By: Elizabeth Keebler
A good student should always be ready to defend their work. This means being able to explain your reasoning to others, fighting for points that were deducted unjustly, and knowing when it's appropriate to do so. Working by this attitude has made me a better student and significantly improved both my grades and my self confidence in class.
Why is academic advocacy important?
Academic advocacy helps you to better understand your subject matter by considering reasoning, not simply memorizing facts. It improves and protects grades, ensuring that you receive the full benefits of your hard work. With comprehension and success come self confidence, and recognition of your dedication by teachers and professors.
An attitude adjustment
Any employer and employee have an agreement of payment for completed work, and no employee will accept less than the agreed upon amount for their work. School is not much different from this scenario. A student who works hard expects fair payment in the form of grades, and should accept no less than what they deserve for the work that they complete.
Teachers and professors can often seem intimidating, and many students are too afraid to approach them about grades. While there are some who are unwilling to negotiate, most are glad to see students taking a more active role and showing interest in the subject. Their job is to make sure that you know and understand the material, and defending your work shows them that they have done their job well. However, there is a limit to how far each professor will go to help you, and it is important to never be pushy.
When to advocate for yourself
A positive relationship with your professors is a valuable asset, and is more important than one or two extra points on a single assignment. Therefore, it's important to know when to argue for points and when to let them go. Generally, you should only approach your professor if you have a strong and logical argument as to why you should have gotten the point(s). In most cases, you can improve your relationship with your professor by showing an interest in and strong understanding of the subject, but each professor has their limits and you must assess the costs and benefits before proceeding.
The two types of questions at which you will almost always succeed in regaining points for are questions that have definitely been graded incorrectly, and inherently flawed questions. For these types of questions, you can simply make your case with a citation from the textbook or by explaining how the question could have been misinterpreted. More empathetic professors may also allow outside-the-box answers, as long as you can provide justification for your response. After all, the points cost nothing to the professor, and can make a huge difference to the student. The key to academic advocacy is to always be able to understand and justify your responses.
Exceptional cases are when academic advocacy makes the most difference. When my father was in college, he accidentally missed a page of an important math test, and was shocked to see a lower grade on his final. He proposed that his professor discount the missed page, and record his grade as out of the points for the completed pages. His justification included reminding the professor that he had discussed the same proof at office hours the previous day. Since my father was a dedicated student, and had a positive relationship with his professor, his grade was saved. In cases such as my father's, a polite suggestion of a reasonable alternative can have a tremendous impact on the outcome.
Conclusion
Girls have always been taught to be passive. We're told to keep our heads down, smile, and graciously accept the hands that we have been dealt. That way of thinking is misguided and archaic, and by 2016 it's high time for change. Academic advocacy has radically changed my attitude about school, given me confidence in my abilities, and deepened my understanding of new concepts. Since I began living by this philosophy, my grades have gone up, and with them my outlook in life. Try it for yourself, and see what a difference it can make.
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