You Won't Believe this but...Responding to Student Complaints and Excuses.

• Author: Roloff, Michael E.

Early in my teaching career, I became frustrated with student responses to the grades I assigned to their exams. Of course, those who did well on my tests rarely commented on their grade, but a small group of dissatisfied students pursued me with great vigor. Unfortunately, I found many of their arguments to be predictable and unconvincing. In response, I created a list of arguments that were frequently, but unsuccessfully used by students to persuade me to raise their grade. I labeled them, "Roloff's Ten Deadly Arguments Plus 1" and posted them on my office door. I warned students to read them prior to confronting me over a grade. Pleased with my list, I read it aloud to colleagues. Unbeknownst to me, the Dean of the School of Speech was standing behind me listening. Suddenly sensing his presence, I turned around expecting to be berated for my lack of sympathy for the plight of students. To my relief, he said, "There is a man who has been hustled once too often!"

I think Professor Colwell has also been "hustled once too often." However, unlike my cathartic, but sparse list, Professor Colwell has turned his frustration into an interesting and valuable book. In great detail, he analyzes the logic (and lack thereof) that is inherent in 15 commonly encountered student complaints and excuses. He examines the possible productive and dysfunctional responses that might be used to counter these arguments. The writing is clear and entertaining.

The book would be of value to four audiences. For argumentation scholars, the work provides a nice illustration of argumentation in everyday life. Although not directly addressed in the book, the analysis raises two interesting issues for research. First, I think most readers will have encountered the arguments Professor Colwell analyzes which begs the question, "Why are they so common?" What is the underlying dynamic of the educational process (at least, that process common in the U.S. and Canada) that produces such "scripted"...