Will it hurt my grade if I don't get to the required page length [= 8-10 pages]? I only have three pages written and I'm almost done, but I really want to get a good grade.
Wow. Just wow. Imagine the equivalent for a Ph.D. student:
Dear Dissertation Director,
Will I still get the Ph.D. if I turn a single chapter? I don't have anything more to say than that, but I still want to get the degree that says I've written a book-length work.
Thanks! Your ABD Student
Maybe you should use such an analogy with your student. Why is it that they think our requirements -- whether it's in a particular class or for a degree -- are arbitrary? Why don't they realize that we assign/require these things because we think a student at their level in a given discipline or area should be able to complete such tasks and demonstrate the knowledge/skills they require?!
*headdesk*
(FYI, I'm dealing with roughly the same problem with grad students who want to be arbitrarily waived from certain requirements, or who want to substitute completely courses for them.)
It's the season, I guess. I got an email this morning from a student who's been absent from her online class all term. She wants an incomplete because her separation/divorce is going poorly.
I like the "three pages written and I'm almost done." I thought students didn't understand the concept that it takes a certain number of words to deal with a certain idea, but this one does. You can pride yourself on that.
Clearly, however, she missed the realization that for an 8-10 page paper, one must pick an idea that requires 8-10 pages to discuss.
Well and the truly annoying thing is that, even without reading the paper (or having the slightest recollection of her topic), I can declare with certainty that this student did *not* select a topic that could be adequately dealt with in three pages.
4 comments:
Wow. Just wow. Imagine the equivalent for a Ph.D. student:
Dear Dissertation Director,
Will I still get the Ph.D. if I turn a single chapter? I don't have anything more to say than that, but I still want to get the degree that says I've written a book-length work.
Thanks!
Your ABD Student
Maybe you should use such an analogy with your student. Why is it that they think our requirements -- whether it's in a particular class or for a degree -- are arbitrary? Why don't they realize that we assign/require these things because we think a student at their level in a given discipline or area should be able to complete such tasks and demonstrate the knowledge/skills they require?!
*headdesk*
(FYI, I'm dealing with roughly the same problem with grad students who want to be arbitrarily waived from certain requirements, or who want to substitute completely courses for them.)
It's the season, I guess. I got an email this morning from a student who's been absent from her online class all term. She wants an incomplete because her separation/divorce is going poorly.
Last day of class was Friday.
I like the "three pages written and I'm almost done." I thought students didn't understand the concept that it takes a certain number of words to deal with a certain idea, but this one does. You can pride yourself on that.
Clearly, however, she missed the realization that for an 8-10 page paper, one must pick an idea that requires 8-10 pages to discuss.
Well and the truly annoying thing is that, even without reading the paper (or having the slightest recollection of her topic), I can declare with certainty that this student did *not* select a topic that could be adequately dealt with in three pages.
Sigh. So very, very many problems.
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