I agree with Mark, except for one little detail. I don't think it is necessary for the syllabus to explicitly state that the exam could not be substituted for a project; it seems to me that a "reasonable" person would assume that. A couple of years ago, I had students appeal a decision I made not to count a homework that two students clearly had written together (they admitted it), and their argument was that I had not explicitly stated that they could not write their homework assignments together (not "collaborate" but actually write one homework for two people). I fortunately had included a paragraph in my syllabus about plagiarism that could be interpreted to forbid "sharing" homework, but I have often wondered since what would have happened had that paragraph not been in the syllabus. Are we really supposed to explicitly forbid all of the possible scenarios that students can imagine to subvert our grading system?
Cindy Miller
"Mark A. Casteel" wrote:
Nancy - if your course syllabus was explicit on the requirements for the course, then it would appear to me that the student doesn't have a leg to stand on. If the syllabus was clear that an exam couldn't be substituted for the final project, then the appeal would appear to be without merit. Just because a student has appealed a grade to the ombudsperson doesn't mean (at least at my institution) that the student will win their appeal. In fact, they generally don't. I urge you to not panic and simply point out the requirements as stated in the syllabus.At 12:39 AM 1/23/01 -0500, you wrote:
Tipsters,My introductory psychology syllabus states on the first page that the course
requirements are based on three (out of four) examinations, quizzes, and a
final project. The split is given 50% for the exams, 25% for the quizzes, 25%
for the final project.Several students in one section of intro psych at Santa Monica College either
just flat out didn't hand in the final project, or decided (without
consulting me) to take the fourth exam and not hand in the final project. In
the case of one student who did the latter, I took the average of the three
highest exam grades, the quizzes, and got a 67% - a D. Since her grade would
have been an A or a B if she'd fulfilled the requirements as stated on the
syllabus, I decided to be merciful and give her a C. But I have received a
phone call from the college ombudsperson and fear that I will end up having
to revise her grade upwards.How does my case look to you - I have a copy of my syllabus available. Based
on your experiences, will I end up having to raise her grade because "she
took four exams, so it's equal to the course requirements?"Nancy Melucci
ELAC
*********************************Mark A. Casteel, Ph.D.Associate Professor of PsychologyPenn State York1031 Edgecomb Ave.York, PA 17403(717) 771-4028*********************************
