How many references do you use?

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

Probably through this same psychic way lecturers expect you to come to university as a per formed mini -academic.

But you've been studying now for 3 years. Surely you've learned the academic way of doing things by now? I can understand someone straight from A-levels being a bit out of their depth in the first few months, but at 6 weeks before Finals, it begs the question why someone hasn't got their thumb out of their butt and taken responsibility for their skills and results.

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

But you've been studying now for 3 years. Surely you've learned the academic way of doing things by now? I can understand someone straight from A-levels being a bit out of their depth in the first few months, but at 6 weeks before Finals, it begs the question why someone hasn't got their thumb out of their butt and taken responsibility for their skills and results.

I do understand the academic way.

All I am saying is if they taught you it a bit more then it would help. It just works that you just sort of have to do hit and miss until you get it.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

All I am saying is if they taught you it a bit more then it would help. It just works that you just sort of have to do hit and miss until you get it.

You're missing the point - why didn't you ask instead of 'doing hit and miss'?

studentphil

I think you miss though on a lot of courses the core readings are so hard that it takes you ages to get them let alone be doing tons of extra reading.

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

You're missing the point - why didn't you ask instead of 'doing hit and miss'?

Because I did not know what I was doing was not right as it was getting me 2:2s in the first year and then sort of into the second year I sort of saw what I was doing was a bit wrong.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

I think you miss though on a lot of courses the core readings are so hard that it takes you ages to get them let alone be doing tons of extra reading.

I don't mean to be unpleasant, but this is really one of the basic skills at university. You might have been better off getting a job instead when you left school. Not everyone is cut out to do a degree.

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

I don't mean to be unpleasant, but this is really one of the basic skills at university. You might have been better off getting a job instead when you left school. Not everyone is cut out to do a degree.

I think it is accepted that the core readings are especially hard texts for most people.

That is true to an extent that my intelligence and way of working is not really in line with the stardard academic way, but academic methods are just one small way of working and a test of a very limited type of abilities.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

Because I did not know what I was doing was not right as it was getting me 2:2s in the first year and then sort of into the second year I sort of saw what I was doing was a bit wrong.

Couldn't you sort of ask at the time? I really can't understand why you've let this ride for so long and not taken responsibility yourself, and you don't seem able to explain your reasons. I feel as if I'm repeating myself.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

I think it is accepted that the core readings are especially hard texts for most people.

I guess things have changed since I did my degree then. None of my contemporaries at any of the universities I knew struggled this way with core texts, no matter what the subject. We were challenged, yes, but not baffled into inertia. We got on with it, were expected to identify our own gaps in knowledge, and enjoyed the process of wrestling with new ideas.

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

Couldn't you sort of ask at the time? I really can't understand why you've let this ride for so long and not taken responsibility yourself, and you don't seem able to explain your reasons. I feel as if I'm repeating myself.

Because I did not really know what I was doing was wrong. I was not brave enough to talk to lecturers and they seemed really down on people with problems.