Now that this incredibly busy semester has come to a close, (and the election is OVER!), I think it’s a good time to analyze some of your grades.

It’s really easy to say that you were “given” a grade, but it is more likely that the grade you received is the one you earned. (Though we all appreciate the pity points some of our professors give us from time to time.)

How much of your grade had to do with your actual performance? How objective were your professors? I hope to find out. For this one, I’m going to dissect a test from a history course.

Class – The Modern Middle East: Upper Division.

Topic – Middle Eastern history up to the turn of the 20th century.

Test Type – Chronology, Identification, Mindtwister, Essay (Blue book).

Time Permitted – 2 Hours 20 Minutes.

Percentage of Grade – 20%.

Amount of time studying – Approximately 3 days.

Chronology – 7 terms worth 5 points. This was easy enough, and I missed no points. 5/5.

Identification – Out of a choice of 7 terms, we had to identify and describe the significance of three of them. I selected Talas, Ismet Inonu, and the Five Pillars of Islam. These were worth 10 points each. I received an 8.5, 9.5, and 9, respectively.

Mindtwister – These questions required critical thinking. We had to pick one out of three, and I chose “What would Mustafa Kemal, “Ataturk”, think of pastoralism?” Final notes: “OK as far as you go – but rather brief in defining both terms. There’s a lot more to Ataturk besides nationalism and sports!” 12/15.

Essay - We had a few options, and I chose to discuss the Abbassid empire. Time was an issue at this point, and this affected the overall quality of the essay. The final notes were: “Not bad, but a somewhat inconsistent essay. The Lord of the Rings argument is not convincing. Incomplete on philosophers (medicine, calligraphy) and the Mongols.” 39/50.

My professor wasn’t fond of my LOTR paragraph or two in the essay, though it seemed analogous enough to me at the time. (I later learned he is more of a South Park fan.) A bit more study time would’ve added 4-5 points to this essay.

Final grade: 83/100 B-.

At the time I got this grade I was unhappy with it, but considering I only studied for 3 days, it now seems generous enough. For tests like this, it is crucial to be aware of your key terms as well as main themes that might become one or two enormous questions.

What I Learned:

I learned that this professor is an objective grader (OJ). This means that no matter how well I might write, he is looking for specific things and will penalize me if even a single thing is missing. Some history professors grade each test individually, but this professor clearly has a rubric that he follows quite stringently.

This test showed me that in order to get 10/10 or 15/15 on anything I would have to know absolutely everything. This is a more fair approach, though it can definitely be frustrating without intensive study.

Have a test/paper/etc. you want to discuss? Send me your assignment info in the same format from above. The best way to learn what professors want is to see how they grade assignments. The more sources we have, the merrier.