sielwolf's Journal: PHLUCK

So... how fast can you read a 14 page research paper and, along with 2 other random individuals, generate a presentation that summarizes said paper along with examples?

Well I get to find out as I have 48 hours to do so.

Ahhh yes. I haven't told you about my seminar Algorithms class. The professor seems to be a... well moron. But additionally he seems to want to do as little work as possible while at the same time expecting the above from us! This is a guy who's syllabus is "we may have a midterm... it may be take home... oh and there'll be a final project." That was the first day of class. We haven't heard about the midterm or project since (this being week seven of a 16 week semester). His notes are just copies of other people's notes and he barely understands them. Why? Because this isn't his area of research or even close (he's an architecture guy)... it is just something that he is "interested" in.

So this is a Seminar class. Each day we have a paper which we are supposed to dialogue on. What does this professor take it to mean? That any student can go up to a blackboard and present a paper he has read once (maybe twice) and give illuminatory examples along with parallels to other papers we read.

And be weary if you don't fully comprehend what you might have just read 12 hours ago... he'll burn you and humilate you (saying things like "can someone else actually explain that?").

Surprise, surprise. We weren't living up to his expectations. So now we have to do presentations. Fine.

But he has no schedule and doesn't post the papers until maybe 48 hours before they are to be presented.

How does he chose groups? As class is about to leave he says "You, you and you. Present on Thursday. I want three people to present because this is a difficult paper."

Uh... what? Did he even ask me what my schedule was? Tomorrow sucks for me. Two two-hour labs, a two hour class. Not only that be I have to organize with two other people. And the only thing we get to look forward to is getting shot down for all of our hard work! Hooray for grad school!

This is just unabashed incompotence. This class organization is fucking clueless. The requirements are arbitrary and transcient. I wouldn't be surprised if he said "midterm next Thursday" and not tell us what its on.

I heard that he was almost hit by a speeding car as he blindly walked into an intersection. A slight twist of fate and my attitude would be that much brighter.

Damn

[Dave2 Wickham]

Just...damn. That sounds really fucked up.
I have no idea what I'd do in that situation (well, I lie, I'd work on it straight away and possibly get...an E if it was graded).
Ah well, be glad when it's over :/.

double damn

[subgeek]

sucks. sucks hard.

rant on, though. people listen.

hunh... SEMINARS.....

[mekkab]

I took a philosophy seminar once... it was a facsist affair run by a dept chair who had NO FUCKING CLUE. I handed in my final paper late and still did pretty well, so I guess I can't bitch. but GOD did we fight in class!

Now, my undergraduate experience (except for a few shining examples) was pretty much researchers who "have" to teach a class, and do it as half assed as they possible can. Brilliant people (one not so brilliant...) but the class lost intelligence by sitting in on what they said. Your situation does sound a tad worse, but pretty much college was great in teaching me how to teach myself in the fastest possible manner (A skill which I have since lost).

So what it REALLY comes down to, is how is the grading? Are you garaunteed a gentleman's B? C?

I remember my algorithms class (it was a mix of undergrad and grad students- about 12 of us total, we got to sit on comfy chairs)- I never did the homework, EVER. I rarely showed up. I had to present an algorithm for some matrix manipulation and it sucked. THe one thing I did have going for me was a knack for staying up all night before the midterm and final and memorizing every fricking proof he threw at us, until 5 minutes after the test. This professor was a frenchman who was in love with himself. And I got an A. Learning? No. A? Yes.

So yes, I realize that you would rather not waste your time, but I think we're beyond that. I realize that this is acting like fuel for the oxidizer that is your TA-ship, propelling you at rocket speed from academia into the world of money (ohhhh, like that chemistry metaphor?!)-

so really, all it comes down to is bitch to us about and pass.