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MA Assessed Essay Title Mistake

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Reply 20

Alan Smithee

shady lane

Are you seriously complaining about getting 70s?

It is ridiculous.

Reply 21

Alan Smithee

the_alba

Mid to high 70s so far, so lower than at Hull but I'm not sure whether this is a) because Oxford has stingier marking standards, b) because any Master's has stingier marking standards than undergrad, or c) because I'm disillusioned and a bit crap nowadays. Combination of b) and c) I think.

I remember asking you not too long ago if you were on a distinction, and you said no. What was that?

I would say it's a) and b) not c). It's master's level, it's meant to be harder.

Reply 22

Alan Smithee

vickytoria77

Sounds like me - I moaned for hours because I only got 72 on one of my essays. Someone had to hit me hard in order for me to stop being such a perfectionist!

How silly.

Reply 23

Alan Smithee

To get a distinction, you should get at least 70% in 4/5 modules including the double weighted module, i.e. dissertation. Irrespective of what you get in your last module - providing it's at least 60%. Failing that an average of 70% from 5 modules should also gain you a distinction.

Reply 24

Alan Smithee

mastersapplicant

Why not a 68% overall average and if half or more of the scores are 70 plus then a distinction is awarded? Seems fairer than a lot of the criteria being mentioned here.

I'd only agree to that if each essay was worth the same amount, i.e. 50% per essay, per module.

Thus, a five module course would give you eight essays overall for the year, plus the dissertation (5th module).

Reply 25

apotoftea

Pernell Whitaker

How silly.

Might sound silly but there is always room for improvement :wink:

Reply 26

Alan Smithee

vickytoria77

Might sound silly but there is always room for improvement :wink:

That sounds rather patronising.

I know there is room for improvement, but complaining about 72% for "hours after" seems pretty sad to me.

Reply 27

apotoftea

Pernell Whitaker

That sounds rather patronising.

I know there is room for improvement, but complaining about 72% for "hours after" seems pretty sad to me.

wasn't meant to sound patronising - sorry if I offended.

The particular essay in question - I was pretty hacked off for being pulled up for something which seemed quite insignificant.

Reply 28

ProEvPete

vickytoria77

The particular essay in question - I was pretty hacked off for being pulled up for something which seemed quite insignificant.

A mistake in the essay title perhaps?!!? Hahahahahahahaha! Hope not!

Reply 29

the_alba

Pernell Whitaker

I remember asking you not too long ago if you were on a distinction, and you said no. What was that?

I would say it's a) and b) not c). It's master's level, it's meant to be harder.

Did I say that? I don't remember saying that. If I did, maybe it was because I foresaw some kind of dissertation disaster, and just thought I wouldn't be capable of a distinction.

I don't know if it is a), because I know two people who have managed to get a mark in the 80s, which suggests Oxford is not as stingy as some make out (though we all suffered on one paper from a particularly stingy marker). And I do think it's c), because I know I don't write as well as I used to.

Anyway, as I said, sorry to sound wanky earlier. I have a perfectionism problem, and if you don't have one then you're lucky and sensible, but there's no need to just dismiss it as silly or patronising. It's caused by crappy confidence problems, quite the opposite of narcissism.

Reply 30

Alan Smithee

the_alba

Did I say that?

Yeah.

I don't know if it is a), because I know two people who have managed to get a mark in the 80s, which suggests Oxford is not as stingy as some make out

Or because they just happened to write really well for that particular essay, perhaps.

Anyway, as I said, sorry to sound wanky earlier. I have a perfectionism problem, and if you don't have one then you're lucky and sensible, but there's no need to just dismiss it as silly or patronising. It's caused by crappy confidence problems, quite the opposite of narcissism.

Sorry, but it's just that kind of behaviour annoys me sometimes, because some students think they have a God-given right to get 75+.

It's funny you should say that about narcissism, because it could plausibly be argued, that narcissism (or NPD) actually emanates from crappy confidence problems.

Reply 31

the_alba

Pernell Whitaker

Erm, no, I don't think I have a God-given right to get 75+. And I'm not a narcissist. But thanks for the insults, that's just grand.

My problem with marks is that when I was an undergrad certain tutors often said, behind my back, that I would burn out or that I was somehow fluking my success, and I suppose that ****ed up my confidence and made me think that unless I keep up the standard I'd be rumbled as some kind of fraud. So now that I'm getting lower marks, I conclude that it's because they were right all along and I never deserved any success in the first place (which I didn't). When you're a teenager, doing well but not exactly brimming with confidence, and some very well established Cambridge professor is bitchily predicting your imminent downfall (God knows why), it's hard not to let that get to you. It's unfair of you, Pernell, to accuse me of strutting around thinking I inherently merit the highest marks known to man. I don't think that at all: if anything, quite the opposite. And it's not even about marks really; it's about never writing anything that I don't think is complete horse****e. Lots of people have this problem. It's not narcissism.

Reply 32

mastersapplicant

So how old were you when they first commented you were fluking your success? Ad what marks were you getting then? 75+ ?

Reply 33

Alan Smithee

the_alba

Erm, no, I don't think I have a God-given right to get 75+. And I'm not a narcissist. But thanks for the insults, that's just grand.

I didn't insult you. My post was impersonal to you. You clearly have got a confidence problem.

My problem with marks is that when I was an undergrad certain tutors often said, behind my back, that I would burn out or that I was somehow fluking my success, and I suppose that ****ed up my confidence and made me think that unless I keep up the standard I'd be rumbled as some kind of fraud.

How did you learn about them saying this? Either way, it's really unprofessional of them. That said, you should have had more self belief. That is an internal demon you must slay if you want to make it big, I believe.

Incidentally, I remember your first post in this room, which certainly smacked of arrogance, and went something along the lines of "I got 80% in all of my papers, beat that"...Not verbatim, but you get the picture. Thus, I find it difficult to have sympathy for you.

So now that I'm getting lower marks, I conclude that it's because they were right all along and I never deserved any success in the first place (which I didn't).

Nonsense. Oxford >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hull. MSt >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BA.

When you're a teenager, doing well but not exactly brimming with confidence, and some very well established Cambridge professor is bitchily predicting your imminent downfall (God knows why), it's hard not to let that get to you.

Jealousy is all I would put it down to. Don't you know? Success breeds haters.

It's unfair of you, Pernell, to accuse me of strutting around thinking I inherently merit the highest marks known to man. I don't think that at all: if anything, quite the opposite. And it's not even about marks really; it's about never writing anything that I don't think is complete horse****e. Lots of people have this problem. It's not narcissism.

Your skills at analysing text are not great, evidently. Maybe I should do as Shady Lane says, and furnish my posts with a litany of :biggrin:

emoticons. :rolleyes:

God only knows how you interpreted my post as a criticism to you. Hopefully you can now discern that THIS post does have a critical tone towards you, because I'm fed up of people on here with weak mentalities always thinking that I'm vilifying them, when often, I'm merely relaying the harsh realities of student life - which incidentally I wasn't to you!

Regarding you writing "horse****e", I don't buy it. You didn't get those marks for nothing. You didn't get into Oxford (one of the most competitive courses) for nothing. To be honest, I sense a lot of self pity. Something which, I have no time for. You evidently have talent. I would suggest you start believing in yourself, and ignoring bitter professors whose name is only well known in their respective households.

Reply 34

hobnob

Oh, come on, do give her a break. I can see why you're finding this irritating because you clearly don't have confidence issues (good for you - and I mean this in a completely non-sarcastic way) so you're looking at it from a rational point of view, but lack of confidence is often quite an irrational impulse. It's entirely possible that the_alba really does feel most of what she writes is rubbish, despite the fact that it's blatantly untrue and nobody else thinks so. Telling her to stop being an illogical idiot and start believing in herself is all very well and makes sense, of course - but it won't actually create confidence, because it just doesn't work like that.

As for the bit about her first post, I don't think it's particularly fair to take a post made over a year ago out of the context it was made in and hold it against someone. Particularly not if it was one of the first posts (or even the first post) that person made. I remember reading the list of all individual grades a bit odd when I read it, but I just took it as a typical awkward first post on a new forum.

Erm... how did we end up here again?

Reply 35

The Boosh

lol who are you, her stalker? man, that's just wierd.

Reply 36

The Boosh

what else would you like to do to her?

Reply 37

hobnob

So what? She made those posts in late September, i.e. not very long after learning about the marks she got and shortly before getting started on her MSt. Anyone would have been excited and pleased with himself in that situation.
If we are going to snoop through post archives, we may as well do it properly. :rolleyes:

Still, I'd really suggest that we drop the debate at this point.

Reply 38

the_alba

Well, this is has been an excellent thread. It's this stuff that makes me wonder why I ever come on here. For God's sake, Pernell, you think I want your pity? You have a bigger confidence problem than me if you think that, only it's called self-inflation. And you ask where I found your original comments insulting? Well, it's called implication. Seeing as by that time I had somehow become the topic of discussion, you saying 'some students think it's their God-given right to get 75+' was levelled at me, as was 'narcissism comes from crappy confidence problems'. That's how. I am not that bad at analysing text. I don't need to take any **** from you, and I could drag up offensive old posts of yours if I could be arsed, but I've got better things to do.

Hobnob, thanks for sticking up for me.

And Mastersapplicant, you have been nothing but **** to me since you came on here, despite the fact that I was the only one who tried to offer you advice on the first thread you posted on here. Filling my mailbox with loads of junk about how I think I'm so superior because I go to Oxford, and whenever I mention Hull I'm just doing it for street-cred? Your behaviour is incredibly weird.

Reply 39

Alan Smithee

the_alba

Well, this is has been an excellent thread. It's this stuff that makes me wonder why I ever come on here. For God's sake, Pernell, you think I want your pity? You have a bigger confidence problem than me if you think that, only it's called self-inflation. And you ask where I found your original comments insulting? Well, it's called implication. Seeing as by that time I had somehow become the topic of discussion, you saying 'some students think it's their God-given right to get 75+' was levelled at me, as was 'narcissism comes from crappy confidence problems'. That's how. I am not that bad at analysing text. I don't need to take any **** from you, and I could drag up offensive old posts of yours if I could be arsed, but I've got better things to do.

Alba dear, look at the word I placed before the sentence talking about how I get annoyed sometimes:

Sorry, but it's just that kind of behaviour annoys me sometimes, because some students think they have a God-given right to get 75+.

I think the key words are: "Sorry" (an apology that is), "sometimes" and "some students"...I'm sorry if I was supposed to put "Not you Alba", I made a mistake this one time. I'll remember to include everything next time. :rolleyes: