Academic dishonesty by the teacher

[Cgiff94]

The problem I see with this plan of yours is the professor can point to the paper where you wrote you were a dog, and can point to any other paper where you have inserted nonsense sentences, and any failing grade he gave you becomes justified.

The best way to get feedback from any professor is to make an appointment to speak with him during his office hours. Go through one of your papers with the professor and have him tell you where he thinks you fell short.

In other words, I would concentrate less on "collecting evidence" and more on improving your relationship with the professor and learning exactly what he expects from his students. I think going to the head of the department was probably not your best action.

Actually I only wrote nonsense once, and then confronted him about it. I realize I should have done it more than once now, before I confronted him, but regardless I only wrote nonsense once and got the second best grade I have gotten in the class for the grade. I also don't think I can improve relations with him, after all I did confront him and accuse him for not reading my paper. I was going to have friends in the class write nonsense. Not do it again myself because he's probably on to me

 

[TheGeekess]

He actually has a specific rubric unique to every assignment saying specifically what he wants. So I do specifically what he asks for. I do all the work to the best of my ability. My ego isn't weak at all, my GPA is a 3.3 and I don't want to have to retake a class where I wasn't graded fairly. This is for incase I do have to retake the class

I see your 3.3 and show you a 3.97; I'm a senior Senior.

I don't play games with my instructors, I don't insert stoopid things in papers to try to 'catch' anyone. That behavior shows your lack of maturity. Trying to get your 'friends' to play games just proves my point about your maturity that much more. Grow up. The instructor is doing nothing wrong; there's going to be lots of times in life you will not get an 'atta-boy' from ANYONE. Maybe you should work a real job for a couple of years and then finish college.

 

[Cgiff94]

I see your 3.3 and show you a 3.97; I'm a senior Senior.

I don't play games with my instructors, I don't insert stoopid things in papers to try to 'catch' anyone. That behavior shows your lack of maturity. Trying to get your 'friends' to play games just proves my point about your maturity that much more. Grow up. The instructor is doing nothing wrong; there's going to be lots of times in life you will not get an 'atta-boy' from ANYONE. Maybe you should work a real job for a couple of years and then finish college.

You're entitled to your opinion. But I think it shows a lack of a backbone on your behalf to not stand up for yourself or what you believe in. And I believe that if I do what the teacher asks of me, I will be graded fairly. 5 likes explaining I'm a dog, and he didn't read it. So I have to disagree. He did do something wrong, he didn't read what I passed in. Perhaps you would be right if he has read it, but he didn't. Also when did this become a competition for higher GPA? Yeah you're so mature for bringing that up out of nowhere.... I also have a job lined up for when I graduate, which makes this very important that I graduate. I don't want a teacher who doesn't read my homework to take that away from me. I believe that's mature, to stand up for myself. Im going to take the higo road on this to remind you that you aren't me and you have much less of an idea of what's going on with the teacher, department, situation. I'm looking for advice, not your opinion on life advice for a situation you know much less than me about. Why don't u take your own advice and grow up

 

[quincy]

Actually I only wrote nonsense once, and then confronted him about it. I realize I should have done it more than once now, before I confronted him, but regardless I only wrote nonsense once and got the second best grade I have gotten in the class for the grade. I also don't think I can improve relations with him, after all I did confront him and accuse him for not reading my paper. I was going to have friends in the class write nonsense. Not do it again myself because he's probably on to me

Professors, just like employers, can judge you on more than what you produce in the way of work.

If your attitude is poor, that is going to reflect on everything you say and do. I do not know in what class you are receiving these mediocre grades but I can tell you that confronting your professor and going to the head of the department and trying to convince your friends to write nonsense is not likely to make the mediocre grades miraculously improve.

I see nothing in what you have written that would support a lawsuit.

 

[not2cleverRed]

I must admit, I've had to grade some pretty miserable drivel in my time.

There was one hapless graduate student who would write reams of nonsense on exams, to the point where I'd give him a point per page... 30% is still failing.

I've had college algebra students just write what seemed like random numbers scattered about. That, of course would get no credit. You have to show some sign of having half a clue to get half the credit.

Perhaps your instructor has had similar experiences - that even with the dog gibberish, that particular paper was an improvement over the others. Or perhaps he gave you extra credit for amusing him. (This generally only works once, especially if a student escalates his "amusing" efforts at the expense of mastering the material.)

Stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and get back to the salt mines.

 

[AdoptADog]

You also have no idea what the department head did or did not do, nor are you entitled to know. Dealings between bosses and their employees are none business of yours, even if you are involved and you made the report.

 

[cbg]

But hypothetically speaking of I don't do well enough to earn a passing grade, and thereby forces to retake the class, could I sue?

Your chances of a successful lawsuit are slim to none, and slim just left town.

 

[cbg]

Is it not enough to show he gave me a better grade on something with nonsense In it compared to normal assignments without nonsense? Would it not be enough to catch him not reading multiple people's assignments and instead just giving out grades?

No. It is not enough to show that he gave you a better grade on something with nonsense it it compared to normal assignments without nonsense. No, it would not be enough to "catch him" not reading multiple people's assignments and instead just giving out grades.

I hope this is now clear to you.

BTW, you could really shoot yourself in the foot by trying to induce others to write nonsense in their work. The school could see that as a bigger problem than the professor choosing to ignore your trying to be a smart ass. Which is what he will call it.

 

[CdwJava]

I must admit, I've had to grade some pretty miserable drivel in my time.

There was one hapless graduate student who would write reams of nonsense on exams, to the point where I'd give him a point per page... 30% is still failing.

I've had college algebra students just write what seemed like random numbers scattered about. That, of course would get no credit. You have to show some sign of having half a clue to get half the credit.

Perhaps your instructor has had similar experiences - that even with the dog gibberish, that particular paper was an improvement over the others. Or perhaps he gave you extra credit for amusing him. (This generally only works once, especially if a student escalates his "amusing" efforts at the expense of mastering the material.)

Stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and get back to the salt mines.

I have read drivel presented by students and have even given them more credit than they might have deserved from time to time.

I will say that a professor who assigns a 7 page paper EACH WEEK is asking for trouble unless he has only that one class and few other responsibilities. I suspect that he likely reads the front of it, checks to see that certain required elements are present at the beginning and end, and then gives a grade based upon a cursory review. (i.e. is it formatted properly, do the cites and references appear in order, is there a proper introductory statement or thesis, and conclusion, etc.) He may not read for content. And while that is a shame and can be lazy, it is not - by itself - grounds for any sort of claim against he college.

 

[stealth2]

Well I as thinking of asking my friends in the class to slip in a sentence or 2 of nonsense into one of their assignments. To collect more evidence.

And you're a Senior in college? So honestly - how many years have you spent in Kindergarten?

And Idk if I mentioned this but he gave me the second highest grade I've gotten in that class on that assignment. So me saying I'm a dog gets me more points than normal

Maybe the prof agrees that you're a dog, so graded you up for honesty.

In all seriousness... Instead of playing childish games, why have you not been speaking to your professor at the first sign of trouble? Sometimes you just have to jump through hoops to achieve the desired result. You have six weeks (give or take) - stop playing games and get your rear in gear.

I also have a graduating senior. She has spent the entire year jumping through hoops with profs and advisers making her change the focus of her Senior Thesis. Scope too broad, scope too narrow, too much data, not enough data, why are you doing a research-based thesis instead of a paper thesis, etc. I heard a lot of griping, but she buckled down and did what was demanded.

Time to be a big kid, pull up the Underoos, and do what needs doing. Or hey - maybe Mommy will call the Big Bad Prof and scold him for being mean to her speshul snowflake.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

If you are a senior, you should be experienced enough to know early in the term when you have a dud professor and drop the class, to retake later. You failed to use your experience to negotiate the system. Now you are all about wanting to point fingers elsewhere.