writer's block

[TooFarTampa]

I also remind people to say what you really believe when you're writing. If you believe in what you're saying (rather than just doing research), you're going to be more motivated and the paper will be more interesting to the reader.

Makes a lot of sense Paula. Goes hand-in-hand with "write what you know."

But nothing is truer than: "I don't like to write, but I love to have written." Sounds like you're almost there iwishiwasthere!

 

[Beach Runner]

This site seems to filled with intelligent and creative people, so here is the question...I am attempting to complete a paper for a grad class, but have a severe case of writer's block . Any suggestions on how to get going? I only have 48 hours left to finish . Have completed the reading just cannot put my thoughts in words.

When I was at Tulane, we had Mon./Wed./Fri. classes and Tues./Thurs./Sat. classes. Since then, college officials have realized that Saturday is not a good day for classes, so they have increased the class time for Tues./Thurs. classes by 50% to make up the difference.

Okay, so one Saturday I had an English paper due at 8 AM. I had been partying in the French Quarter until 2 AM. I wrote the paper and made it to class (still under the influence) on time. The paper was so good that my professor read it to the entire class and begged me to change my major from math to English.

Note to self: I do my best writing when I'm under the influence. Note to iwishiwasthere: don't be afraid of the subjunctive.

 

[iwishiwasthere]

Woohoo! It is over, uploaded and finished....now the celebration will begin.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have one more large paper to go. I decided the problem came from a dislike of the class and it is hard to be excited when you do not like the material...but it can be done. Share something cool somewhere with me!

 

[Beach Runner]

Woohoo! It is over, uploaded and finished....now the celebration will begin.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have one more large paper to go. I decided the problem came from a dislike of the class and it is hard to be excited when you do not like the material...but it can be done. Share something cool somewhere with me!

I have a B.S., two M.S.'s, and a Ph.D., and I can count on one hand the classes that I really loved. (BTW my favorite was Louisiana Architecture taught by Samuel Wilson, Jr., of NOLA who 15 years later was the architect for our home in GA). I just made up my mind that I was going to be successful, despite how boring the class might be or how bad the professor might be. Typically faculty members at large Ph.D.-granting institutions are boring teachers. They get tenure and keep their jobs based on how many publications they have, not how well they do in the classroom.

Hang in there!

 

[Dabell]

Woohoo! It is over, uploaded and finished....now the celebration will begin.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have one more large paper to go. I decided the problem came from a dislike of the class and it is hard to be excited when you do not like the material...but it can be done. Share something cool somewhere with me!

Go for a drive and/or sit in a park for 1/2 hour. Sometimes, when you don't think about something that is on your mind , some time out" is very helpful.

 

[Jdarg]

Don't forget to list us as sources. Or at least throw a dedication page in- HA HA HA- your professor will think you are a whacko!!

 

[iwishiwasthere]

That would be too much fun! May do it just to get another snitty reply. I would not be the first. It is this teacher's mission to challenge every word you say and I am too old for that game. I'll just cite SoWal.com Then maybe she can lighten up!

 

[Paula]

I have a B.S., two M.S.'s, and a Ph.D., and I can count on one hand the classes that I really loved. (BTW my favorite was Louisiana Architecture taught by Samuel Wilson, Jr., of NOLA who 15 years later was the architect for our home in GA). I just made up my mind that I was going to be successful, despite how boring the class might be or how bad the professor might be. Typically faculty members at large Ph.D.-granting institutions are boring teachers. They get tenure and keep their jobs based on how many publications they have, not how well they do in the classroom.

Hang in there!

I teach at a university, too, and I always advise students (and kids of our friends) to take courses from faculty who get high teaching ratings. Some people say getting high teaching ratings is a sign that the teacher caters too much to the students and isn't "research oriented" enough or hard enough on grading. Frankly, when I look up teaching evaluations I can see that high teaching scores are not related to how many publications a professor has or how hard they grade (some of the highest rated teachers are some of the toughest graders). They get high scores because they love what they do, truly care about the students' learning, and know how to make the topic relevant and engaging to students. An interesting and engaged professor is a pleasure and can truly change one's life and how one sees the world (I had plenty of those, and I've never forgotten them -- I also had some duds). So, when selecting courses (other than requirements and then, if possible, take the requirement when the best teachers are teaching it), go for electives with the highest rated teachers (and sign up early because the classes get full). Then, it will be easy to write papers for those classes!

 

[Beach Runner]

I teach at a university, too, and I always advise students (and kids of our friends) to take courses from faculty who get high teaching ratings. Some people say getting high teaching ratings is a sign that the teacher caters too much to the students and isn't "research oriented" enough or hard enough on grading. Frankly, when I look up teaching evaluations I can see that high teaching scores are not related to how many publications a professor has or how hard they grade (some of the highest rated teachers are some of the toughest graders). They get high scores because they love what they do, truly care about the students' learning, and know how to make the topic relevant and engaging to students. An interesting and engaged professor is a pleasure and can truly change one's life and how one sees the world (I had plenty of those, and I've never forgotten them -- I also had some duds). So, when selecting courses (other than requirements and then, if possible, take the requirement when the best teachers are teaching it), go for electives with the highest rated teachers (and sign up early because the classes get full). Then, it will be easy to write papers for those classes!

Unfortunately for students, private institutions frequently don't make student evaluations of faculty available for public perusal.

 

[Paula]

Unfortunately for students, private institutions frequently don't make student evaluations of faculty available for public perusal.

I didn't know that. I take the online teaching evaluations for granted (they're available to students and faculty, but I don't know if they're made available outside the university). It does seem to increase attention on the quality of teaching because students and faculty can assess these ratings. So, you always know if you're below, above, or at the mean. I'm at a public institution, but I would think that private institutions would focus even more on teaching.

In fact, for a while we had creative students put all faculty teaching ratings in the student newspaper every semester and then grade the faculty on a curve (just as we grade students) from A - F based on teaching ratings. They don't do it anymore, but it certainly focused attention on the quality of the teaching.