I was compelled to simply accept the score for fear of her biases against me affecting my overall grade in the class.

There must be something to this, is is not correct.

I also think you need to face the fact that a Graduate Student and a Professor are going to grade in different ways, based on the very differences in what rank they are. I supervise TAs as part of my position, and I know that pedagogically and subjectively, we are very different. The grade I might give a student, and the grade the TAs give students, even with a rubric, can be wildly different. I might be more discerning than the TAs in certain areas, and they might be indifferent about other areas.

But for you to say the professor's comments were not valid? I'm a little suspect of that.

And no, to answer your primary question. This is not something you could sue over. At all.

 

[studentalways1]

The professor graded down btw.

The assignment was a supposed mock business plan/proposal with guidelines and questions that must be answered.

And yes, I had the rubric prior to completing the assignment.

I understand that the scores between the GSI and professor would differ which is the whole idea behind asking the professor to regrade it.

the problem is the fact that my asking the professor to regrade the paper from the very beginning tarnishes her beliefs about me. Specifically, my asking her to regrade it means that I disagree with the very same GSIs that she holds to such high esteem. Thus, she is already inclined to prove why I am wrong and why the GSI is correct by reducing my grade further.

Furthermore, once she has shown me the degree to which she is willing to allow her biases affect her judgement, (by dropping my grade by 20% irrespective of what grade I truly deserve) I am no longer at liberty to dispute anything for fear of her biases affecting my final grade, which matters more.

Her comments on the assignment were, in fact, flawed. It is clear from her statements that she did not read my paper with any kind of attention.

Especially since her reasoning is based primarily off of either lack of reading comprehension or lack of actually reading the damn paper.

 

[Humusluvr]

The professor graded down btw.

The assignment was a supposed mock business plan/proposal with guidelines and questions that must be answered.

And yes, I had the rubric prior to completing the assignment.

I understand that the scores between the GSI and professor would differ which is the whole idea behind asking the professor to regrade it.

the problem is the fact that my asking the professor to regrade the paper from the very beginning tarnishes her beliefs about me. Specifically, my asking her to regrade it means that I disagree with the very same GSIs that she holds to such high esteem. Thus, she is already inclined to prove why I am wrong and why the GSI is correct by reducing my grade further.

Furthermore, once she has shown me the degree to which she is willing to allow her biases affect her judgement, (by dropping my grade by 20% irrespective of what grade I truly deserve) I am no longer at liberty to dispute anything for fear of her biases affecting my final grade, which matters more.

Her comments on the assignment were, in fact, flawed. It is clear from her statements that she did not read my paper with any kind of attention.

Especially since her reasoning is based primarily off of either lack of reading comprehension or lack of actually reading the damn paper.

So, you got a grade by the GSI, and you thought it wasn't high enough. You went to the professor, believing you were owed a higher grade.

Maybe your flawed paper is a demonstration of your lack of comprehension about the subject. Have you given a thought to your own biases? If you believe your paper to be brilliant, it wouldn't matter who graded it, you believe you deserve full credit, or maybe even a bonus for brilliance? Being that the professor should be an expert in her subject, and your status would indicate that you are not, maybe you totally missed the point?

I would like to believe that if you really believe in your own work, you should be able to approach the professor during office hours, and make your case. Most professors don't operate on the "kids are stupid, let me prove my brilliance" assumption.

Have you moved up to the course coordinator or department head? Or do you think by approaching them, your grade will further deteriorate?

 

[Zigner]

Which bring us back to.....

<drumroll>




No .

 

[studentalways1]

The class is an elective/2unit course used primarily as a schedule filler, so that you can have the minimum semester units required to be considered a full time student and be awarded financial aid.

It isn't a difficult class by any means and the subject matter is composed primarily of common sense, best practices type stuff. There isn't even a textbook assigned for the class....that should give you an idea.

"Have you moved up to the course coordinator or department head? Or do you think by approaching them, your grade will further deteriorate?"

the grades have already been finalized. So no fear of that at this point in time. I will talk to department head but my grades are what they are.

I had faith in the rubric and believed that any kind of change in my grade would be minute, but is worth the risk should an increase put me over the curve and bump me up a little. -That was the only motivation behind it.

I would never imagine the grade to swing so violently.

 

[Humusluvr]

The class is an elective/2unit course used primarily as a schedule filler, so that you can have the minimum semester units required to be considered a full time student and be awarded financial aid.

It isn't a difficult class by any means and the subject matter is composed primarily of common sense, best practices type stuff. There isn't even a textbook assigned for the class....that should give you an idea.

"Have you moved up to the course coordinator or department head? Or do you think by approaching them, your grade will further deteriorate?"

the grades have already been finalized. So no fear of that at this point in time. I will talk to department head but my grades are what they are.

I had faith in the rubric and believed that any kind of change in my grade would be minute, but is worth the risk should an increase put me over the curve and bump me up a little. -That was the only motivation behind it.

I would never imagine the grade to swing so violently.

But you can understand why this isn't a LEGAL issue, right?

 

[studentalways1]

So, you got a grade by the GSI, and you thought it wasn't high enough. You went to the professor, believing you were owed a higher grade.

Maybe your flawed paper is a demonstration of your lack of comprehension about the subject. Have you given a thought to your own biases? If you believe your paper to be brilliant, it wouldn't matter who graded it, you believe you deserve full credit, or maybe even a bonus for brilliance? Being that the professor should be an expert in her subject, and your status would indicate that you are not, maybe you totally missed the point?

I would like to believe that if you really believe in your own work, you should be able to approach the professor during office hours, and make your case. Most professors don't operate on the "kids are stupid, let me prove my brilliance" assumption.

Have you moved up to the course coordinator or department head? Or do you think by approaching them, your grade will further deteriorate?

BTW my flawed paper could not possibly be a result of my own lack of comprehension.


If that were the case, then the GSI does must have misunderstood 20% of subject matter as well.

If the GSI does not know what it is that the professor expects out of the rubric, then how the hell am i?

It is more likely that she is biased against regradees. And as determined by the other members on this forum, I cannot take legal action due to the non-quantitative nature of the assignment that she graded.

 

[Humusluvr]

BTW my flawed paper could not possibly be a result of my own lack of comprehension.


If that were the case, then the GSI does must have misunderstood 20% of subject matter as well.

If the GSI does not know what it is that the professor expects out of the rubric, then how the hell am i?

It is more likely that she is biased against regradees. And as determined by the other members on this forum, I cannot take legal action due to the non-quantitative nature of the assignment that she graded.

OK, you're right. That's what you want to hear about everything you've written EVER, so I'll give you what you want.

Maybe the professor smelled the pompous, and did not likey.