Scenes from a Midterm

In my first experience as a full-time faculty member, I am learning a lot about my chosen career. I am learning that professors do quite a bit more than I though they did. I am learning that I love my office more than I've every loved any material object before. (I love it so much, I want to take it behind the...) And I'm learning that the most important part of a successful class curriculum is to write instructions so precise, so meticulous, so Byzantine, that it will hold up under a Johnny Cochrane cross examination...if he weren't dead. This is because if there is ever any possiblity of interpreting instructions wrong, the students will choose that interpretation.

Case in point: Yesterday morning I picked up my History 201 midterms from the testing center. I left explicit instructions that students were to type their essays on the available computer. I thought this would make it easier for the international students who might not have the best English handwriting. Despite these instructions, some student wrote their answers on the test sheet itself. Others chose to write on the back of pamphlet from the Housing office. Why, in the name of sweet Lou Pinella, they had these pamphlets I have no idea. So now I get to spend my time cutting throught the jungle of paper-products searching for hidden treasures of student essays.

It gets better...

To give the students a fighting chance on the essay, I give them possible questions in advance. On Friday I handed the students a review sheet that contained three possible essay questions, and informed them that only one appears on the test. This forces them to study the themes for all three essays, which is supposed to be the idea behind testing anyway. There was a question on Socratic philosophy, centralization of government in empire, and land reform. Here is the exact question that appeared on the test:

During the course, we study the problems that occur when a wealthy minority monopolizes land in any society. A ruler’s attempt to enact land reform often leads to his overthrow. Write an essay comparing three civilizations that tried to enforce reform programs and their results. Explain which program was the most successful and why.


A good World Civ essay should challenge the students the student to contrast and compare different civilizations, and cultural responses to the problems that are universal within the human experience. We've spent lots of time talking about land reform with Solon in Athens, the Gracchi brothers in Rome, and Wang Man in China. I thought it was the most obvious question, and the easiest to answer given the class lectures.

The day after the midterm I received an email from a student. Here's what it said:

Bro. Strate,

In class on Friday you told us there would be three essays on the exam, and we could choose one to write about. But when I got to the testing center there was only one essay and it wasn't the one I studied for. I wrote an essay about Socrates because that's what I studied. If I could be graded on that essay that would be very good of you. Please let me know if you would like to talk to me about this.

And this is the way I read it:

Dear Bro. Strate,

I didn't pay attention to the review sheet. I didn't listen to what you said in class. I only wanted to spend time studying for one essay, and even though it wasn't on the exam I still wrote about it. Please look past my total disregard for instructions and protocol and give me a good grade anyway.

I now enjoy the dilemma of deciding how to respond. This attitude of indifference among students, that others should compensate for their own lack of preparation, is quite maddening. The best thing I could do in this situation is send a clear signal that this type of behavior is not acceptable at a university.

If I give this person the grade they deserve - zero - they have no chance of passing the class. This failure, in turn, may result in academic probation, which could jeopardize their visa and require they return to their native country.

What would you do?