31 Handling grade complaints
The strategies for equitable assessment we shared earlier can help prevent grade complaints and establish clarity and fairness around grading. To minimize grade complaints, it can be beneficial to include your grading procedures, standards, and policies in your syllabus and discuss them during the first day of class and TILT summative assessments. Invite questions from students and review the relevant criteria when assigning and returning student work.
Another way to prevent grade complaints and make the process more transparent is to provide guidelines around grade disputes and inform your students of the appropriate steps they can take should they have a complaint. For example:
- A student should wait 24 hours after receiving a grade before contacting the instructor.
- A student needs to provide a written explanation, demonstrating concrete evidence for a different grade and referring to a rubric, assignment criteria, and learning objectives for a grade to be reviewed.
- A student discusses and resolves the issue with the instructor.
- If the matter is not resolved or discussion with the instructor is inappropriate, the instructor should contact the supervising faculty member or department chair. If the issue remains unresolved, the instructor contacts the dean’s office. If this informal approach does not resolve the case, the student may file a formal complaint specified by the UI Operations Manual.
We recommend you discuss grades with your students in person or via Zoom. During this meeting, explain the reason for the grade, refer to the rubrics or other materials, remain calm, prioritize student learning, and suggest directions for improvement and opportunities to reflect.
📚 If you are a TA, seek advice from your course supervisor on how to handle grade complaints. In emails, consider including the supervisor on all communications related to grade complaints and refer students directly to the supervisor if the complaint cannot be resolved between you and the student.
Mistakes can happen, so if you find that you’ve made an error in grading, adjust the grade as appropriate.
Feedback/Errata