If you receive a grade on a paper that you are unhappy with, which of the following should you do?
a) Immediately crumple it into a ball and throw it back at your instructor’s face.
b) Start kicking, screaming, and yelling obscenities.
c) Do nothing.
While answer A would be pretty awesome to witness in class, none of the above answers is the correct one. (Trick question—sorry!) There isn’t one definitive answer for the proper way to handle a grade that you believe is unfair. However, there are actions you can—and should—take if you are ever unsatisfied with a paper grade. Below are a few ideas. Make sure to note that the overall theme of these ideas is that it’s important to be proactive when it comes to your grades and success in school.
Take Time for Reflection: In the above Q&A, answers A and B are both examples of acting on emotion—you receive, what you perceive to be, an unfair grade, so you immediately act on your emotions. While these kinds of actions might feel good for a few moments, afterward you’ll most likely feel embarrassed, and you will definitely have annoyed the instructor (a.k.a. the assigner of grades). Therefore, it’s always best to take some time to reflect on the matter. After leaving the class, put the paper away and do something else. After some time, sit down and carefully review the instructor’s comments and re-read your paper. If you still feel that the paper was not given the proper grade, then compose a list of talking points and schedule a time when you can discuss the paper with the instructor, whether before or after class or during the set office hours.
Talk with a Friend: When we write a paper, we work really hard to find sources and write coherent, interesting sentences and paragraphs. It’s hard work. And this is why it’s sometimes easy to lose an objective perspective over the matter. Your paper is like your academic baby—you conceived it and nurtured it and then this horrible person comes along and writes negative comments about it and gives it a “C.” No matter what, this is your baby so it’s perfect, right? Not really. Sometimes we get so entangled in our work that we lose focus, so it’s often helpful to talk with a friend—someone who does not know the class or the instructor—about the paper. Ask him or her to read it and the comments. An outside, objective perspective is often a valuable resource.
Stop by the School Writing Center: Writing centers are great resources for two reasons. First, they’re filled with tutors who are eager to speak with students about their writing, and the tutors are knowledgeable on college wiring. And, secondly, they are usually filled with college students just like you, students who might have experienced a similar problem themselves or might have helped another student with a similar issue. You can make an appointment with a tutor in your school’s writing center and discuss the matter with him or her and receive advice on what actions you should take in regard to the paper’s grade.
Go to the Instructor’s Office Hours: After reflecting on the paper and discussing it with an objective friend or writing tutor, and if you still feel the grade is unfair, you should make an appointment to meet with the instructor during his or her office hours. The source of the grade is the instructor, so you should speak with the source directly about his or her reasons for assigning that particular grade. It’s important to think of this meeting as a win-win situation. The instructor might change the grade, but, even if the grade stays the same, the instructor will take note of your actions to fight for your grades. This shows that you take stock in your education. And, maybe, the instructor will remember the meeting when grading future papers.