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[BuddyC]

so today, i dropped that fabled 80-page paper class. my decision was based my inability to find enough viable sources in the time allotted - she wanted us to find five more general publication (magazine, newspaper) articles that satsified a number of very strict criteria and submit a detailed summarization for each article along with that of three relevant books.

i had previously assumed this was due next week. just to make sure i could play Pikmin 2 all night, i shot my prof an e-mail during the afternoon yesterday. here's the complete exchange:

MAs are due Sept. 1.

S. S*******

Sheryl S*******
Internship Coordinator
Department of Journalism
Ball State University
2000 W. University Ave.
Muncie, IN 47306
Office: (***) ***-****
Fax: (***) ***-****
Home: (***) ***-****
ss*******@bsu.edu
www.bsu.edu/journalism


----------
From: Chris Faylor
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 2:56 PM
To: S*******, Sheryl A.
Subject: J102 Query

Just to clarify, are our main assertions due on Wednesday, September 1st or the 8th?

Thanks,
Chris Faylor

receiving this response late last evening, i was panic-stricken. rushing to the library, i spent most of the night searching, finding oodles of books but no more viable magazine sources. circa one a.m. i just gave up - i still hadn't found anything. thus i decided to drop the class, but as the project's requirements stay static, i could keep working on the project in my spare time to prepare for next semester.

conversing with one of my now former classmates a few hours ago, i revealed to her that i had dropped the class. she became confused, especially when it came to my reasoning behind the action, responding "but that assignment's not due till next week."

"she didn't collect it today?"

"nope. she just reiterated that it was due next week."

in awe, i showed her the above e-mail to which she just shrugged.

i'm just left speechless, can't say i'm very happy at this point. seriously contemplating taking this issue up with the department head.

 

[Agent Dormer]

Your ex-teacher is evil, Chris. Pure Evil.

 

[Escape Goat]

What a primo-beyotch.

 

[Lathentar]

Well she actually found a way for you to do some work instead of playing Pikmin 2. Go figure.

Even though it really is due on the 8th, you more than likely would have backed yourself into the same corner.

 

[thom]

whatta dumb bitch.

 

[B'z-chan]

and the head of the office will give you the same shit Crhis. But go work it out with them. Some Professors really seem to PMS for the few first weeks, but then cool down after october or so. Maybe its the summer heat and there trips to Europe and crap that gets to them. Fucking rich overpayed professors that do no work and have the class teach themselves.

 

[Loki]

That really sucks dude... : /


But be sure to post a thread next semester when you (inevitably) find out that she kept a record of the topic you submitted and is barring you from using the same topic again. Seems like it'd be just your luck.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

why do you need to do an 80-page report or whatever it is? maybe i;m too blue collar or something... whole college thing escapes me...

 

[Slurpy]

It's an 80 page report. I would think you've had quite a bit of time to work on it, and should have been sure of the date more than a week before.

 

[Shoryuken]

Unless this class is required for your major, I say don't even bother with it.

 

[BuddyC]

It's an 80 page report. I would think you've had quite a bit of time to work on it, and should have been sure of the date more than a week before.

reading comprehension wow!

she wanted us to find five more general publication (magazine, newspaper) articles that satsified a number of very strict criteria and submit a detailed summarization for each article along with that of three relevant books.

 

[GG-Duo]

make up a story about work / family and cracking under pressure
and bitch to the department

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

she wanted us to find five more general publication (magazine, newspaper) articles that satsified a number of very strict criteria and submit a detailed summarization for each article along with that of three relevant books.

ugh. who needs crap like that. seriously. that's not learning or even critical thinking, that's just pubishment.

 

[bjork]

But the 8th is a national holiday (my birthday)... everyone take that day off, on me!

 

[iapetus]

So you don't keep track of when the assignment's due, and when you think you've missed it, rather than seeing if it's okay to submit it slightly late due to the confusion you just drop the class? It's not your professor that owned you here. Entirely self-inflicted.

Perhaps if you get over treating yourself as some kind of victim you can explain the confusion, get back on the course, and get the work done and dusted by the 8th.

If not, maybe journalism isn't for you... There's a lot worse than that to come.

 

[karasu]

It would really suck if you start working on it now in preparation for next semester, only to find out next semester that the topic you worked on was now on the banned list. Cycle of Doom!

 

[BuddyC]

So you don't keep track of when the assignment's due, and when you think you've missed it, rather than seeing if it's okay to submit it slightly late due to the confusion you just drop the class? It's not your professor that owned you here. Entirely self-inflicted.

Wait wait, because I e-mailed my professor for clarification on the due date and she was wrong, it's self-inflicited?

for those going "all this over a late assignment?" - let me explain.

the 80 page project is done in chunks, with last week's assignment signaling the start of the research phase and this week continuing that alongside summarization of said data. a late assignment is the mark of doom in this class, the professor will actually tell you to drop the class if you miss a due date. the theory is once you fall behind, you'll have to work harder to catch up, and even if you do catch up, you'll be more prone to falling behind again.

 

[BlackMage]

So you don't keep track of when the assignment's due, and when you think you've missed it, rather than seeing if it's okay to submit it slightly late due to the confusion you just drop the class? It's not your professor that owned you here. Entirely self-inflicted.

Perhaps if you get over treating yourself as some kind of victim you can explain the confusion, get back on the course, and get the work done and dusted by the 8th.

If not, maybe journalism isn't for you... There's a lot worse than that to come.

what? she lied to him.

 

[Shouta]

Straight up bullshit. I would take it up with the department head even if they'll give you the same run-around.

 

[Bowser]

So you don't keep track of when the assignment's due, and when you think you've missed it, rather than seeing if it's okay to submit it slightly late due to the confusion you just drop the class? It's not your professor that owned you here. Entirely self-inflicted.

Perhaps if you get over treating yourself as some kind of victim you can explain the confusion, get back on the course, and get the work done and dusted by the 8th.

If not, maybe journalism isn't for you... There's a lot worse than that to come.

 

[Incognito]

iapetus seemingly can't read.

strange.

 

[shuri]

Don't fall behind in class stuff for videogames, the internet scene or social stuff. You dont want to end up like me

 

[bjork]

She should definitely have to make some sort of apology or something. College isn't cheap and it's time consuming, nobody has time for a facilitator that can't even regurgitate his or her own assignment due dates.

 

[teiresias]

Wait wait, because I e-mailed my professor for clarification on the due date and she was wrong, it's self-inflicited?

First of all, if I had any doubt about the due date of the assignment and thought it might be due in two days or something rather than a week, I would have shot that email off long before you did. "Wow, hopefully this assignment isn't due in 24 hours so I can play Pikmin 2, hardy har har!!"

I pray to God you're a freshman.

I will grant that it's not good that the professor's email answer was inaccurate, but did you not get a schedule and syllabus at the beginning of the course? I agree with what someone else said, seeing as how you were so unconcerned about getting done when there was the possibility it was due in a day or two, you would have just procrastinated and been in the same situation when the actual due date came around in a week.

 

[totoro'd]

Umm...couldn't it be possible that she just moved up the due date? I had professors do that all the time for projects and exams.

 

[BuddyC]

I will grant that it's not good that the professor's email answer was inaccurate, but did you not get a schedule and syllabus at the beginning of the course? I agree with what someone else said, seeing as how you were so unconcerned about getting done when there was the possibility it was due in a day or two, you would have just procrastinated and been in the same situation when the actual due date came around in a week.

Syllabus yes, schedule no. Much like the previous assignment, I was planning to do the work in the latter end of the week - my schedule is very packed towards the beginning of the week and lightens up considerably towards the end. I spent all of Tuesday afternoon finishing up other assignments so I could play a few hours of Pikmin that evening.

Umm...couldn't it be possible that she just moved up the due date? I had professors do that all the time for projects and exams.

Sure, but you don't wait until the class gathers on the due date to tell them you pushed it back, especially given her emphasis on "get it done or don't come to class."

I'm off to play Pikmin 2 all night. ta.

 

[fart]

buddy is just another weed in a vacant lot guys.

 

[Jim Bowie]

That whole exercise is bogus. Which form of journalism has you doing frequent 80 page reports?

 

[miyuru]

It's entirely possible she moved it up. For example, approaching the original due date, many people could've complained and she would decide to have moved it up for everyone to the 8th, but she only got a chance to say so on the 1st. I mean when she replied to your email, she wouldn't lie...why? So probably at that time it was due on the 1st.

Whatever man, you're still going to procrastinate if it was extended, stop being such a pussy.

 

[BuddyC]

:wub

 

[iapetus]

Wait wait, because I e-mailed my professor for clarification on the due date and she was wrong, it's self-inflicited?

No, because you made a knee-jerk reaction of ditching the class and didn't look at ways of working around the deadline, it's self-inflicted.

 

[BuddyC]

No, because you made a knee-jerk reaction of ditching the class and didn't look at ways of working around the deadline, it's self-inflicted.

Well, when we're told that we should drop a class when we miss a deadline - fuck, it's not like it really matters here. I was more hoping the lot of you would find some entertainment in this.

Moving on.

 

[Miguel]

 

[miyuru]

:lol

 

[White Man]

That whole exercise is bogus. Which form of journalism has you doing frequent 80 page reports?

I think his reasoning was sort of bogus. Doing one 80 page paper over the course of a semester (broken up into little chunks, even) sounds like a perfectly rational assignment. If he thinks he's going to have it easier in English, I hope he's ready to read 200+ pages a night and be able to pump out perfect (in every way) 20+ page papers in the space of a week.

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

Um...I don't know what university from hell you go to, but I was an English major, and I never had to read 200 pages in one night or write a 20 page paper in a week. In fact, we never even had a 20 page paper ever!

 

[gofreak]

Um...I don't know what university from hell you go to, but I was an English major, and I never had to read 200 pages in one night or write a 20 page paper in a week. In fact, we never even had a 20 page paper ever!

True, my brother did English, and didn't have 20 page papers every week, or have to read 200 pages a night.

 

[BuddyC]

I think his reasoning was sort of bogus. Doing one 80 page paper over the course of a semester (broken up into little chunks, even) sounds like a perfectly rational assignment. If he thinks he's going to have it easier in English, I hope he's ready to read 200+ pages a night and be able to pump out perfect (in every way) 20+ page papers in the space of a week.

My problem was with the fact that late assignments are still required to be done yet receive zero points. I couldn't get enough magazine sources in the (perceived) time allotted, and as the semester hasn't progressed that far yet, I felt it better to cut my losses and go back more prepared next semester than dig myself an early grave.

 

[levious]

I couldn't get enough magazine sources in the (perceived) time allotted, and as the semester hasn't progressed that far yet, I felt it better to cut my losses and go back more prepared next semester than dig myself an early grave.

Did you get a tuition refund?

Also, were you using electronic periodical search engines?

 

[White Man]

Um...I don't know what university from hell you go to, but I was an English major, and I never had to read 200 pages in one night or write a 20 page paper in a week. In fact, we never even had a 20 page paper ever!

University from Hell? You misunderstand. . .I wouldn't have it any other way. I chose where I went to school based on its English program. I knew what I was getting into. My favorite professor (lovingly called JD by his fanboys), would have us finish a required novel every week. It would be read in three even sized chunks, one for the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday class. Upon completion we'd have to pic a topic concerning the book and grind out a lengthy (10-15) page paper on it. That following week we'd continue discussion during our classes.

Jesus, I loved that man. When getting published, he'd shorten his name to pose as a girl, since academic rags, much like Internet gaming boards, go gonzo when they think a chick is sending them material.

NOTE: Books that were faaaaar too long to read in a single week (Like, say, Richardson's Clarissa, which runs 1500 pages or so), we'd just read relevant selected portions of. Anyone hear unfortunate enough to have read anything by Samuel Richardson will know that picking the relevant parts of Clarissa will half its size, easily. God damn you, Samuel Richardson. When I am in hell I will be sure to chuck an excrement biscuit at your head.

 

[cvkpaladin]

Funny, the biggest writing assignment I ever had at college wasn't even an Honors class (I didn't take the regular english curriculum - Honors was a different method for students needing to fulfill the general education requirements), it was a Computer Science Ethics course. That course had me write up a lengthy memorandum to a ficticous case involving the Star Wars kid (I loved college ), but even that wasn't freakin' 80 pages (or even 20 pages for that matter - LOL).

 

[teiresias]

I once took a class on the Brontes where we read every Bronte novel, with a limit of a week. It's really not that hard (though it helped that I love the Brontes and could read Wuthering Heights four times in a week if I had the time because the book is just so bad ass!). We had like five page "reports" due for each one and then had a bigger paper due at the end of the semester. I think I wrote mine on how each sister used children differently in the context of their novels - something like that.

Anyway, that's one thing I liked about being in the Honors program at my university. You had the opportunity, and were in fact required, to take alot of liberal arts stuff even when you finished your general ed requirements, even though I was an engineering major. The fact that I started as a music and theater major that moved to engineering meant I still got my art fix and could work it into my schedule. It was always a nice break from engineering

 

[Cerebral Palsy]

I try to avoid as many female professors as I can. It seems like 99.9% of them are hardasses, and act like they have something to prove because they are a woman. At least in my experiences.

 

[BuddyC]

Did you get a tuition refund?

Also, were you using electronic periodical search engines?

Yes, to both.

 

[IJoel]

Well, she seemed to be one of those evil professors.

That said, you shouldn't have dropped the class. The first thing you do in these cases is talk to other peers in the same class and gauge where you are standing in relation to them. Why? Because most of the times the grades are (if all homework/test is done) determined by your standing in the class.

In any case, I've had my share of evil professors, and I imagine most people that have gone through college have done as well.

The whole 80 page deal is overblown. Over the course of a semester it's a very achievable goal. The problem is that you picked a topic with hard to find references. I get the impression that you set yourself from the very beginning to fail with the attitude that the assignment was too hard or too unfair and it wouldn't be wrong to drop it. Of course, only you know that, and I'm not saying you did, just that I get that impression. If that is the case, though, I suggest you stop what you're doing outside of school and focus more on school. Believe me, I've had friends with those attitudes that have either taken ages to finish a degree, or dropped out.

 

[Loki]

that picking the relevant parts of Clarissa will half its size, easily.

"...will halve its size, easily."


You're welcome, Sir English Major. Just felt like busting balls dude.

 

[White Man]

Uh, I was just trying to TEST you, Loki!

I knew I should've said 'quartered' anyway.

I am going to cry now. And eat pad thai. No, really.

 

[Loki]

Hah, in that case, it seems that I fell right in line with what you were expecting of me; I'm entirely too predictable.


And don't feel too bad-- I'm sure that post was written without the aid of mind-altering substances (referencing the other topic), so you're excused.

 

[White Man]

I'm clearly losing my lucidity because I haven't had a drink in about 3 weeks. That one little error says an awful lot about me.

 

[BuddyC]

Well, she seemed to be one of those evil professors.

That said, you shouldn't have dropped the class. The first thing you do in these cases is talk to other peers in the same class and gauge where you are standing in relation to them. Why? Because most of the times the grades are (if all homework/test is done) determined by your standing in the class.

In any case, I've had my share of evil professors, and I imagine most people that have gone through college have done as well.

The whole 80 page deal is overblown. Over the course of a semester it's a very achievable goal. The problem is that you picked a topic with hard to find references. I get the impression that you set yourself from the very beginning to fail with the attitude that the assignment was too hard or too unfair and it wouldn't be wrong to drop it. Of course, only you know that, and I'm not saying you did, just that I get that impression. If that is the case, though, I suggest you stop what you're doing outside of school and focus more on school. Believe me, I've had friends with those attitudes that have either taken ages to finish a degree, or dropped out.

Like I've said before, it wasn't the 80 pages that got to me. If it was, I wouldn't be planning to take the class again next semester.

There wasn't a lack of references on my topics, far far from it. I had all the other research quotas filled - I've got copies of books, government documents, journals and various webpages strewn across my room. The problem was those damn magazine articles, I just needed more time. I'd have scheduled a meeting with her had I the shot, but the way my schedule worked in relation to when I received the e-mail, well, I couldn't get an appointment until after the class meeting, which would have resulted in a zero.

You know what though? You're right. I did act rather rashly and I should have met with her first, though I'd like to elaborate for a moment here. The first thing she told us in class, the first thing, was that at least a third of the class would not finish the semester. If we couldn't get an assignment done in time, we should drop the class without any hesistation. This theme grew even stronger with each subsequent class meeting - "I'm not going to bother learning your names for the next few weeks since some of you won't stick around."

I'm not going to blame her for the fact that I dropped the class. I will, however note that her outlook a really shitty attitude to have and telling people you expect them to fail will only make matters that much worse. Oh yea, not to mention the fact sent me the wrong info, which is even funnier once you discover the class was "Information Gathering."

So now I know what to expect next semester, how to better prepare myself for it. I've already got a good chunk of the research done, not to mention the proposal is done. As I've stated before, I'm just going to keep working away at it in my free time and see what next semester brings.

Just remember that I was in a super-shitty mood running on 2 hours of sleep when I wrote that initial post, and I think you'll understand where the negativity emerges from. My attitude when dropping really was "I can get this done in time, I know I can, but I'm sure as hell not going to limit myself to a lower grade this early in the semester." Of course, some of the information (read: due date) that influenced that line of thinking was flawed.