What does it mean if a prof did not use the same grading rubric

[worriedstudent123]

I've contacted one of my profs to reconsider my essay grade and he tells me to look at the grading criteria to come up with a good rationale why it should be a higher grade. So I did as told but am now more confused because the criteria for a 75 paper is same as for a 79 paper. I then asked him if he can explain more what are his expectations for a 79 level paper and his response was: "I will explain why you were assigned the grade you were assigned (against the grading criteria) when we meet in person - which is the procedure I have used with all students." Why did he tell me to look at the grading criteria but now says that he didn't even use it to grade my paper? And why is he expecting me to come up with a good rationale by referring to the criteria which he didn't even use?

[ResilientDreams]

8 minutes ago, worriedstudent123 said:

I've contacted one of my profs to reconsider my essay grade and he tells me to look at the grading criteria to come up with a good rationale why it should be a higher grade. So I did as told but am now more confused because the criteria for a 75 paper is same as for a 79 paper. I then asked him if he can explain more what are his expectations for a 79 level paper and his response was: "I will explain why you were assigned the grade you were assigned (against the grading criteria) when we meet in person - which is the procedure I have used with all students." Why did he tell me to look at the grading criteria but now says that he didn't even use it to grade my paper? And why is he expecting me to come up with a good rationale by referring to the criteria which he didn't even use?

I'm a TA and honestly, essay grades can be pretty arbitrary. Professors will have guidelines for what a C, B, A, etc is, but usually the distinction between a 75 and a 79 (which I'm assuming is the difference between a C and a C+) isn't much. Rather than focusing on the grade boundary, you should just articulate to your Prof why your argument was sound. Talk about the topic, not the grade. 

[worriedstudent123]

1 minute ago, ResilientDreams said:

I'm a TA and honestly, essay grades can be pretty arbitrary. Professors will have guidelines for what a C, B, A, etc is, but usually the distinction between a 75 and a 79 (which I'm assuming is the difference between a C and a C+) isn't much. Rather than focusing on the grade boundary, you should just articulate to your Prof why your argument was sound. Talk about the topic, not the grade. 

Thank you so much!! I've also told him that I thought it was a good paper because of the paper outline (85) and had gone over final thoughts with him. In one of his previous emails, he also said, "As you know my grading for individual assignments would be in increments of 2.5% - so if I adjusted the mark you may get 77.5%, 80%, etc. As I mentioned in my previous email, meeting with me does not guarantee your final grade will be adjusted. As a first step you need to review my comments and consider the grading criteria and then consider whether you feel I should re-consider your final grade". Do you have some more advice on how to come up with good rationale? He does want me to use the rubric....but he can't tell me his expectations between a 75 and a 79.

 

[ResilientDreams]

11 minutes ago, worriedstudent123 said:

Thank you so much!! I've also told him that I thought it was a good paper because of the paper outline (85) and had gone over final thoughts with him. In one of his previous emails, he also said, "As you know my grading for individual assignments would be in increments of 2.5% - so if I adjusted the mark you may get 77.5%, 80%, etc. As I mentioned in my previous email, meeting with me does not guarantee your final grade will be adjusted. As a first step you need to review my comments and consider the grading criteria and then consider whether you feel I should re-consider your final grade". Do you have some more advice on how to come up with good rationale? He does want me to use the rubric....but he can't tell me his expectations between a 75 and a 79.

 

Oh, you have a graded outline! That's perfect. Use that to show him how you followed your outline, which he described as being worth an 85. Then center your discussion around how you believe you adhered to your outline and covered all the points, so you were surprised it received a lower grade than what he deemed the outline to be worth. (But try if you can to make it more about the content of the paper rather than the grade once again-- professors can get annoyed if you're too overly focused on the grade. Maybe wait until talking a bit to bring up the grade.)

In other words, if the rubric is unclear, use the outline as your rubric. 

[worriedstudent123]

23 minutes ago, ResilientDreams said:

Oh, you have a graded outline! That's perfect. Use that to show him how you followed your outline, which he described as being worth an 85. Then center your discussion around how you believe you adhered to your outline and covered all the points, so you were surprised it received a lower grade than what he deemed the outline to be worth. (But try if you can to make it more about the content of the paper rather than the grade once again-- professors can get annoyed if you're too overly focused on the grade. Maybe wait until talking a bit to bring up the grade.)

In other words, if the rubric is unclear, use the outline as your rubric. 

Thank you so much, you are a life saver! Happy holidays!