So, i have a professor that is completely new. He gives us the option to rework midterm problems that we did incorrectly for half credit. It’s “optional”…but if you think about it, it hurts your grade if you choose not to since the class is graded on a curve. Those who choose to retake it or have time to retake it, gets bumped over the people who studied for the exam the first time around.
Do you guys have any recommendations I could give for this professor. I feel like i shouldn’t be “penalized” for not doing well the second time. How have teachers in the past combatted this problem?
If everyone has the option to get half of their missed points back, it’s a fair policy. Your fault if you don’t take advantage of it.
I agree with @bodangles If the professor is consistent in how he grades, he can set his own grading policy. He could, as an example, choose not to curve at all.
However, he’s offering the chance to rework problems for partial credit so that you can understand your error. The added benefit is that a similar problem may appear on the final, and now you know how to do it.
I’m not seeing your rationale for complaining.
Nor am I, @skieurope. Sounds like OP doesn’t want to be penalized for laziness and is framing it as if the “reworkers” are getting something over those that got it right the first time. Let’s review:
TAKING MIDTERM 1 TIME = full credit + learned material already + time to do other things besides rework problems
REWORKING INCORRECT MIDTERM PROBLEMS = half credit + eating up time to retake test
If you don’t want to be at the mercy of a possibly shifting curve, go after those half credits. I do not think your recommendations to the teacher will be appreciated. This is method is not some half-baked thing that a new teacher cooks up - some teachers (especially math teachers, who know how crucial it is for concepts to be mastered before moving on) do employ it.
It would hurt your grade regardless of whether it’s graded on a curve.
If a person is “lazy,” they’re still not going to get as good of a grade as the person who studied and did well.
One of my physics classes in undergrad was like that. Learned way more in that class than I did in my other physics classes. I know that it’s because the prof incentivised learning from mistakes.