I feel I was wronged on a problem. There was a question "how many...."I answered it correctly but it also said "support your answer". I provided correct example graph and definition of what was happening but it was not the support the teacher was looking for. I could understand not getting full credit but I was given 4/22 on the problem and talked to him about it and he said he was looking for a certain way of showing support which I did not provide so I should get nothing. Is there anything I can do since he won't budge? Will going to the math dean with it benefit?

6/27/2008 11:21:51 AM

you're pretty much fucked.


teacher has the ultimate say on the grade for a test/problem.

6/27/2008 11:33:03 AM

keying cars, slashing tires, placing burning bags of poop at certain doors

6/27/2008 11:39:01 AM

Quote :

"Will going to the math dean with it benefit? "

I would try anyways. What's the worst that could happen? He'll say no?

6/27/2008 11:42:48 AM

^ Don't neglect the the ability of the instructor to enact revenge for trying to go over their head.

6/27/2008 12:52:55 PM

Talk to anyone but dr. griggs, he is a complete asshole and tries to be a hardass.

Just refuse to take no for an answer if you legitimately knew the material i.e. if you made a decent grade on the assignment other than just that one problem then you can have more possibility of getting additional points. If you are trying to get points to get your grade bumped up to a D or C then it probably won't happen.

6/27/2008 12:56:44 PM

not to be a dick, but if you tried to draw a graph as a "proof" in a math class, that won't fly. If that's not the case, good luck.

If you don't mind my asking, what was the said problem?

6/27/2008 1:15:01 PM

it was like

"how many times will the graph cross the x-axis if b>sqrt(4mk)? <?. support your answer."

I gave the correct number of times and showed graphs of the possible scenarios and described underdamping overdamping. 4/22 points.

6/27/2008 1:36:02 PM

what did you get on the rest of the 78 points?

6/27/2008 2:00:18 PM

so what proof was he looking for, like a paragraph or something?

6/27/2008 3:04:00 PM

take the question, your answer, and the correct answer to someone else in the department--maybe dr. tran or dr. scroggs; tell him you don't think it's clear what the professor was looking for and ask for his opinion whether or not it's reasonable

6/27/2008 5:02:33 PM

Quote :

"Talk to anyone but dr. griggs, he is a complete asshole and tries to be a hardass."

6/27/2008 10:32:46 PM

I dont know if ^ guy is the dean of the math department. However if he is, the he would be the biggest asswhole ill delt with sense ive attended NCSU. He takes pleasure in in belittling others

[Edited on June 28, 2008 at 2:31 PM. Reason : meh]

6/28/2008 2:25:52 PM

Was the teacher expecting you would derive the 3 cases for mx''+bx'+kx=0 as they arise from the discriminant b^2-4mk ? I can see why he would not award that many points if the rest of the class understood the question to intend you show those details. Just drawing the graphs is a little weak for a 22pt question on a calculus II test (or whatever it is you're taking). You'll do better getting those points back if you know the complete answer verbatim with details... convince them you could have supplied the details if given the chance.

6/29/2008 10:29:59 PM

Yeah drawing graphs would have gotten you minimal credit unless you could bring the discriminant into the drawing

6/30/2008 12:10:27 AM

You're fucked. Suck it up and take the bad grade and move on. Grades shouldn't be negotiable except in extreme circumstances.

6/30/2008 9:34:22 AM

The first thing you should do is see what kind of difference in your overall course grade there would be if you got full credit for this particular problem. Based on what you find out from that it may not even be worth approaching anyone in the dept.

IMO the worst thing you can do is go to another prof and ask for his/her opinion. Generally profs don't like to be pitted against each other. Then your argument becomes their argument. Not good.

If anything you should approach prof and ask him/her where you went awry(forget about the points and the grade- I know, it's hard) but show the prof that you are concentrating primarily on understanding what you did wrong.

[Edited on June 30, 2008 at 9:53 PM. Reason : .]

6/30/2008 9:52:43 PM

were you wondering why after that question was a whole page of blank that you didn't fill up? Next time go ask a professor during the test if what you're doing is what they want.

7/9/2008 8:10:55 PM

^ Yeah, but if you confidently think you're doing what they want, you're not going to go up and ask them.

This sucks but I doubt you'll get very far contesting it. I ran into this sort ofcrap in a computer class I took at State.

7/10/2008 1:27:37 AM