Gradescope: Regrade Requests
What to do if you have questions about the grading of a problem (e.g. you think there was a grading error)
How to submit a regrade request
If you have a question about something that was graded through Gradescope, there is a “Request Regrade” button that looks like this at the lower right hand corner of the screen on each problem:
When you click it, you can enter a regrade request such as this one:
Make your request on the page for the specific homework question that you have concerns about
Be sure that you are page for the on the correct problem before you submit your regrade request.
As an example if you have an inquiry about question 3, part (b):
- Navigate specifically to the page for question 3, part (b)
- THEN click regrade request when you are on that page.
Here’s why this is important: if you about question 3, part (b) on the correct page, then when the TA or instructor reviews your regrade request, they are shown your specific answer to that question, and they are given the opportunity to change your grade for that question. Presumably, that is what you are hoping will happen (i.e, that instructor will review your answer, and possible give you more points.)
If you ask about question 3, part (b) but you do so on question 7, part (c), the TA/instructor can neither see the answer you gave, nor do they have an opportunity to change your grade. So your regrade request will not be likely to be useful. In fact, you’ll likely get the following canned response: Please resubmit your request on problem you are asking about.
For work graded on Gradescope, always use the regrade request, not email or Piazza
If you ask questions via Piazza or email about the grading of something that was returned through Gradescope (i.e. specific homework assignment problems or exam questions), those questions will not be answered in that forum.
Instead you’ll be referred back to Gradescope.
Why can’t I just ask on Piazza?
When you submit your concern through Gradescope, it will be presented to me in the context of each of the problems you are asking about, with an interface where I can consult the rubric, adjust your grade, etc.
This isn’t just a matter of me being picky, or me being lazy—it has to do with fairness. When I consider regrade requests, I don’t consider them one student at a time. I look at the entire collection of regrade requests for a problem or set of related problems, so that I can ensure fairness.
That’s what doing it through Gradescope allows me to do—it groups regrade requests by problem, and allows me to see the big picture before adjusting anyone’s grade. Then, I can make sure that whatever adjustments I make to grades are made equitably.
I hope you can see why that’s important. Thanks for your cooperation.
Please submit regrade requests in a timely fashion.
There is a deadline for regrade requests. This is typically announced when the grades are published, and except in cases where it is not feasible (e.g. at the very end of the quarter), you’ll be given one week.
How to submit an effective regrade request
The TAs and I are happy to respond to regrade requests that are phrased politely. We do sometimes make mistakes when grading.
Keep in mind the sheer numbers here. If you multiply the number of students in your section by the number of homeworks, and the number of problems on each homework, you’ll get a number in excess of 10,000 graded items over the course of the quarter. So mistakes will happen.
Now, let’s think carefully for a moment. I want to strongly encourage you to take a deep breath and think carefully before you enter a regrade request.
Someday, you will be applying for internships, jobs, graduate school, etc. You will be negotiating with people that are interviewing you, your future supervisors, etc. People in positions of power.
You need to practice a skill called “diplomacy” and “managing up”. That is, you need to learn how to speak respectfully to people in positions of power when you feel there is something you need—when you need to stand up for yourself.
You will not be very successful if you are comabative, rude, or if you question the judgement and fairness of the individuals you are seeking help from.
You are in a better position if you simply ask questions that might lead the person to see things your way.
As an example, consider which of these ways of phrasing the same regrade request is more likely to result in a favorable outcome:
- “I’m not sure why I lost points on this question. Can you help me understand what you were looking for? I think my answer might actually be correct, but I’m wondering if there is something that I’m missing”.
- “Hey on question x my answer is [correct for all of these reasons] so I think I deserve full credit.”
Before submitting a regrade request, look at those two examples, and decide which style you think is more appropriate, especially as you think about practicing those “professional communication skills”.
Finally, as a reminder: we entertain regrade requests under these circumstances:
- Clerical error. I simply applied the rubric incorrectly.
- You feel you have a compelling case that an item in the rubric that is marked incorrect is in fact, completely correct.
If you submit a regrade requests where you are questioning my judgement (or that of the TAs) (e.g. about the amount of partial credit on the rubric for a given item), please know that you are employing a very risky strategy. Once I (or my TAs) determine a rubric for the exam, that rubric is typically not open to negotiation about matters of “judgement”. The only question is whether the rubric is correct, and has been applied consistently.
If there is an issue of “fact” e.g. if you can show me that -foobar is an acceptable alternative answer to -jar for the javac command,e.g. something I didn’t know about, that’s fine. But if its just “I think I deserve more partial credit that you gave me”, then you really should think twice before hitting the enter key.
I hope all of this is clear. If you have questions, please ask.