Ahh! My grades are deteriorating!

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My grades are deteriorating because TAs are grading my essays: </p>

<p>Class #1: 1st Midterm (5-pages): B- </p>

<p>“You have several interesting ideas here. It’s clear that you understand the tenets on the author’s argument. However, you can assume your reader has read the material. Your job is not to rehash the text but analyze it and reveal how it works. List the three main ideas. You would do well if you provide an introduction with a forecast of ideas that indicates the directions of the paper. And please use the MLA style of documentation.” </p>

<p>Class #2: Midterm (impromptu in-class essay): B-/C+ </p>

<p>“This essay successfully summarizes the positions of the four authors and (in the final sentence) present your own judgment. However, it does not integrate your judgment with the authors’ ideas. This was a key part of the assignment. In addition, your review of the authors’ ideas was not always as clear or specific as we would like. You clearly make an argument that all four authors would see the mental health system as having failed Sylvia. But, how would they differ in describing Sylvia’s relationship to the institutions? This was not always clear in this essay. Please come by to talk if you have any questions!” </p>

<p>(Keep in mind we only had 70 minutes to write this essay yet argue 4 authors, Sylvia, my opinion AND define the freaken terms. But I ran out of time and never got to explaining my own opinion let alone a well-thought conclusion.) </p>

<p>One TA says that I didn’t need to explain the material in the essay. Another TA says I should have explained the material in the other essay. It’s official: I don’t know what to do anymore. </p>

<p>I just want to hide in a corner and scream.</p>

2

<p>Im not really sure what the problem is.
Have you met with the professor or the TA’s?
Is there a study group for your class?
How are your friends doing in that class?
Some people dont’ do well writing under pressure- I know I don’t.
How are you doing in your other classes?</p>

3

<p>I’m just very disappointed in my grade in Class #2. I told the TA that I did not incorporate my personal opinion to its fullest effect because I simply ran out of time. When the clock struck zero, I was JUST BEGINNING to start on my personal opinion. I thought that by finishing the other sections, I would have at least received a B.</p>

<p>Writing under pressure is usually not difficult for me. It’s when you have to incorporate four books, their ideas, define their terms, how does the protagonist feel and THEN your personal opinion, that can easily be a 90+ minute essay.</p>

4

<p>It’s about writing fast.</p>

5

<p>tenisghs:</p>

<p>If you don’t normally have trouble writing timed essays, then it seems to me like it’s just this one essay for Class #2. Ask one of your TA’s (or the professor) if you can do some extra work or something for extra credit to bring your grade up.</p>

6

<p>Hey reasonable, thanks. Right now I’m taking stress management classes. I have been feeling irritable lately. It’s almost to the point I despise writing and my grades reflect it. My system must be on overload.</p>