This assignment was locked Jan 26 at 11:59pm.
Here is one student’s response to the assignment. Read it carefully and respond to the questions that follow, giving specific reasons and examples to support your opinions.
Grades
I agree with some of the reasons in the article but not all of them. There are other reasons for grade disputes that Max does not point out that are also very important. He says students argue about grades because they feel entitled, they want a magic formula and they want credit for effort. All in all, in my opinion, grades are very important, and instructors should do all they can to make sure there students get good grades.
One reason Max Roosevelt says students argue about grades is they feel entitled to good grades. He says, “He attributes those complaints to his students’ sense of entitlement.” Pressure, competition, and anxiety can cause this belief. I agree that pressure can make students want good grades. I have to make good grades or lose my financial aid. Another friend of mine has a job that will pay for his courses if he makes a B or higher. I think pressure leads to anxiety about grades, but I don’t think that means we expect good grades.
Another reason Max Roosevelt says students argue about grades is they are good at preparing for tests in high school, so they want a “magic formula” to pass college courses. I think the tests in college are much harder than they were in high school, and not all teachers give study guides. In high school the teacher covered in class everything that would be on the test. College teachers do not do that. Some expect you to know what’s in class and what’s in the textbook, too. They expect students to do what they think is important, and that’s not fair. THere’s just too much to learn. My psychology teacher did this, and now most of the students think he’s a lousy teacher and the class is stupid. I agree.
Lastly, Max Roosevelt says students argue about grades because they want credit for effort. I defiantly think teachers should give credit for effort. If I go to class and do all the work, I should get a decent grade-period! Not to mention the fact that I pay a lot of money for these courses. Grades will never take a back seat like Max says they should because they are to important when it comes time to get a job.
Besides these reasons I think some students argue about grades because they are given unfairly. The teachers don’t explain why the grades are what they are or else grade hard. Some teachers make students do less work than others. Like I know one of my friends has to write only two papers this semester while I have to write six. His teacher is not so picky either. One teacher online suggests that teachers “review materials for clarity, spell out expectations and minimize miscommunication” to avoid grade disputes. Those sound like good suggestions to me. Max Roosevelt writes about a serious problem in “Student Expectations Seen as Causing Grade Disputes,” and that problem is probably not going to be solved soon.
1. Does the writer connect with the audience? Does the writer generate interest in the opening paragraph? Is the writing style-tone and word choice-appropriate for the audiene? Why or why not? Does the writer include information that supports the assignment’s purposes?
2. Does the paper show the writer has done what was asked for? Is the paper in a proper essay form? Does it meet the minimum length requirement? Do the supporting details come from the assigned article and the author’s experience? Are there enough supporting details to achieve the writer’s purpose?
3. Does the paper show that the writer put time into it? What indicates the writer’s effort or lack of effort in this paper? Is the paper neatly presented with clean pages and clear print?
4. Does the paper avoid distracting errors?
5. How do you think the instructor will respond to this paper?