GRADING: IMPORTANT NOTES & DISPUTES
- You must complete all work for the class; otherwise, you will fail the course
- You cannot miss an exam and pass the course, other than in the case of documented emergency or prior arrangement with me
- I don’t accept late work unless prior arrangements have been made or there are documented extenuating circumstances. You will be penalized 1/3 letter grade for each calendar day you are late, starting with the end of the class period on the day an assignment is due. I will comment on but award an F for any work that is more than a week late
- If you are having any issues with the course – from difficulty of reading to participation or assignments – or there are personal issues that are impede your ability to do well, please make arrangements to see me before your performance suffers
GRADING
I use the University of Redlands grading criteria (see chart below), which may be found in the catalog. Informally, however, here is an example of how I differentiate between A and B papers: An A paper reflects excellence beyond course and instructor expectations. It demonstrates evidence of thoughtful and thought-provoking work. Written work is tightly argued, adheres to the conventions of writing for the humanities. The work of an A student often challenges assumptions made by the class, the texts and the instructor (!). An A paper is one that leaves me thinking about it well after I am finished grading it. A B paper takes our readings and class discussions and applies them to write a persuasive argument. It uses its evidence well and adheres to the conventions of writing for the humanities. I will hand out a rubric that will reflect better my expectations for written work.
University of Redlands Grading Criteria (from the University Catalog)Numerical Grade Scale Letter Grade 93-100 4.0 A 90-92 3.7 A- 87-89 3.3 B+ 83-86 3.0 B 80-82 2.7 B- 77-79 2.3 C+ 73-76 2.0 C 70-72 1.7 C- 67-69 1.3 D+ 63-66 1.0 D 60-62 0.7 D- > 59 0.7 D-
Grading Appeals
You have the right to discuss your grades with me. If you have a question or concern about an assignment, essay or participation grade, please come see me during my office hours or talk with me before or after class to arrange a meeting. Because I am available to answer questions before assignments are due, I do not alter grades that I have already given. This includes all assignments and exams. If you would like to discuss your grade or to know what to do to improve your work in the future, I am happy to engage in such discussions at least 24 hours after you have received your work back. In the case of reviewing a graded paper, please come prepared to discuss my comments on the paper so our discussion stays focused. I will help you strategize for future assignments. If you receive a final grade for the course that is lower than your records, make an appointment to meet with me as soon as the following semester begins. To prepare for our meeting, you should bring your entire portfolio of the work you have done for the class and any other evidence that would justify the grade you believe is the one you deserve. Attendance and Participation are at my discretion (see the rubric under the section "Participation") and thus, non-negotiable.
If you need to appeal your grade, follow the procedures below:
1. Make an appointment with the professor to discuss grade face-to-face. Arrive at the appointment with evidence of work that shows an error on the part of the professor.
2. If unsatisfied, you should contact the Chair of the department. In the event that the Chair and the professor are one and the same and the grade dispute in question has to do with an essay, another faculty member in the department may be asked to provide a second reading.
3. Contact the Assistant Dean of CAS, Sawa Kurotani.
4. If the outcome is not what you expected, you have the right to appeal to the Academic Review Board. Either the Dean or the Chair of the department can direct you on how to do that.