Do people ever tell you this when you have problems writing a paper, essay, part of a group project, or what it might be?

I'm good at writing -- stilistically speaking, but I can't do what some people seem to do so easily, which is calculating how much effort they need to put into it out of how important it seems to be to the teacher.

"This is no big deal, she won't even grade them."

Well, that's not the point. If I cannot get something down on paper it's not because I could write something, but don't think it's good enough. No, it's because I_just_can't_write_it. I may know far more on the subject than I would need to to write it, I may have great pictures of it in my head, but if I can't formulate something that will fit the required format it's not because I'm trying to make things difficult for myself.

I often find the "required format" part to be the culprit. The joys of adhering to rules I didn't make! I was reading my school report from eighth grade the other week, and it happened to mention that I was resistant to specific rules and thrived where I was given individual freedom :D It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with being oppositional either, but if I'm not interested in what I'm meant to be doing, that's it. I have to let the deadline creep up on me before I can pull all the loose ends I've jotted down together.

Yes!
I find it much easier to write an essay that I may outline as I please than to write a paper where I need to fit my writing into a set template.

Then of course there might be the issue of having to squeeze in loads of information into half an A4-page like when I was writing about the over 2000 years of on and off Persian dominantion in Georgia, as part of a group project. I had a good overview of the complications and nuances of it -- in my head, but to get it down on paper, in short and concise format and with all the years right was a whole other thing. My fellow group members tried to encourage me with the "It's no big deal approach", but that doesn't work for me...

Resistance to rules:

I got mad at my teacher and was on my way to leave the classroom because she told me off for reading a novel during math class in 4th grade. (I was ten) I didn't want to do math! What was the point? I thought.

ClearConfusion
My little girl is going into 3rd grade and she is the same way,she loves to read and hates math.Her teacher last year use to always send notes home stating my little girl was reading while she was trying to teach a lesson.

:)

I didn't like school much until I began adult education when I got to choose more what I wanted to study and got to make my own schedule -- meaning no early morning lessons! lol And also, of course, the fact that I chose to take these courses myself, I wasn't forced to.

My mother had great troubles getting me to school when I was a kid. She actually went to the doctor with chest pains, which was due to the stress she felt. Poor her!

What kind of books does your girl like to read?

Oh, I forgot to ask Lipz17:

Does your girl like school apart from math?

Resistance to rules:

I got mad at my teacher and was on my way to leave the classroom because she told me off for reading a novel during math class in 4th grade. (I was ten) I didn't want to do math! What was the point? I thought.

yeah i was in similar situations i rember in hs my teacher who was a jekr asked me to do my helath homework when i was halfway done with math rofl it's like leave me alone i will get it done.

I hated school when I was a kid, it was so pointless and easy. So I read books in class and got yelled at...a lot. It kinda got to me after a while, and I was transferred to a school with a special "gifted" program where they knew to at least lay off you for reading...they should be stoked, a kid that likes to read...how many of those are still around? Seriously, your kid is reading in class because she's bored. So she finds a silent activity that helps her learn to partake in instead of class. Sounds cool to me. Let her read. In fact, encourage it. And tell her teachers to lay off. If you won't, I will. I still remember how embarassed I was whenever I got yelled at for reading in class. Maybe if class was interesting, I'd have payed attention.

As for writing, I love it. But I hate papers, because they're so damn formulaic. I've proven that I can write a paper. I've not only proven it, I've proven it repeatedly. The two classes I've loved the most so far in university have been a writing for communication class involving news releases and such things, and a class involving internet issues, which culminated in the creation of a website discussing the use of a specific technology. Both were writing intensive, but neither required a standard "academic paper", so I ended up doing much, much better. Sure, it was still formula writing, but at least the formula was new, and creativity counted.

I like writing, and I hate papers. I failed my english 101 class because of what can only be described as a terminal case of writer's block. The subjects for the papers were very broad, but I couldn't for the life of me come up with anything that would fill two to three pages and that I was comfortable with letting other people read. The teacher says draw from your personal experiences, but that's the problem: I don't have very many personal experiences. My social life from high school backward was almost nonexistent, so apart from school I hardly did anything. Really. And I hated school, and for the most part using that as a source of writing material was too personal and painful. I played a good deal of video games, but that is such a complicated, nuanced, and useless field of knowledge that a generalistic writing assignment like "compare two things" doesn't work on it.

I like writing, and I hate papers. I failed my english 101 class because of what can only be described as a terminal case of writer's block. The subjects for the papers were very broad, but I couldn't for the life of me come up with anything that would fill two to three pages and that I was comfortable with letting other people read. The teacher says draw from your personal experiences, but that's the problem: I don't have very many personal experiences. My social life from high school backward was almost nonexistent, so apart from school I hardly did anything. Really. And I hated school, and for the most part using that as a source of writing material was too personal and painful. I played a good deal of video games, but that is such a complicated, nuanced, and useless field of knowledge that a generalistic writing assignment like "compare two things" doesn't work on it.
I hate english in general if i could use poetry or pictures that are not drawn my me i would i went to a SBH school for hs they didn't teach anything there i mean nothing english was my worst subject computers help but i admit it seems like i need someone to double check everything i type or write... I naver been properly taught it basically that add doesn't really help either since i could summerize everything in two paragraphs when the assignment wanted two pages for example.

It's tough for me i'm at two other boards the one gave me alot jokes from bad grammer there isn't anyting i can do untill i learn grammer 980 in the fall...

I do these things I like to call "Writing Hours" where I'll set aside an hour each day or every couple of days and just write out STUFF. I'll take my pen and write out whatever I can associate with the assigned subject I'm supposed to be writing about, and I don't even think while writing. It's like I go into this auto-mode. I'll start right after the assignment is given and do a little bit each day, and it's really not that hard. Because if you start early, you have more than enough content to go back and edit into a paper that's good enough for the teacher. Even if you spend most of your time writing garbage, you're one step further than you would have been if you hadn't written anything at all.

I do these things I like to call "Writing Hours" where I'll set aside an hour each day or every couple of days and just write out STUFF. I'll take my pen and write out whatever I can associate with the assigned subject I'm supposed to be writing about, and I don't even think while writing. It's like I go into this auto-mode. I'll start right after the assignment is given and do a little bit each day, and it's really not that hard. Because if you start early, you have more than enough content to go back and edit into a paper that's good enough for the teacher. Even if you spend most of your time writing garbage, you're one step further than you would have been if you hadn't written anything at all. I often start out quite early researching the subject.

You have an interesting idea with these "Writing Hours" though. :)

I brought up this topic because my larger assignments are either A-level, maybe with some encouragement from the teacher (after I've told them "I can't do this! The best would be if I'd just quit the course!)": "This is what you've written? It's great! You only need to edit it like this.", or not handed in at all, sometimes I may even have gotten extra time to complete it, but still not been able to do it, despite the most sincere efforts.

At times like these some people seem to think that if I would just take the assignment a bit more lightly I would be able to complete it, if I'd lower my standards so to speak. They seem to think: "Don't write to get an A, a B or a C is quite enough!" I don't know how to do this though.

Now these "writing hours": Do you use this method when you write about something that you don't know much about from the beginning; that you need to research?

How do you organize it?
Do you have a special notebook to write it in?
How do you pick out what to include in the final assignment without being overwhelmed? I mean if you're sitting with months worth of written material, for example.

Now these "writing hours": Do you use this method when you write about something that you don't know much about from the beginning; that you need to research?

How do you organize it?
Do you have a special notebook to write it in?
How do you pick out what to include in the final assignment without being overwhelmed? I mean if you're sitting with months worth of written material, for example.
Actually, I've mostly done it for english assignments. But it does work for stuff I need to research too. Usually I'll buy a notebook just for writing the crap in, and then just write. I know that sounds easier said than done, but when I say just write, I mean anything that comes out of your head that's related to the subject. If I've written something about the subject and can't think of something new to make into a sentence, I will sit there writing out nursery rhymes or lyrics to songs I know until I do think of something new to write. It may seem like a waste of time, but it's about the only way I can stay on top of things and not get behind. I started doing this after having an english class where the teacher would always write asinine comments on my papers like, "That's a start..." like the stuff I'd written wasn't good enough. But at this time, I was so wrapped up in wanting to be really good in literature, etc., that I didn't understand that all I had to do was just give the teacher stuff, let her grade it, and pass the class with a C or better. Screw whatever she thinks. Instead of this, I'd get major writers block and would take 3 hours forming just ONE really good sentence. That is unnecessary. Write some pages of stuff that will suffice for a C or better, turn it in, and move on with your life. LOL.

As far as picking out material for the final paper goes, this is usually where you can ask the teacher for some help. A lot of teachers will read rough drafts and tell you what you can do to improve, etc. Another thing is, note what the teacher talks about in class and tends to talk about more than once. That's usually a good indication of what that teacher is looking for in the paper.

Thank you Mystic! :)

Maybe I'll try your method this autumn.

We'll see if it works for me or not, if I do.

You've planted an idea in my head though by suggesting it. :)

Resistance to rules:

I got mad at my teacher and was on my way to leave the classroom because she told me off for reading a novel during math class in 4th grade. (I was ten) I didn't want to do math! What was the point? I thought.
ahahahaha, I got my hand slapped by a nun in 4th grade (I went to a Catholic school) because I was turned to a page ahead of everyone else, looking at a picture. That nun had problems with everybody though, a lot of parents complained, so I think it was just her.

As far as picking out material for the final paper goes, this is usually where you can ask the teacher for some help. A lot of teachers will read rough drafts and tell you what you can do to improve, etc. Yes, I've gotten this kind of help once, but the prerequisite here is that you're almost finished. E.g. that you have it written down in intelligeble sentences, and *important* :eek: in typing; at least if you have my handwriting...:rolleyes: Also; the teacher can not always help you pick out what to include when it comes to the facts.

I remember once I spent days typing in material that I didn't even know if I'd have any use of. Just facts I had. I couldn't make a paper out of it though.

I got valuable help from my teacher, in a history course, on how to fit in the material I had,(which was very good; I'd spent a lot of time searching information by reading handwritten documents from the 18th-19th centuries in an archive (this was not required)), into the form a paper has to be written in.

Another thing is, note what the teacher talks about in class and tends to talk about more than once. That's usually a good indication of what that teacher is looking for in the paper. Providing that the teacher has some knowledge of the subject you're writing about though, and that it has anything to do with what's been discussed in class. :rolleyes:

Providing that the teacher has some knowledge of the subject you're writing about though, and that it has anything to do with what's been discussed in class. :rolleyes:
Yeah nowadays I try and stay within those realms...writing about something the teacher has no idea about just makes it more difficult. Unless, of course, the teacher wants you to educate him or her on some topic...in which case, have you ever read encyclopedia articles or something similar? Look at their layouts and sometimes you can get a good idea from that as to how to arrange the paper.

Yeah nowadays I try and stay within those realms...writing about something the teacher has no idea about just makes it more difficult. Unless, of course, the teacher wants you to educate him or her on some topic...in which case, have you ever read encyclopedia articles or something similar? Look at their layouts and sometimes you can get a good idea from that as to how to arrange the paper.
Do you mean usual encyclopedias, you know the ones you look up things with.

What I've had most problems with in terms of paper writing is to fit my findings into the set form; you know:

1. Here you introduce the subject.

2. Here you present and discuss the method-(s) you've used.

3. Here you present and discuss your sources.

4.Here you present your findings.

5. Here you discuss your findings.

6. Here you have a summary.

etc....

*sigh* Can't I just make the outline as I ,myself, see fit?...No, I can't, cause that's not how it's supposed to be done. Then it's not academic -- no matter how many sources I present. Oh, well...

OOHHHHHHH I see what you mean. It sounds like you're doing a research/scientific type paper. Try looking at some psychology papers. From professional academic psychology journals.

I can write papers from my perspective all day long but when I forced to write about a certain topic in a certain form I can't do it. I try so hard and I start over 100 times. I'm afraid I'm not giving enough detail so I go over board and end up off topic or I spend hours over analyzing certain words in the question and look them up in the dictionary over and over. I start weeks ahead of the due date and get no where. I find I do my best work at 3 am the night before the paper is due! I guess the pressure forces me to stop thinking so much and just answer the questions.

You know...a big problem with teachers these days, especially English teachers, is they get so hung up on what students are writing about that they totally ignore structure and grammar...which is what they SHOULD be teaching...

It's either feast or famine for me: sometimes I can just write and write and the words seem to tumble from my mind to the paper as if by magic, or I pretty much stare at the paper for over an hour and write six sentences (or less) :confused: As much as I hate papers, I think I hate essay exams even more--nothing provokes anxiety more than having to sit down and write multiple paragraphs in 50-80 minutes! Do you find papers more stressful than essay exams or the other way around?

Papers are much more stressful for me. Once you are in there taking the test you just have to write. You know you have limited time to agonize ... so you write like crazy. I am the last person to leave the testing room, every time. I write up until the last available minute. If I have studied hard, I have a lot to say, and no time to waste worrying about whether or not the paragraph is arranged in the best possible way...

I usually leave tests thinking I made a "C" or "D". I usually make "A"s.

I turn in papers thinking they are "C" or "D" work, too. I spend hours and hours writing papers, way more than the other students. When I turn them in I think of them as a joke, like I am faking a paper. I typically make "A"s on papers, too. Go figure. I make the "A"s, but I definitely suffer for them.

And yes, last time I wrote a term paper my husband said, "Just write a paper. Just make it good enough to turn in. It doesn't have to be an 'A' "

I don't know what that means. Since it takes so much effort to write a paper at all and I always think I'm getting a "D" when it comes back graded as an "A" - I have no idea how someone would go about writing a paper that is just "good enough to turn in".

I have difficulty writing papers in the same way that you all have said. The formulas, the rigid rules, are the culprit.

Right now I'm going to school for programming and I find the rigid requirements laid out for the assignments to be impossible to read, let alone follow. I hope he doesn't dock me for accomplishing the same task in a far more efficient and creative way. :eyebrow:

The whole notion of "She won't even grade them" has been around for a long time.

I believe I experimented with it in undergrad and was proven wrong...lol.

Oh, please tell us what happened, lol.

This is making me laugh - at some point they just accepted that I had a book behind the textbook - they simply gave up. :rolleyes:

I remember the day I came home and told my father, quite offhand, that I'd had fun in math that day. He gave a quite convincing imitation of having a heart attack! :faint:

But - it was geometry, always easier for me than the other maths, because of its visual nature. (At least in its more elementary forms.)


Resistance to rules:

I got mad at my teacher and was on my way to leave the classroom because she told me off for reading a novel during math class in 4th grade. (I was ten) I didn't want to do math! What was the point? I thought.