Exams

[Whaleboy]

Seriously, what is the point of them? You sit there, in my case the only person in the hall who had finished puberty (having driven the best part of 50/60 miles to Cambridge because no-one in Northampton will let you sit the exams as a private/independent student) feeling like your hand's about to fall out, stressed, tired, and pissed off that half the questions on your paper haven't even been covered by the course.

Under these, frankly, less than ideal circumstances, you're supposed to come up with work that represents the best of your ability. Now I don't know about you but while this approach might be good if you're taking an A Level in Bomb disposal, I don't know a great many historians or students of literature that need to perform against the clock with an invigilator's gun to their head.

So why take them? Surely for Eng lit and history it would make more sense to produce some kind of dissertation or at least an extended essay; an opportunity to measure you ability in the subject not how well you perform under pressure (in my case, not very well at all).

[Proteus_MST]

In university, at least during the introductory study period (the first 2 years) it is just sieving.
Decreasing the number of sudents that are allowed to get through to the main study period.

[Asher]

So why take them? Surely for Eng lit and history it would make more sense to produce some kind of dissertation or at least an extended essay; an opportunity to measure you ability in the subject not how well you perform under pressure (in my case, not very well at all).

You don't have essay exams in the UK? Most of my university exams were either essays or math/computer-based exams.

And judging by your posts here I wouldn't say you excel when not under pressure either.

[Whaleboy]

In university, at least during the introductory study period (the first 2 years) it is just sieving.
Decreasing the number of sudents that are allowed to get through to the main study period.

I don't really think that measures ability though. It makes more sense for universities to be harder to get into to ensure that students, once in, are more likely to stay in. That way it's cheaper for everyone and ultimately better for students as (one hopes) it would drive up standards of pre-uni education.

You don't have essay exams in the UK? Most of my university exams were either essays or math/computer-based exams.

If, by essay exam, you mean a certain amount of time to write an essay under pressure, then that's what I've had in a triple dose today. Quintuple if you want to be pedantic. The fundamental problem is that it's not an environment conducive to producing your best work.

Some courses are graded partly on coursework and partly on exams. IMO it makes more sense for subjects, particularly the humanities, to be judged entirely on coursework.

And judging by your posts here I wouldn't say you excel when not under pressure either.

?

[Krill]

It's too easy for students to plagiarise if the essays are coursework based...(obviously there are wways to detect plagiarism but at pre uni education stage there would be too much to sort through to do it.)

[Whaleboy]

Ahhh pragmatism! That old frustrater of everyone who would seek to improve things

[Zkribbler]

"If it's not covered in the reading or in the lectures, don't worry, it will be covered in the final."

[-Jrabbit]

Rules of the game. You're being measured against others on a level playing field. Deal with it or move on.

Sorry to be unsympathetic, but lit students need all the reality checks they can get.

[Whaleboy]

I'm paying over £1000 per course to "deal with it" which I think gives me the right to comment on its efficacy.

I'm not saying there should be one rule for me and one for all the others, I'm saying that students should be measured on their abilities. Most lit students I know would rather they be judged on the basis of a submitted essay which lets them fully explore the subject matter as they would "in their natural environment", rather than hurriedly rattle off something in an expedient 60 or 90 minutes.

Now what isn't a level playing field is the fact that I, notwithstanding the long drive, had the chance to sit in a pub for an hour beforehand over a glass of wine and a sandwich while other candidates were dropping in straight from another exam. They're rattled, stressed, their hands are killing them (just as mine was an hour into the exams) and so would be less likely to perform well than I was.

Exams are very much NOT a level playing field.

[Jon Miller]

Exams exist because professors/etc don't have the time to get to know personally/etc the different students. At high levels exams stop being necessary.

JM

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Whaleboy
I'm paying over £1000 per course to "deal with it" which I think gives me the right to comment on its efficacy.

Comment away, it's sympathy you will find in short supply.

[Whaleboy]

Wezil, I don't want your sympathy, I want your hot sweet man love!

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Whaleboy
Wezil, I don't want your sympathy, I want your hot sweet man love!

I'm told the ferret signifies something I wasn't aware of before. Now you are just plain scaring me.

[Thoth]

Originally posted by Whaleboy
Wezil, I don't want your sympathy, I want your hot sweet man love!

Way too much information. This site has PMs for a reason.

[C0ckney]

i used to prefer exams over coursework when i was a student. mostly because i work fairly well under pressure and also because i'm a master of procrastination if you give me a long deadline to work towards.

btw, are you retaking your a-levels whaleboy?