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How on earth can essay subjects be rigorous and harder than real science/maths?
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Original post by fnatic NateDestiel
Are you even aware?
Do you realise who you are talking to?
Qhat makes you think you are so important, now get off my thread.
Also where did you get the impression that you own TSR Lord Farquaad.
#kthnxbye
Do you realise who you are talking to?
Qhat makes you think you are so important, now get off my thread.
Also where did you get the impression that you own TSR Lord Farquaad.
#kthnxbye
Original post by amberskye
do you even mussolini?
Original post by fnatic NateDestiel
do you even mussolini?
now you're taking the putin
Original post by amberskye
now you're taking the putin
Repped and saving that post.
Touche' teacher touche'.
Arts subjects are harder because they require you to think through the entire course/exam, unlike sciences which are at least somewhat about learning and regurgitating facts. I study English Lit and Biology (both A2) and so much of Biology is just memorising information. English Lit is harder (and more enjoyable) because I have to actively think 100% of the time.
Original post by fnatic NateDestiel
I find this to be slightly comical, for real subjects and I am ofc talking about maths, fm, physics,chemistry etc. how do some people have the audacity to think that they are easier than english lit lol.
Baseline: STEM subjects more academically rigorous than arts subjects.
Is there not a reason why people going to Cambridge for STEM subjects have higher grades per a level than their "arts (kek)" counterpart.
And these people are the ones that get B's for maths gcse and don't even take real a levels.
It is what it is. It is what it is.
Baseline: STEM subjects more academically rigorous than arts subjects.
Is there not a reason why people going to Cambridge for STEM subjects have higher grades per a level than their "arts (kek)" counterpart.
And these people are the ones that get B's for maths gcse and don't even take real a levels.
It is what it is. It is what it is.
For me it's cause my brain works with numbers, not words.
Original post by Andy98
For me it's cause my brain works with numbers, not words.
Original post by fnatic NateDestiel
But yeah, it just depends on how your brain works.
I do History, Politics, English Lit and RE for A2. All my friends do at least 2 sciences for A2 plus another.
While they might have more work during the year in regards to answering questions, I have a lot more studying to do. But then, I am suited to essay subjects. I suck at science.
While they might have more work during the year in regards to answering questions, I have a lot more studying to do. But then, I am suited to essay subjects. I suck at science.
This is just the most immature thing I have read in my entire life.
I am a STEM student, but a subject is as hard as the people designing the modules make it. You could create a STEM course where the questions are fairly linear and formulaic to answer and it would be easy, or an arts/essay subject where huge amounts of outside the box thinking is required.
I am a STEM student, but a subject is as hard as the people designing the modules make it. You could create a STEM course where the questions are fairly linear and formulaic to answer and it would be easy, or an arts/essay subject where huge amounts of outside the box thinking is required.
Original post by fnatic NateDestiel
I find this to be slightly comical, for real subjects and I am ofc talking about maths, fm, physics,chemistry etc. how do some people have the audacity to think that they are easier than english lit lol.
Baseline: STEM subjects more academically rigorous than arts subjects.
Is there not a reason why people going to Cambridge for STEM subjects have higher grades per a level than their "arts (kek)" counterpart.
And these people are the ones that get B's for maths gcse and don't even take real a levels.
It is what it is. It is what it is.
Baseline: STEM subjects more academically rigorous than arts subjects.
Is there not a reason why people going to Cambridge for STEM subjects have higher grades per a level than their "arts (kek)" counterpart.
And these people are the ones that get B's for maths gcse and don't even take real a levels.
It is what it is. It is what it is.
**** off, we've had more than enough of these **** threads.
Original post by StarvingAutist
**** off, we've had more than enough of these **** threads.
Get lost no-one asked for your opinion.
Dodgy username.
Go away. And you are anyway weak beta.
Beta arts student.
Original post by fnatic NateDestiel
Get lost no-one asked for your opinion.
Dodgy username.
Go away. And you are anyway weak beta.
Beta arts student.
Dodgy username.
Go away. And you are anyway weak beta.
Beta arts student.
Actually, I've applied for physics. Nice try.
How does it feel to be a walking meme?
Original post by HuggleyDuck
Arts subjects are harder because they require you to think through the entire course/exam, unlike sciences which are at least somewhat about learning and regurgitating facts. I study English Lit and Biology (both A2) and so much of Biology is just memorising information. English Lit is harder (and more enjoyable) because I have to actively think 100% of the time.
Look out guys, he did A2 Biology... I'll take your word for it Einstein. Plis. Comparing anything to A-levels is asinine anyway. Especially since all the STEM subjects are so grossly over-simplified. Compare these subjects at degree level if you are going to compare them, then we'll so who's crying in a corner because the maths/physics/chemistry has taken their anal virginity.
Original post by StarvingAutist
Actually, I've applied for physics. Nice try.
How does it feel to be a walking meme?
How does it feel to be a walking meme?
walking meme unaware
Original post by Folion
Part of the problem here is that some examiners decide to put a ceiling on marks for some subjects and this isn't 100%.
For subjects like maths it's harder to impose these ceilings because something is correct or it is not. Provided you've labelled all your graphs and axes , shown all your workings and got the right answer you're going to get 100%. For something like literature whilst there might be some objective points for set marks the rest is going to be on a subjective sliding scale somewhere between an amoeba and Shakespeare. On a subjective scale very few examiners are going to allocate full marks.
Also part of the problem with this whole argument (especially at A level and above) is that the sample groups are self selecting and not random which leads to a whole other study as to why people select certain subjects in the first place.
For subjects like maths it's harder to impose these ceilings because something is correct or it is not. Provided you've labelled all your graphs and axes , shown all your workings and got the right answer you're going to get 100%. For something like literature whilst there might be some objective points for set marks the rest is going to be on a subjective sliding scale somewhere between an amoeba and Shakespeare. On a subjective scale very few examiners are going to allocate full marks.
Also part of the problem with this whole argument (especially at A level and above) is that the sample groups are self selecting and not random which leads to a whole other study as to why people select certain subjects in the first place.
This. My English Lit teacher will not give me full marks for my C/W but says there's not much I can do to improve. Whereas in non-essay based subject you get the answer right and there are your marks.
Interesting.
From a teaching relative I have heard that at school level science subjects are simplified to the point of basically being wrong. This would suggest at degree level the sciences step up significantly.
I also heard from the same relative that whilst at University as a scientist she noticed that students of arts degrees appeared to have a smaller workload and fewer lectures. But, she's considerably biased. And I don't think this applies to subject such as Geography which bridge the gap of science and art.
However, numerous science-minded peers at school have described my subject set which includes Higher English (English Lit. for those in the English system), and two Higher social subjects as "hell" due to the workload, amount of revision, the amount of writing and the harsh time limits of the exams. But then these people may be lazy and find themselves screwed when it comes to University.
A science-minded friend of mine once said to me: "to be good at Maths you just have to be smart. To be good at English you have to be smart and deep." I think there is some truth in that. Arts subjects require imagination, creativity, analytic thinking, an ability to think outside the box and, in some, a certain poetic philosophical-ness. Some (but not all) STEM students have this.
Therefore, I think at the end of the day science subjects have a higher workload at university level than most arts subjects. But, for arts subjects you need a set of thinking skills that some science students just don't have. Thus, both are the same difficulty.
(Sorry for the massive post)
From a teaching relative I have heard that at school level science subjects are simplified to the point of basically being wrong. This would suggest at degree level the sciences step up significantly.
I also heard from the same relative that whilst at University as a scientist she noticed that students of arts degrees appeared to have a smaller workload and fewer lectures. But, she's considerably biased. And I don't think this applies to subject such as Geography which bridge the gap of science and art.
However, numerous science-minded peers at school have described my subject set which includes Higher English (English Lit. for those in the English system), and two Higher social subjects as "hell" due to the workload, amount of revision, the amount of writing and the harsh time limits of the exams. But then these people may be lazy and find themselves screwed when it comes to University.
A science-minded friend of mine once said to me: "to be good at Maths you just have to be smart. To be good at English you have to be smart and deep." I think there is some truth in that. Arts subjects require imagination, creativity, analytic thinking, an ability to think outside the box and, in some, a certain poetic philosophical-ness. Some (but not all) STEM students have this.
Therefore, I think at the end of the day science subjects have a higher workload at university level than most arts subjects. But, for arts subjects you need a set of thinking skills that some science students just don't have. Thus, both are the same difficulty.
(Sorry for the massive post)
This thread is ridiculous. Guess what everyone, there is no black and white answer. As mentioned a million times before, it largely depends on the individual.
Personally, I have found the essay subjects to be EXTREMELY difficult, the only exception being foreign languages, but that's only because I have a flare for them.
For science you know exactly what you need to know and can more or less predict what you'll have to do in your exam. Also for sciences you need to pretty much cram a BUNCH of facts, which for some may be very challenging.
I'd also like to point out though that for Humanity subjects such as History and Government and Politics, there's also a lot of cramming of facts involved (TRUST me!) - but the difference is that you don't get asked to simply name which year so and so happened - you have to apply ALL of this knowledge to writing a very long, well-structured essay. It's definitely much harder to know exactly how to prepare to get top marks for an essay subject.
But, like I said, all of us have different strengths, so this thread really is useless. Personally I find humanities harder, but have chosen to concentrate on them as opposed to sciences simply because they interest me much more.
Personally, I have found the essay subjects to be EXTREMELY difficult, the only exception being foreign languages, but that's only because I have a flare for them.
For science you know exactly what you need to know and can more or less predict what you'll have to do in your exam. Also for sciences you need to pretty much cram a BUNCH of facts, which for some may be very challenging.
I'd also like to point out though that for Humanity subjects such as History and Government and Politics, there's also a lot of cramming of facts involved (TRUST me!) - but the difference is that you don't get asked to simply name which year so and so happened - you have to apply ALL of this knowledge to writing a very long, well-structured essay. It's definitely much harder to know exactly how to prepare to get top marks for an essay subject.
But, like I said, all of us have different strengths, so this thread really is useless. Personally I find humanities harder, but have chosen to concentrate on them as opposed to sciences simply because they interest me much more.
Everybody can improve in every subject up to a point and then they hit a brick wall which is the limit of their capabilities. They cannot grasp concepts or solve problems and answer questions beyond this personal limit.
I think with the right/wrong objectiveness of much of STEM many people are daunted and put off trying to go beyond a certain level because if you can't do it then you can't do it pretty much end of story. At least with more subjective subjects a lot of people think they can have a try even if the outcome isn't that brilliant.
With STEM it might be more possible to score 100% but then it is also possible to get 0% even if you try. With arts and humanities whilst it is less likely one will get the 100% it is less likely one will get the 0% either.
I think with the right/wrong objectiveness of much of STEM many people are daunted and put off trying to go beyond a certain level because if you can't do it then you can't do it pretty much end of story. At least with more subjective subjects a lot of people think they can have a try even if the outcome isn't that brilliant.
With STEM it might be more possible to score 100% but then it is also possible to get 0% even if you try. With arts and humanities whilst it is less likely one will get the 100% it is less likely one will get the 0% either.
As someone who takes both types of subject (biology, chemistry, maths and Latin, which is a bit like English Literature only in a different language) I think the difficult thing about the sciences is not only the quantity of stuff you have to learn, but also that you have to be able to apply your knowledge. I'm not saying that students who do humanities subjects do not, but with the sciences you really have to understand the concepts to be able to apply them to different things. For example, you might have to show a reaction mechanism with reactants that you didn't necessarily learn the mechanism from (poorly explained, sorry!)
In terms of which is harder depends on the way you look at it - it might be harder to get three A*s in science subjects because the work is more difficult, however it might be harder to get 3A*s in humanities because the examiners might be subjective and there is a great deal of pressure in terms of getting an essay written under timed conditions.
One may easily argue that with sciences it's enough just to learn the syllabus off by heart - with biology that is certainly the case up to a point - but certainly for chemistry and maths it's all about really understanding things. Something like history or English, whilst being time consuming in terms of writing lots of essays, doesn't require a great understanding of something in the same way as the sciences, to apply that knowledge to a completely different concept.
Personally I find the sciences harder than the humanities (I know I'm slightly biased) - I feel I have to do far less work in humanities subjects to stay on top of them and that is because science involves understanding things.
(apologies for the thesis, wasn't intended to be this long!)
In terms of which is harder depends on the way you look at it - it might be harder to get three A*s in science subjects because the work is more difficult, however it might be harder to get 3A*s in humanities because the examiners might be subjective and there is a great deal of pressure in terms of getting an essay written under timed conditions.
One may easily argue that with sciences it's enough just to learn the syllabus off by heart - with biology that is certainly the case up to a point - but certainly for chemistry and maths it's all about really understanding things. Something like history or English, whilst being time consuming in terms of writing lots of essays, doesn't require a great understanding of something in the same way as the sciences, to apply that knowledge to a completely different concept.
Personally I find the sciences harder than the humanities (I know I'm slightly biased) - I feel I have to do far less work in humanities subjects to stay on top of them and that is because science involves understanding things.
(apologies for the thesis, wasn't intended to be this long!)
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