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Jack1000
04-04-2003, 04:12 PM
Ugggghhhhh!!!!

The three things that all of us in school/college dread! I was wondering on average, how do you guys do on assigned papers and tests? I did average on tests and pretty well on papers in high school/college because I am a good writer.

There are 2 main types of tests/exams with several sub-catagories

1. Objective (Multiple-choice, matching T/F, short-answer)

2. Essay

I hated essay exams because you could know the material and still be pressed for time and freeze up. I did OK on take-home essay exams but I hated in-class essay exams. In-class essays for me were the hardest. I hate matching questions

Multiple choice can run about average. Most test in college, if reasonably challenging (but not too easy) the average grade with or without curve should be from my experience between a C+/B- Symbolic Logic (Worst/hardest class of all time) and friends of mine who had chemistry exams in colege were so hard that you could get a 35/100 and get a D- High-level math and science classes in college seem to have the worst exams

There were many exams that I felt good about and I "know I got an A or B" but then I would sometimes get them back and get a C- on them and you almost feel that the exam was graded incorrectly by the prof or the scan-tron machine. Has this happend to you?

In college the experiences of me/my friends seemed to indicate that you needed a good week or more to write a really good major paper and a good 2 weeks to study/review for exams if you wanted to do well. The classes that I had on average I would say 65% of exam and paper material came from lectures and 35% came from the assigned readings. But you had to study the readings if you wanted to get above a C on most exams. (This included taking notes on the readings, because just knowing the lecture stuff was not good enough) Freshman year, I relied almost exclusively on lecture notes and the highest final grade I would get would be a C+ at college.

In college and high school as well, they always gave us too much reading. I read slow and had to sit up and take notes on the readings because if I didn't I would just fall asleep and not remember anything. I hated going to the library because at the University it was so huge and you couldn't find anything and I would get tired walking up and down and finding nothing. They didn't have the Internet when I was in college for major use so I was wondering how toleret are instructors with regard to using/referencing sources off the Net? I would assume that most still require journal research/book referencing for writing papers. I have some friends just starting college and they have told me how Internet technonlgy has really helped them.

But still.....WAY TOO MUCH BUSY WORK and stuff that leads to nothing! I'd like to hear your experiences with how school is going for you.

Jack

dawsongirl
04-04-2003, 05:32 PM
Being an English major, I mostly write papers, but I've done my share of everything else.

Papers- I've perfected it to the point where I can write a B paper in 2 hours. I hate writing papers.

Tests- These are fine, but I don't like studying.

Essay Test- Worst two words in the English language. I despise them.

dawsongirl
04-04-2003, 05:37 PM
Originally posted by Jack1000
In college and high school as well, they always gave us too much reading. I read slow and had to sit up and take notes on the readings because if I didn't I would just fall asleep and not remember anything. I hated going to the library because at the University it was so huge and you couldn't find anything and I would get tired walking up and down and finding nothing. They didn't have the Internet when I was in college for major use so I was wondering how toleret are instructors with regard to using/referencing sources off the Net? I would assume that most still require journal research/book referencing for writing papers. I have some friends just starting college and they have told me how Internet technonlgy has really helped them.


I've been expected to read three novels in a week. :p I hate forced reading, so I didn't really do it. I read just enough to make it look like I read the whole thing, then stop. If I read everything I was supposed to, that's all I'd do. Screw that.

I love the library, but all the books I need are on the top floor and I'm exhausted by the time I get up there.

Most of my English profs won't let you use net sites for resources. Not "academic" enough. They won't let us use Cliff's Notes for sources either, despite the fact that they're written by profs.; :rolleyes:

*PinkLady*
04-04-2003, 07:55 PM
Papers - I hate to do them, but I usually do pretty well.
Tests - I do well on all except math. Math = :barf:
Essay Tests - Aren't as bad as they sound, if you know what you're talking about.

I also don't like forced reading, unless the book is interesting, in which case I'll read it over and over again because I'm nerdy like that. That rarely happens, however.

Kay Scarpetta
04-04-2003, 08:06 PM
Originally posted by dawsongirl
Papers- I've perfected it to the point where I can write a B paper in 2 hours. I hate writing papers.

Tests- These are fine, but I don't like studying.

Essay Test- Worst two words in the English language. I despise them.

My school has an extremely strong English/Language Arts department- so ditto, ditto and ditto. Especially to the last one. I hate essay tests