Wednesday, January 28, 2009

You're kidding! Right?

I have a final tonight. Wish me luck. It really shouldn't take too much luck, it is open book/open notes. Except we have been warned that there are people that have taken the whole 2 hours and still not passed. So maybe I should take my rabbit's foot with me.

I got my first paper back in my Tuesday night class. My grade was A/B+. A for content. B+ for writing. A "B" for writing! I have never had such a low grade on a paper before! Ever! (Well, except that one time at BYU. I never got anything higher than a "B" in that class. I was happy if I got as high as a "B". When I asked the teacher why, he told me it was because he knew I could do better and he wanted me to stretch. Then I got an "A" on the final paper.)

Professor said, "There are no good writers in this classroom." This just after my team had written on our charter my strength: writing.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I have sat in this class for 8 hours now and have exactly 1/2 page of notes? Am I supposed to take notes on his tangents or just when he actually touches on something from the outline, because the outline notes are all I have. We don't have a final, so maybe it doesn't even really matter? So long as I can figure out how to become a great writer between now and Tuesday when I have to turn in the next paper and journal entry.

With a paper and a journal entry due each week, this class is going to kill me. I am going to have to actually put some thought into what I write. Maybe even stop turning in my first drafts.

I am just kidding about the thought and drafts. I really do think about my papers and have them proofed and then I rewrite, and do it all again 3-4 times. Maybe I should start sending them over to Annette or Tawnya before turning them in.

If he had used a red pen, my paper would have looked like it had cut itself. Most of the marks were on my citations. Marks for things he wanted me to leave out of the citation. Things I got marked down for not putting in in the Wed. night papers. It would be nice if the professors could agree on exactly what is APA format. You know, make it less confusing for the student. I will admit, the sentece revisions he made did make the paper a bit stronger.

I really would like to tighten up this post, but don't have time. There is a final waiting for me.


Indeed.

add to kirtsy

2 comments:

tawnya said...

Man. Now is NOT the time to say I've never done a second draft (or outline, for that matter!) of a paper for any college class I took, is it? No. No it is not...

Sorry you are having trouble. I'll be happy to look at anything you need me too, though my brain is 3/4 mommy now and not as sharp as it used to be!

Karlene said...

Good luck. You deserve to do well. You can tell him that a publisher and professional editor thinks you're a very fine writer.