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Blog Thread II: Beyond Blogosphere.
Barmymoo:
So guys, I finally feel like I know something about sociology and I'm having mixed feelings about this. Part of me is incredibly relieved because the exam is on Thursday and I did need to learn something before I went in there and sat for an hour staring at a blank sheet of paper. Another part is worried because I'm not convinced that the things I've learnt will be what the questions are about, so I still have some way to go (and thankfully two full days to go it in). But predominantly I'm upset that we didn't learn any of this stuff during the year. I know that there were a whole heap of problems that led to us not having a teacher, but the fact that I am not blaming anyone for how badly this year went doesn't mean that I don't wish circumstances were different. Sociology is fascinating and it took me actually leaving college and spending two weeks reading through the textbook (and buying my own, and producing the sort of notes I should have been either receiving from my teacher or writing in class) to realise this.
I know that everyone says that you should do a lot of independent study at this level anyway, but I hadn't realised just how little we were actually covering in class. I now have a basic understanding of the sociological perspectives and concepts which underpin all the detailed study we've been dipping into; it's laughable how little I actually knew about this basic stuff. I didn't even know of the existence of positivism and interpretivism, let alone what they were and how they affected everything else I've half-learnt.
My final additional worry is that because I've devoted so much time to sociology (and to getting a tan), I haven't spent enough time on my other subjects. Then again, until a few weeks ago I had a teacher for all of them and even in Law where my teacher left suddenly we'd covered everything pretty thoroughly. So for everything else, it is purely a matter of revision and practice whereas sociology appears to be a complete start-from-scratch learning.
I just started writing a sentence that began "In non-exam-related news" but then realised there actually isn't any. I'm not sure if that's incredibly sad, or a sign of my mature and sensible devotion to my studies at this crucial period in my life. Probably the former.
McTaggart:
--- Quote from: Inlander on 01 Jun 2009, 05:02 ---Spoilers like whoa in there.
--- End quote ---
I am not even gonna click the link.
Reed:
So last night I finished grading the last of my student's work. I can say that the students got less out of this session than I have ever seen before. The highest grade I gave on their large project (they had to isolate bacteria from a Winogradsky column, then characterize them) was an 80%, and that was being generous. I told the students exactly what was expected from this lab report, and none of them listened to me. What I wound up doing was starting with a baseline 70% (once again generous conisdering their work) and would increase their grade if they added anything extra or decrease their grade if they said anything exceptionally stupid (happened fairly often).
Some of my favorite quotes include:
"My Gram (-) was more susceptible to antibiotics than my Gram (+) because all antibiotics attack cell walls, and Gram (-)'s have extra"
This is so very wrong. A lot of antibiotics attack cell walls, but there are still quite a few that don't. Also, Gram (-)'s have an extra cell membrane, but a smaller wall. This means that they are actually less sensitive to the antibiotics that attack cell walls.
"Organism 1 did not grow on the casein or starch plates. This means that it is susceptible to the enzymes caseinase and amylase"
No, no, no. You try to grow organisms on casein and starch plates to determine if THE ORGANISMS THEMSELVES PRODUCE CASEIN OR AMYLASE IN ORDER TO BREAK DOWN THOSE POLYMERS!
"My organism was catalase and amylase +, which means that it can get its O2 from the reaction H2O -> O2"
Where to start? Amylase has nothing to do with that interpretation, let's just throw it out! Catalase is not used by an organism to acquire anything. It protects the cell from reactive oxygen species (H2O2 in the case of the assay he performed).
A lot of alcohol was required to get through this grading!
De_El:
Blogga bloggity,
I don't know why, but haircuts get me unreasonably mad! Like, actually not a lot of things make me mad. But a haircut always leaves me a pissed off motherfucker! It's dumb! The lady who cut my hair was nice, I wish I didn't feel all kinds of hate right now. I am not totally certain, but after today's haircut I am going to say it might be that haircuts make me feel powerless, especially when the person cutting my hair begins to fuck it up and I become paralyzed. Like, it is probably perfectly reasonable to be like, "Wait no, don't do that!" or "Oh, actually I wanted to keep that bit a little longer," but I can't do these things cus I freeze up and I'm dumb.
'nother post when I am calmed a bit and have a camera to display le new 'do.
Alex C:
Minnesota Vikings fans are hilarious! I have friends who really think the Vikings have a shot at 12+ wins. They're adorable people.
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