4 ms·

>What could possibly be "hard experience" with rules lawyering? Just say no. If you have a weak department leadership, and a strong dean of students (one who f

>What could possibly be "hard experience" with rules lawyering? Just say no. If you have a weak department leadership, and a strong dean of students (one who favors student excuses), you can have a lot of students who will successfully challenge grades on dubious grounds.

SEMW 14y ago
How odd (from a British perspective). Successfully challenging an exam result here would involve going to the Examination Board with proof of extenuating circumstances. And never happens as a result of people disagreeing with how their exam script was marked, for a start because we're not given our exam scripts. (I think a few unis do allow you to request copies, but they make it very clear that there's no possibility of disputing the mark you're given. Which seems unfair, but presumably they just don't want to have a precedent - if someone successfully challenges a mark, everyone will start doing it).
PeterisP 14y ago
Ok, then there is some other body who really wants to do grading instead of you - then let them, if they have the authority. If you have already graded the student according to your conscience, then you've done your job properly; and you don't need to drop down to the level of rules lawyering - in any case, the grade mostly matters as the indicator of knowledge and if somebody wants a falsified indicator to flatter himself, then let him waste his time on that. The main (only?) value of grades is as feedback; if they want to waste that feedback, then it's their loss.
- fnordfnordfnord 14y ago
  >If you have already graded the student according to your conscience I don't grade according to my conscience, or at least I try very hard not to. I try to grade as fairly and objectively as I can. >and you don't need to drop down to the level of rules lawyering I personally try very hard not to pander to this kind of crap. I think it misses the real point and simply invites more abuse. Sometimes it takes a willingness to tell those higher than yourself in the hierarchy to sit on it and spin. That's not always easy for everyone to do. >The main (only?) value of grades is as feedback; if they want to waste that feedback, then it's their loss. That's mostly right. I wish it was absolutely right. But, it's naive ignore the notion that some will judge your grades as an objective indicator of ability. In some areas (medical school candidates?) competition is such that students are desperate to have only perfect grades.

SEMW 14y ago

How odd (from a British perspective). Successfully challenging an exam result here would involve going to the Examination Board with proof of extenuating circumstances. And never happens as a result of people disagreeing with how their exam script was marked, for a start because we're not given our exam scripts. (I think a few unis do allow you to request copies, but they make it very clear that there's no possibility of disputing the mark you're given. Which seems unfair, but presumably they just don't want to have a precedent - if someone successfully challenges a mark, everyone will start doing it).

PeterisP 14y ago

Ok, then there is some other body who really wants to do grading instead of you - then let them, if they have the authority. If you have already graded the student according to your conscience, then you've done your job properly; and you don't need to drop down to the level of rules lawyering - in any case, the grade mostly matters as the indicator of knowledge and if somebody wants a falsified indicator to flatter himself, then let him waste his time on that. The main (only?) value of grades is as feedback; if they want to waste that feedback, then it's their loss.

fnordfnordfnord 14y ago
>If you have already graded the student according to your conscience I don't grade according to my conscience, or at least I try very hard not to. I try to grade as fairly and objectively as I can. >and you don't need to drop down to the level of rules lawyering I personally try very hard not to pander to this kind of crap. I think it misses the real point and simply invites more abuse. Sometimes it takes a willingness to tell those higher than yourself in the hierarchy to sit on it and spin. That's not always easy for everyone to do. >The main (only?) value of grades is as feedback; if they want to waste that feedback, then it's their loss. That's mostly right. I wish it was absolutely right. But, it's naive ignore the notion that some will judge your grades as an objective indicator of ability. In some areas (medical school candidates?) competition is such that students are desperate to have only perfect grades.