What I will do for 1.43% of my final grade.....(long w/ cliff notes)

[Kratzer]

Who is right in this situation?

This is the same professor from another thread I started

Ok, so I just took the final this morning for the classe. There was a homework assignment due today, so I did it and handed it in before I started my final. After I finished the test, I handed it in and my professor handed me back my homework assignment, which he had just graded.

He says "Why did you only do 2 of the questions? It says to do 3."

I responded, "No, it says in the syllabus to do 2 questions, so I did 2."

He said "No, you're wrong. And everyone else did 3, you're the only one who did two."

I was going to argue my case, but other students were still taking the final, so I decided to drop it there, and send him an email when I got home. which i just did. Here is the email I just sent him:

------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Professor,
This is regarding the homework set # 8, where I only did 2 problems. I felt I was right in this situation, but I did not think it was right to discuss it in class when the other students were still taking their final, so that is why I am emailing you now. I'm not trying to start an argument, it's just that I want every point I can get.

This is what it says on the syllabus, word for word:

"Set #8 (due 7/28): Chapter 14. One or two of 14.24, 14.25, 14.26
Chapter 15: One or two of 15.10, 15.15, 15.30
or short essay question:
3. In which, if any, of the three philosophies
of mathematics listed in the text do you
believe? Give your reasons for your beliefs."

Chapter 14. One or two of 14.24, 14.25 , 14.26 ---- For chapter 14 I chose to do one, and I substituted an essay question for that one question.

Chapter 15: One or two of 15.10, 15.15, 15.30 ----- For chapter 15, it says one or two of 15.10, 15.15, 15.30 OR short essay question: I chose the short essay question.



So there are the 2 questions that I chose to do. I don't see where it says there is a mandatory 3rd question. I feel like I could be on the border between letter grades, and ten points could make or break my grade. If I would have known that you wanted us to do 3 questions I would have done 3, but I followed the directions on the syllabus and I don't want to miss points because of that.

Kind Regards,
Nick Kratzer

--------------------------------------------------------

That is word for word what it says on my syllabus. I hate this professor, I think he is a pompous prick, but I would do this regardless of whether I liked him or not. Because I hated him though, I spelled out my email and argument as simply as possible, just to belittle him. In the email I capitalized, bolded, and underlined each 'or'. I think there is a mutual hatred between us, so this would be very sweet if I got these points. God I hate this guy

I got 20/30 points on that assignment, and the total points for the class is 700, so it's about 1.43% that I'm arguing for.

What do you guys think? Am I correct? And I don't care if you don't think it's worth it, because I think it is. I just want to see who agrees with me.



cliff notes: i got shorted 1.43% on my final grade, and I'm ready to throw down with my prof to get those points.

[blinden84]

The Dorm?

[Kratzer]

oh, ive never seen that forum before. my bad

[hedxcold]

3. In which, if any, of the three philosophies
of mathematics listed in the text do you
believe? Give your reasons for your beliefs."

is that the 3rd question?

[Kratzer]

just because it has a "3" in front of it doesnt mean it's the 3rd question, IMO. or at least i can interpret it that way. I took the directions as literally as I could

[bobman0330]

[ QUOTE ]
just because it has a "3" in front of it doesnt mean it's the 3rd question, IMO. or at least i can interpret it that way. I took the directions as literally as I could

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if it is a 3rd question, the preceding sentence makes no sense. But the 3 doesn't make sense otherwise. I guess the prof just made a mistake somewhere.

[Gildwulf]

Take him to the Dean or the equivalent of an Ombsudsperson once you have your final grade (if it's close or borderline).

[Bob Sacamano]

Griping over percentages of grades is probably the worst part of college. After the class is over I seriously can't bring myself to care anymore.

[Kratzer]

I think it's pretty obvious he mistakenly put an "or" where he meant to put an "and", but i want to win this argument.

[amead]

My question is how every other student managed to understand that there were to be 3 questions due on this assignment.

My guess is that he elucidated this point during the class before this assignment was due, and perhaps you skipped and this is why you missed the edict that everyone else followed (and might explain why he hates you, also).

Just a hunch.