Well, I got my two papers back today. I did not exactly get the grades that I wanted but that is often the case. A note on grading here. They never give a grade over 70 out of 100. As it was explained to me, only Jesus and Mohammad get grades over 70 and then only on their good days. I got a 65 on my Literature Review and a 59 on my first 6000 word essay. I was not happy about my first 6000 word essay. I got some great feedback of course and I did not get "you're stupid" comments. Although, my reader (as they are called here) did call some of my stuff "speculative argument", which is never a good sign. Although, there are only three structural changes I need to make. To help you understand where this is coming from some quotes from a page long (this was on top of the comments on the paper itself). I will share the good stuff rather than bore you with the bad: "This paper shows clear evidence of a great deal of primary research, and a considerable amount of critical thinking in assessing the value of the evidence." At the end of the page, "There are some fundamental problems here, but also some good research and many genuine efforts to disentangle some very difficult historiographical problems."

Anyway, I did some work in the library today on the laws. Tomorrow I am going to go to my meeting. From the frying pan into the fire, I think. I am going to have to face them. I am not quite sure I can do that. Well, I have not booked my flight home just yet. I knew they were going to be brutal and I should have been ready for it. At least now I know how they grade. I am going to have to rewrite the entire thing for my dissertation, which is not such a bad thing in any case. I have to add tables for the annal entries and completely revise the wording and take into account my supervisor's comments.

I also had to grade papers. My Japanese roommate had asked me to look at his friend's paper so being a nice guy I agreed. She shows up with a friend and hands me two papers. Well, I did not want to make a fuss so I sat down with her since her friend had a part time job. I was rather peeved at this point. In any case, she and her friend are buying me dinner. So I had that to take my mind off of my papers.

In any case, I am going to have to see if I can pick up the pieces and move on.

posted by Chris  #11:52 PM | 0 comments |