Tutorial

[user1487015199]

Just had a tutorial for an essay due in soon, took a sample of around 1100 words. I abbreviated something wrong and she laughed, she then asked if I had any problems with grammar, it was my first frauds, then was told to stop writing and start reading! I feel so disappointed I have around 3 weeks to get it done, currently on placement so not a lot of time, feel fed up

[bellalou1234]

Attempt not fraud

[MiladyThesaurus]

The advice to stop writing and start reading will be very important. You cannot write a decent essay if it's not based in knowledge of the key ideas and debates (which you get from reading).

It's also not helpful to take something you know isn't well written to a tutor to look at. Saying it's a first draft (I assume) doesn't really change anything. They can only comment that the grammar isn't correct etc because it isn't. If you want better advice you need to take along better work.

[bojorojo]

Where my DD was at university, if students were worried about their ability to write essays which they had not done at school in the same way, they could access improvement sessions. Does your university offer anything like this? I see you are on placement but do they have tips on line?

[bellalou1234]

I know she's right, I just thought what I had done was really good! The subject is boring I have to critically appraise 2 published research articles, I'm going to see if the university offer any help like that,
Thank you for the advice,
X

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

She's probably asking if you have grammar problems because she wants to provide support. It's not that easy to tell whether someone's mistakes are due to haste or carelessness, or to do with deeper problems. So if you'd replied that you did struggle, or (say) you had dyslexia, she might have wanted to provide some extra support.

[FlyAwayPeter]

I feel so disappointed I have around 3 weeks to get it done, currently on placement so not a lot of time, feel fed up

Why? Why are you fed up when you received REALLY valuable feedback on a first draft. We all know first drafts are rubbish (see Anne LaMott in Bird by BIrd on "shitty first drafts."

You have written 1100 words and a tutor read them & gave you advice. Act on it. Read. Read more widely than the set texts, or the reading list for the module or the texts you need just to "pass."

Don't cheat yourself. Learn.

[FlyAwayPeter]

The subject is boring I have to critically appraise 2 published research articles

Boring?! To read a couple of expert writers/scholars on topics relevant to the subject you also want to become expert in? And really engage with what they are arguing so you can appraise their arguments?

You may need to give yourself a bit of a talking to. A statement like that suggests you aren't ready for advanced, degree level studies.

[bellalou1234]

Fly away Peter! Really? Very helpful not

[MiladyThesaurus]

Did you think your draft was well written, OP? Because then it's a really good thing that your tutor asked about problems with grammar.

I know it can be hard but you really need to not be defensive about formative (or summative) feedback. We only tell you things that will help you.

Similarly, the task might appear to involve only two research articles but you actually need to read quite a lot in order to critically engage with them. You won't be the only student that's been told that they need to read more before they can write (I would put money on most students being in that situation). Criticism can be hard to take, however constructive it is. Learning to see it as a positive will make an enormous difference to how well you can do.

Similarly, the tutor really won't have been laughing at your abbreviation. She'll have been trying to keep the mood light. I don't think badly of students who say or write silly things (we've all done it), but I will try to get them to laugh with me when a mistake has had amusing effects.

[FlyAwayPeter]

Feedback is a gift, Bellalou. You've had feedback here, and from your tutor, but you seem resistant. You might want to think about that attitude.

• Read more, and more widely than you think you have to - read more than the set reading.
  
• A draft is a draft is a draft. Most people's first goes at formal writing in which they need to develop and argument (so, academic essays, but of course not only academic essays) are fuzzy and badly structured.
  
• Think about thinking through your writing. Speaking & writing are different cognitive processes. In other words, we think differently when we speak and when we write.
  
• Accept corrections. Be grateful that someone has taken the time to help you improve.
  
• Grammar errors obscure clarity of communication. If you want to communicate your ideas clearly, then you want to remove any impediments to that communication.
  You really need to think about your view that the assignment is "boring." Do you want to learn about your topic? If so, why is reading the work of experts, and analysing them, and bringing your own arguments to their work - why is that boring*? I think you really need to think about this. You sound truculent.
  
• You thought your writing was really good. Your tutor gave you some guidance about improving it. Yet you are fed up? Again, there's an issue of attitude here. Think about it.

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

To be fair, flyaway, it is tough getting feedback that you're not yet equipped to deal with, and it's normal to go through a stage of feeling upset or worried, isn't it? The problem would be if the OP didn't care, but she does.

I think university-age students really struggle with grammar corrections. It's tough for them, because mostly they feel as if this is something they should be able to do. Some of them might not have had their grammar corrected since much earlier in secondary school. And then someone comes along telling them they need to re-learn the basics, and they can feel a bit hurt.

[bellalou1234]

Thank you for the advice, I do listen and take on board what people are telling me.
I'm a mature student in my 30,s and done an access course whilst working full time, I'm now in my second year at uni and so far have passed and enjoyed all modules, I am just struggling with this research module, I find the subject interesting, however for the essay I need to appraise ethics and data sampling, this is the bit I'm struggling with all the research terminology and embedding key words into my essay,
I have had loads of tutorials where I Obviously take Criticism and listen and make changes,

Thank you again everyone! I'm heading to library once I'm finished work

[Allthebestnamesareused]

In your last post OP you have used commas where full stops are required. This may be just a typing error on your phone but if you have submitted your draft in a similar way then this may be why the tutor has mentioned poor grammar.