grad school woes

[tigriswolf]

So, I’m in writing class, right? We work on scholarly materials, like articles for publication, dissertations/theses, chapters for books, things like that. In the first couple week of classes, we selected partners for writing groups, who we’re supposed to meet with throughout the semester while sharing our works, revising, editing, all those fun things.

I’m the only Master’s student in the class, the rest being doctoral candidates, and they all know each other, have known each other for at least a year. So for the writing group selections, it came down to me and one other person who didn’t have a group, so we were paired by default.

(What’s interesting is that she was a TA for a class I took a year ago. Huh.)

Anyway, so my projects for this class are my Methodology and Literature Review chapters because those are the two I’m having trouble conceptualizing. Our first paper is due next Monday (Oct. 13) so I’ve been focusing on the Methodology.

For our first meeting, I sent my partner what I had, and she sent me something that’s already been published to give me a feel for her dissertation. We’re not going to have a second meeting because she has no time at all to meet anywhere in the city, which, that’s fine. (No. It’s not.) And when I sent her my second-to-final draft, she did not reply that she got it. I sent it to her on Friday (Oct. 3) and finally emailed her again on Sunday, asking the interwebs ate my first email, and when she would be sending her draft.

She replied that evening that she does not have a paper she wants me to read, and that she will return mine with comments. Today (Oct. 7) I finally received her comments. She’s suggesting quite a lot of revision and more theoretical stuff – which would’ve been good to know over the weekend, and I guess what I’ll spend most of Friday doing.

Every class meeting, the teacher asks how the writing groups are going, and everyone is so enthusiastic because they’re so amazing, they’re getting so much work done. My group has met once. I just… am I doing this wrong? Should I talk to my advisor, who is the teacher? What is my partner going to turn in?

I’m just so frustrated.

Comments

[digitalwave]

Definitely talk to your teacher, sweetie. What's she's giving back to you is ridiculous and in no way helpful.

It's supposed to be a give and take process so that you both can grow. Instead she's acting like she's too good to participate in the process and is doing you a favor by engaging you at all.

That's not what your writing group should be at all.

*hugs*

[tigriswolf]

I emailed my 'partner' for clarification. Depending on what she says, I'll email my advisor, I guess.

[digitalwave]

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck!

[babelmira.livejournal.com]

see the teacher. this isn't good enough

[tigriswolf]

I don't even know what I'd say.

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

Speak to the teacher, she is treating you very disrespectfully and diminishing your experience - you're paying for a Master's education/co-operation with your "partner" and are being hung out to dry.

I would also show your teacher the record of the amount of communication between you (a list of all the emails you've sent what she's sent back, evidence of her refusal to meet you at any time other than class).

If it is the case that she genuinely doesn't have the time to work on this stuff with you, she should seriously question if she has the time for this Master's.

[tigriswolf]

I emailed her for clarification and it seems that, at some point in the future, she will send me something? Which doesn't help for next Monday. But I am seriously not liking working in a 'writing group.'

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

The professor needs toknow about the lack of cooperation between your "partner" and you :/

[tigriswolf]

I've emailed my advisor asking for a meeting.

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

Good. Bring copies of all email communications from her to show what you are dealing with.

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

Good. Bring copies of all email communications from her to show what you are dealing with.

[cattraine.livejournal.com]

Speak with the teacher and let her know what is happening so you don't end up shafted by this so called partner.

[tigriswolf]

But what would I even say? I'm supposed to be a grownass adult and it feels like tattling... but I am really unhappy in this situation.

[bugeyedmonster.livejournal.com]

It's not tattling. You are both receiving a grade here, and she's definitely not holding up her end of the grade. Notice how everyone else seems to be getting a lot out of their group, that's how it's supposed to be.

It's like collaborative fan fiction. You both communicate and write towards an end goal, instead of writing two separate stories. Or one person doing all the writing, and the other doing nothing.

Also saying talk with the teacher, and the advisor, and showing copies of the emails you have.

If she doesn't have time to meet with you, then she needs to lighten her workload somewhere. Some folks get a Masters or Doctorate over 5 years rather than just two, because they work or have family obligations.

[tigriswolf]

I'm taking 3 years for my Masters, instead of 2. My thesis is kicking my ass.

I emailed my advisor asking for an appointment to talk about a couple things, including the writing groups. *sigh*