How to be an annoying student
From The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
"For all four years of school, I had a policy. If I received anything less than an A on the first paper or non-multiple-choice test in a given class, I would bring 2-3 hours of questions to the grader's office hours and not leave until the other had answered them all or stopped out of exhaustion.
"This served two important purposes:
"1. I learned exactly how the grader evaluated work, including his or her prejudices and pet peeves.
"2. The grader would think long and hard about ever giving me less than an A. He or she would never consider giving me a bad grade without exceptional reasons for doing so, as he or she knew I'd come a'knocking for another three-hour visit."
HA HA HA BRILLIANT! I am sooooo going to use this.
Hehehe,
I have my computer Science teacher at my mercy by practicing this (I didn't read the book) now he gives me anything I want when I ask for it.
Posted by: Scorpius | May 05, 2008 at 09:22 PM
The downside, of course, is that this also takes 2-3 hours of YOUR time.
Posted by: Philip Welch | May 06, 2008 at 02:42 AM
A good investment if you go to a school that allocates grants based on GPA.
Posted by: Jacqueline | May 06, 2008 at 06:39 AM
Most profs that have been around for a while are on to that strategy.
For most of my classes I make students give me objections (or questions where they thought they got the right answer) IN WRITING. they get one class after teh exams are given back, and they have to show me why their answer is right before I answer them.
In addtion, I impose a small cost (1-3 points) for the "protest".
So, it stops the frivolous and diabolical. You're definitely not frivolous, but as for the second category...
Posted by: Unknown Professor | May 08, 2008 at 09:32 AM
This "brilliant" scheme assumes that the Prof will sit through 3 hours of questions. I'll gently show you the door after 30 minutes.
Posted by: Rich | May 08, 2008 at 10:30 AM
When a student comes to argue grades, I assume this is a repeated game. If it's a one-shot game, sure, I might as well capitulate, but in the repeated scenario "always fight" is a perfectly credible threat. Plus, you know, I'm not going to argue longer than my office hours if I can help it. I'm just a TA, after all
Posted by: ryan | May 11, 2008 at 08:15 AM