Monday, January 23, 2017
Forrest was right
Forrest was right
Life is like a box of chocolates. So are students. Some of them are heavenly bliss, and others are total disappointing duds.
I find that with the undergrads in my classes I dont care one way or the other. Some stink, some soar, and it doesnt really affect my day-to-day life. But when youre working with a student one-on-one, or youre on one of their committees, or you have them in a grad seminar, and their work is like a chocolate truffle coated in stale coconut that scratches your throat on the way down and leaves a nasty taste in your mouth, that can really ruin your day.
Although I had issues this past week with one of my graduate students, I sorted that out by sucking it up and being more confrontational that I might normally be.
I think I basked in the glow of that accomplishment a little too long, because just when I was sure I had eaten the last nasty chocolate in my student box I got an updated draft of another students thesis. First, the title is incomprehensible. Second, the thesis is only ten pages long. It was twenty pages when I first read it, before I started helping him, way back in October. Its due in April and is supposed to be 50 pages long by then. Third, the writing sucks. Sucks, sucks, sucks. Fourth, he still isnt citing the right way. In fact, his cites have not changed at all after extensive feedback from me on citing. Fifth, speaking of cites, the majority of his come from pages 1-6 in a number of books. Do you think that he reads past the introduction? Sixth... you know what? I just cant go on.
Why am I roped into reading this draft, commenting on it, and meeting with him to discuss my comments when I have other things to do, especially when he so clearly doesnt take a lick of my advice? Its exhausting. I would much rather be making myself sick on some real clearance-priced chocolate than shoddy work.
Available link for download
