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Should I go to the Dean about my professor?

I'm currently in the middle of a 3000 level major class, so I need a good grade in it for grad school. Our midterm was a research paper based on observation. Professors usually have our midterm grades in before that last day to drop the class before academic penalty so you know where you stand after your midterm and can determine if you should drop or not. Well, our professor did not. In fact we received our grades a week after. However, the part that I want to complain about is: Two full weeks after we turned our papers in our prof informed us that any website does not count as a source. They also said that is what most people lost points on. Here's the awesome part, in the grading criteria there is no mention of what sources are ok to use or not. It says "professional" sources only. Now, to clarify I asked a couple people in class and they too had used mostly web pages as well and we didn't use random sites either. Every web page I cited was either a government page, nationally recognized organizations and national healthcare type things such as the CDC or American Red Cross?

I received a C, even though I had enough sources, in text citation and I did what was asked. I'm sure I made mistakes but not 21+ points worth. I feel that if they would've stated that websites weren't ok then half the class wouldn't miss it. Can they grade you one something you didn't know about? Even if the grading criteria clearly never mention it?

Should I or could I do something about this?

Update:

It did not clearly state that. It was not my ignorance. Stupid to say that I should've asked, it's outdated to go to the library when the Internet is at our disposal. Guess I should ask her next time about other ridiculous details.

It's 2012. We use the Internet for nearly everything, saying the Center for Disease Control isn't legit is a bit much. I'm not doing this for myself, my classmates also fell victim to this and it is their job as our professor to tell us what is required. Otherwise we'd be asking every time we wanted to know if we could quote something. Absurd.

5 Answers

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    This is a tough one. If it was listed as professional sources I don't think I would have know that websites were not allowed. Professional to me means official sometimes. How can a government website not be professional? And sometimes the government only has things on their website.

    Now if he had listed scholarly reviewed sources that is something different. That would immediately alert me to the fact that I needed to use scholarly journals.

    Going to the Dean right away will not win you any favors. Most Deans do not want to hear something like this especially if you have not spoken to your professor first.

    I think you need to address it directly in class. Ask why you are losing points for using the sources you did when rubric did not specifically specify. Now anybody who used Wikipedia and something random will most likely lose points anyways. Most college students should know that these are unacceptable citations.

    Addressing it in class will allow others students to chime in. It is much harder for a professor to ignore something when most of students disagree. It may alert him to the fact that he did not make himself clear.

    Good luck.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    It is determined by your relative fame to the professor. Assuming that you're now not a Ph.D. scholar or one more professor, you could frequently deal with this character via a name and the final identify. Any of the next must be right: Professor Smith Dr. Smith (Dr. is an right name for a character who holds a Ph.D. measure or different identical measure; I count on that is real of this character.) If you're in a atmosphere in which it is main that he/she is the dean of the institution, I could use "Dean Smith" while speakme approximately this character to others, however now not use it to instantly deal with the character in query. Depending at the context, it would subject if you're peers external of the educational atmosphere. But in all educational communications Professor Smith or Dr. Smith is the right way to cross. Many professors in this day and age additionally inform their pupils that it is k to name them via first identify. Stick with the titles until the character chiefly tells you this, and if you do not think at ease utilising the primary identify even then, the titles will nonetheless be k. (Again, it is determined by your relative fame in evaluation to this character as good, however when you get into the educational tradition a long way sufficient, you'll be able to determine that out.)

  • 9 years ago

    You should go to the dean because your professor provided your with a lack of information that was modified and clarified upon after the due date of the paper. This does not constitute a fair grading system and basing the criteria for the evaluation of the paper on non-existent information is unethical and outside of the academic policies of your institution. Hopefully, if you present a strong argument then the dean should take action against this. Also, it would be better if you can bring more people from your class to testify which will make your argument more legitimate.

    Source(s): I'm 15. (i know my credibility!)
  • 9 years ago

    Before going to the Dean, it's best to use all other ways possible. I suggest go to the professor and ask politely why the grade are the way they are, say you want to improve next time and would like to know why the grades are lower than expectations this time. He might bring out the mistakes and you can negotiate with him politely.

    If this doesn't work then you can ask some other professor to help with the matter, some professor with whom you and your professor are in good terms.

    If these don't work then think of going to Dean.

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  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    No, I am sorry, but this a case of ignorance on your part. The Grading Rubric did clearly state what was and was not acceptable. If you did not know what "Professional Sources" were, it was up to you to ask. You chose not to ask; and just to do the assignment as you saw fit; therefore, you earned the grade you received on this assignment. Remember, you are an adult. If you are unsure of something, ask, because if you don't, your Professors are just going to assume you already know the information. I guess you've just come to learn that ignorance is not always bliss!

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