This document outlines the five stages of grief in response to assessment or feedback: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It analyzes common emotional responses at each stage and provides logical rebuttals. The final stage of acceptance involves creating a plan to address weaknesses, start assignments earlier to allow for edits, and understanding that improving writing skills will lead to better marks and opportunities. Quotes are included emphasizing the importance of persistence and hard work.

1. L E T ’ S B E R A T I O N A L A B O U T T H I S
THE DABDA STAGES OF
ASSESSMENT GRIEF

2. DENIAL
Emotional Response:
“I've never had marks like this before!”
Logical Analysis:
This is a red herring argument. Those were different
assignments, with different assessment criteria and
levels of expectations. I am not responsible for your
past experiences; I can only help you through this
particular journey.

3. ANGER
Emotional Response:
“This is b-----t!”
Logical Analysis:
This is, ironically, a logical assessment, though often
expressed as a form of psychological projection. B.S.
does not, as the adage goes, baffle brains. I insult
both your intelligence and mine when I do not
demand that you think when you write.

4. BARGAINING
Emotional Response:
“The teacher hates me.”
Logical Analysis:
This is an ad hoc argument based on a faulty
premise. I judge your work, not you. To think
otherwise demeans us both.

5. DEPRESSION
Emotional Response:
“I'm going to fail. I'll never get to university. My life is over.”
Logical Analysis:
Hmm. This is a broad generalization based on a lack of
concrete evidence. We're talking about one assignment
here, folks. The corrections are clear; how you choose to
process them could well determine your future. The ball is
in your court. (That's a metaphor and a cliché.)

6. ACCEPTANCE
The Reasoned Response:
“I have some problems to address in my writing. I'll take
out my ‘things to improve’ list when I begin my next
assignment. I'll start earlier, so I have time to do more
edits. If I fix the problems, my writing will improve, and so
will my mark.”
The Logical Analysis:
This is the voice of logic, not emotion. This is the voice of
real maturity, demonstrating a work ethic that will serve
you well. This shows true confidence in your ability to meet
challenges. The more challenges you tackle, the more
resilient you become. (This is a circular argument, but in
this case, not a logical fallacy.) This makes it easier to
bypass the above four stages, and get on with whatever
wonderful things you wish to achieve.

7. SOME QUOTES TO PONDER
“Success is a function of persistence and
doggedness and the willingness to work hard for
twenty-two minutes to make sense of something that
most people would give up on after thirty seconds.”
― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Stories of Success
"I am a strong believer in luck and I find the harder I
work the more I have of it.“
― Benjamin Franklin