I’m one of those people who is rather less confident about the existence of universal regularities in our world (and this has at least as much to do with the research component of my misspent scientific youth as it does with Hume and Popper and the whole problem of induction).
Nonetheless, if I had to bet money on certain patterns being stable features of my world, here’s where I’d lay my chips:
- Not coming to lecture more than three times in the part of the semester preceding the midterm will be highly correlated with not doing well on the midterm. (My lectures seem to add value; who knew?!)
- Not actually address the question that has been asked will be highly correlated with earning very few of the available points.
- Using many, many words in the space available to answer the question (especially if they don’t engage with the question) is less likely to earn points than using fewer words that present a clear answer.
- The ability to use a sanctioned cheat-sheet on the midterm means I’ll see a sizable proportion of papers (maybe 33%) where students have simply recopied on to their test papers every single thing they put on their cheat-sheet about philosopher X, regardless of what a question is asking them about philosopher X. This strategy seems to make it hard for the students using it to notice when they have “lost the plot” in their answers.
- In at least 10% of the papers, I will encounter the phrase “solve science” and will need to pause for a facepalm or a headdesk.
- That rascal DrugMonkey will put up a post to which I want to respond before the end to my grading is anywhere in sight. (Seriously, am I the only blogger with grading who has an angel on one shoulder and DrugMonkey on the other?)
Even non-bloggers without grading like me have an angel on one shoulder and DM on the other.
Have you any reliable strategies to get the DM on your shoulder to simmer down?
Just as long as you do go over and comment, because your voice is needed there. Never mind grading.
Great, all I need is a choir on the DM shoulder! Y’all are going to scare the angel on the other shoulder away.
(But yeah, I’m actually drafting a response to the DM post, because I have weakness of will when it comes to getting grading done.)
YAY ME!!!!!!!
DrugMonkey, I am sooo close to FedEx’ing you these midterms to grade yourself!
I had a senior philosophy major ask about taking my introductory biology course, as he was interested in philosophy of science. I said fine. Colleagues told me he was very bright, but never attended class. I saw him on campus and told him he had to attend and do the labs or fail. He was taken aback, but did so. He only came to lecture on test days and ended up making the high grade in the course. His lab instructor remarked that he was a very interesting student, but did not elaborate. The exception which proves (tests, breaks) the rule, I suppose. I have no idea how he accomplished it, other than perhaps getting lecture notes from someone.
I hardly went to class during undergrad (played hooky to do research) but got a PhD from a good school! I was a much happier camper in grad school when I learn in a self directed way.