Re-Do: One Way To Improve Your Grade

I believe that students should make mistakes. Without mistakes, who needs a professor? The university is the best place to make mistakes -- it's a better place than the private sector where your job and reputation may be on the line!

So, make mistakes, don't be afraid.

Grades: Ouch!

I also believe it's important to learn from your mistakes. 

You're probably concerned about your grade (I am, too) and one way you can improve it is to demonstrate to me that you learned from your mistakes. You do that by correcting mistakes and by not making the same mistakes again.

So when I return a graded paper to you, and the paper includes mistakes, you may have an opportunity to "re-do" the assignment within 24 hours and possibly improve your grade. Now don't get too excited -- you can't turn an F into an A on a re-do, and you may not even be able to turn a low B into a low A. But if it's warranted, I'll increase the grade -- totally at my discretion. (On a re-do, you can expect the grade to increase by a few points, and probably never more than 10 points).

I will tell you if you can submit a re-do at the time I return your original assignment. I will not allow re-dos with every assignment. I also reserve the right not to read a re-do. If I can tell that the re-do includes some of the same errors I had corrected previously, then I may decide not to read the re-do. In those cases, the grade does not change. You may consult with the GUST Student Success Center to help you improve a re-do.

What, am I crazy?
I don't mind pointing out to you that:

• I'm not obligated to give you a re-do opportunity (your boss probably would not).
• If every student submits a re-do that doubles my workload (I don't get any extra pay).
• You may "fool" me and get someone to make the corrections for you. Thing is, I'll find out sooner or later because if you continue to make the same mistakes on classroom assignments then I'll know what you did (in other words, you may be able to fool me once or twice, but probably not a third time).

"Re-do" rules

If you choose to submit a re-do you must:

1. Submit it within 24 hours of getting the graded paper from me (whether I gave it to you in person or sent it to you via email).
2. Email the re-do file to me at the correct address.
3. Save the Word file in this format only: RD_(YourFirstName)_(Your4DigitID#).doc.
4. Include the Current Grade (that is, the grade you received on the original assignment) at the bottom of the re-do. Enter it like this: "Current Grade: ___."

Failing to follow this procedure is the quickest way to convince me not to read the re-do.

Some people might say I'm "crazy" to give you this opportunity because I'm essentially increasing my workload. But the option is open to you . . . and it is not required. Take advantage of it if you'd like.  I believe in progressive grading and rewarding students for learning from their mistakes.