<p>First off, kudos to you for actually doing things like checking into policies; so many people don’t. </p>
<p>Second, I would request a formal meeting with your professor. In this email, and in all communication you have with anyone regarding this issue, you must be calm and collaborative, as this will make people much more willing to hear you. Be sure to bring all copies of graded work and the textbook that potentially contradicts your professor. At this meeting you should do two things. First, in order to make sure everyone is in agreement about the numerical issues at stake, ask him to show you how the two issues in dispute (the ‘unwritten rule’ and the ‘incorrect fact’) specifically affected the grades of each individual assignment–what grades would you have received without those deductions? Then ask him to calculate a hypothetical final course grade with those new grades. Second, you should take out your textbook, point out the passage in question, tell him that to you this *appears<a href=“it%20is%20essential%20that%20you%20use%20that%20word%20and%20nothing%20more%20strident”>/i</a> to possibly contradict something he said or wrote on your paper. Ask him to explain and be sure to really listen to what he has to say. </p>
<p>As for the ‘unwritten rule’ issue–I would need to know more about that before I can offer comment. If he took off points because he felt that your paper did not meet appropriate standards for grammar and usage, or that it did not satisfy reasonable expectations for type and quality of outside research then that is his call to make, in my opinion. Now if he took off 10 points because he wanted .75" margins and didn’t make that clear, then I would personally judge that as problematic. </p>
<p>Third, you should send your professor an email after the meeting thanking him for his time and summarizing the discussion + any conclusions that you reached, as you perceive them, and asking him to confirm or contest your perception of the conversation.</p>
<p>Fourth, if you still think you have grounds for a serious grievance (you aren’t able to resolve the textbook claim, for example), you can, if you wish, email the relevant department chair (again, remember that tone is everything and that this should never, ever be done unless you have already met with your professor). If you plan to do this, when you write the email in step #3, you should be open with your professor and tell him that you plan on meeting with his department chair and that you will show him a copy of the email you are writing. You should ask him if he would be comfortable with you sharing his response to you with his chair. If he says no, respect that wish. Bring all the information you have on how the deductions in question affected your grade, your textbook, the graded work, and whatever emails you have permission to show the chair. If necessary you can consult with the chair about further steps you can take.</p>